Taken: The Life of Uktesh Book 3 (8 page)

Enan spat to the side, ignored the angry, “hey,” and said, “Ack, me an’ me boy ‘ould o’ been ‘ere ferst, sept’n that we done stayed behind ‘an woke this sorry lot up.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder and gestured to include those behind himself.  “Speak’in o’ tha’, why’d’n’ you wake us up?”

Laurilli said, “I figured that getting here on time was part of the test, to see if we have what it takes to be in trained in the first place. Also, I think that anyone who slept through the ruckus we made getting ready deserves the punishment of being late.”

Enan scratched his chin and said, “Well, I don’ know ‘bout tha’, but I’m still glad tha’ I helped out these boyz.”

By then a man had been talking about the honor of being in the first training class and that the safety of the whole was more important that the safety of the few.  Laurilli grinned and thought,
that was not well received!

No it wasn’t. He’s basically telling the people that they are forced to be here and that they’re already considered an, ‘acceptable loss.’

That’s what he meant?  I missed that.

“To wrap this up, I’d like to introduce you to one of the men-” a woman coughed loudly.  The speaker said, “One of the men and women, who will be training you. One of the Numbers--the hero, named Three!”  The whole square burst into cheers and applause. 

Enan put his arm around her and pulled her to his side in glee, “This is why me an’ me boy decided to come fo’ this, we had heard so much about this man, some say tha’ h’’s the best o’ all the Numbers.” Laurilli stretched on her toes and craned her neck to get a glance at this man.  She saw the man with the wide brimmed hat and the graying beard—who had told her to go home--walk on stage and remove his hat.  There, tattooed on his forehead, was a golden tattoo of a trident. It clearly depicted the number three.  His eyes scanned the crowd, and for an instant his eyes met Laurilli’s. She shivered as Three’s glance moved on to the next person.  Laurilli had been in the presence of men who could kill other men as easily as regular men killed bugs, but Three’s presence sent a chill down her spine.  Laurilli swallowed and wondered if she wanted to learn what Three could teach her.

“During this martial training you will be tested,” Three started softly.  Everyone could hear him easily, though they all strained forward to make sure they heard the next words.  “You are not warriors, you are not militia.  When you are done with your training you will return to your homes and life will return to normal, aside from an occasional patrol.  If the war comes to your home, you will be able to fight and defend that which is yours.  Sadly, most of you won’t make even make decent warriors,” he turned and pointed to Laurilli. “This girl could probably beat all of the lot of you in sword play.”  Murmurs arose from the crowd, the men to Laurilli’s right and left shot glances at her; some curious, most with more than a little heat.  “If you don’t believe me, then I challenge anyone with a wooden sword to outshine this radiant girl.  Girl, come up here.”

Laurilli walked up to the stage thinking,
this jackass is insane!  For all he knows I’m just wearing my fathers’ sword!

I think there may be more than that.  He was probably goading you, and when you resisted he must’ve realized you’d been well trained.
 

That’s still not very comforting.

She got to the stage and hopped up. Those who had not been able to see her suddenly knew the insult for what it was.  Soon one, then two, three, and four swordsmen with wooden swords moved toward the stage. Soon thirty-one people stood up on the stage.  Laurilli knew that they all had one thing on their minds; beat the cripple.  They cleared a space to fight, but before the situation got out of hand Thulmann stepped forward and said, “Of course, us being honorable Numbers, I’d be more than willing to play the role of gatekeeper.”

Laurilli saw most of the men jump back off the stage, but Baloce remained, “What do I have to do to pass you, O’ Gatekeeper?”

The crowd saw that it was a boy Laurilli’s age and they shouted, “Let them fight!  That’s as fair as it will get!”

Thulmann’s jaw flexed several times before he laughed heartily and said, “A boy fighting a girl with one arm?  That’s entertainment you want to see?”  Scorn dripped almost palpably from his words.

Someone in the back--Laurilli thought it sounded like Dekan--shouted, “Yeah,” into the sudden silence and after a pause the courtyard erupted into a wild cheer.  Thulmann was shaking with rage when he turned to her, “You don’t have to do this.”

She took a deep breath and said, “I think I do.”

Thulmann nodded, clearly not happy with the scene unfolding before him.  He walked back to where the other eight Numbers were standing, grabbed Three and threw him through the air to land in between Laurilli and Baloce.  Thulmann shouted, “You want a fight?  Instead of two beginners, will you accept a substitute of two of the best in Sinai?”

The crowds’ roar of approval literally shattered the windows around the square.  Thulmann didn’t waste a moment. Suddenly his two swords were working their magic against Three’s staff.  Laurilli saw that her father, in his fury, that Three would risk injuring her, was making mistakes.  She shouted, “Calm down! You think Uktesh would’ve missed those mistakes!” 

Thulmann paused, nodded to her, without taking his eyes off of Three, and pressed the attack again.  She backed away until she was standing with the remaining Numbers and watched.  It took much longer than Laurilli would have expected, and she more than understood how Three had earned his place in the Numbers, but with a loud crack Thulmann broke the staff and rested his sword at Three’s throat.  The crowd burst into cheers again, and started to chant, “Four!  Four!  Four!  Four!”  Laurilli hugged her father and was heading back to her group when Baloce jumped back on the stage and raised his hands for silence.

He spun his wooden sword and shouted, “Let’s keep this party going!”  The crowd erupted in cheers again, and Laurilli had had it!  She was tired of his bullying and angry that he’d wasted her father’s kindness.  But more than anything she wanted to smash his smug face into the stage! 
Or through it,
the dragon added viciously.  She Rushed, then Soared at him, and although he saw her coming he never truly knew the force he’d unleashed on himself.  He grinned and slashed into the air where she’d been.  She Stepped a second time back in front of him and punched him with the hilt of her rapier. 

Groggily he punched out at her only to miss again.  She Stepped behind him and used the imperfect Spinning Elbow attack to the back of his head.  He crumpled face first to the stage, but he had enough consciousness to break his fall and kick out at Laurilli, who Stepped back out of his reach.  She Stepped forwards again and into the imperfect Instep and kicked his head through the stage floor.

She turned to the crowd and shouted, “Anyone else!” 
Say “yes” I dare any of you! 
Almost as one they took a step back, even though the members of her group were cheering her loudly.  “I will not be pitied!  Underestimate me at your own peril!” She jumped off the stage and those closest to her unconsciously took a step back from her, while her friend crowded in and congratulated her. No one noticed Thulmann’s smile.

It was into that quiet that Thulmann spoke, “I have to admit that right as Three was about her fighting prowess, he probably hadn’t added himself to the list of the beaten.”  He shook his head slightly, a small grin on his face. “But at least this way I have found my first group leader, you are well on your way to earning a new name.” 

1.                   
   A First Blood in the Life of
   

Three months and three weeks apart from Laurilli

Uktesh had been training for two months with Ceftin, the Naga grand master of the forms. 
I really should thank the Storm lord for breaking my arms as it significantly delayed my debut.
  Today was his first match as a gladiator.  He had learned a lot.  He could now ramp up all of the balanced, skills to imperfect, and all those skills to perfect.  He was able to use the true form for more than just one attack.  Based on the attacks he favored, he found that unarmed and sword attacks were the easiest to use in true form.  He also found that if he Stepped or Walked first he could eliminate the need to go through the balanced, imperfect, and perfect forms.  Uktesh assumed that the reason why the Imperials called the Shadow Step the Split Step is because it split the forms and the need to go through the lesser forms.

Talia grunted as she tightened the balteus around his waist.  It was a decorative leather belt, that was thick and tall. He had agreed to wear it because it would provide some protection to his stomach.  “Husband, I think you need to lose some weight, or maybe have fewer muscles around your stomach.”  Talia had taken to calling him husband, and Uktesh had recently accidently started to call her wife. 

Once they had gotten him to agree to use the Balteus it was only a matter of explaining what it protected to get him to agree to a manica--a leather forearm protection--on each arm.  He also wore an ocrea on each shin. They were both leather and had a decorative dragon in metal along the back for extra protection.  Uktesh had insisted on fasciae wrapping that would help him avoid blisters and chaffing.

Once Talia had finished he stood and she handed him a large metal helmet.  He took it and placed it on the ground next to his feet. He’d declined the bulky and vision-obscuring protection when Ceftin had suggested it.  Uktesh wasn’t sure if the naga or the slave thought her feminine wiles would confuse him into forgetting that, but if that had been their plan it had failed.  He lifted his arms, feeling quite silly, and asked, “How do I look?”

Talia grabbed her chin with her thumb and index finger as her eyes quickly travelled from buckle, to tie, to belt and finally stepped back to view him as a whole.  She smiled and said, “You look like the champion of the Storm ludus.  You might look better with a helmet though.”

Uktesh shook his head and said, “I can’t see out of it, and I use my speed more than I stand and trade blows.”  She frowned at his statement, so he said, “I tell you what, you find a leather, open-faced helmet, with a cool design and I’ll wear that, just not today.”

She sighed and led him to where Ceftin was waiting.  The naga pulled and checked each place he knew from experience could break, and once satisfied, nodded. 

“Today you can be a prick,

kill your opponent with a trick.”

Uktesh felt his eyebrows raise and he said, “I thought those were only for desperate times?”

Ceftin said,

“What you don’t know is your opponent this day,

nine and one points did he slay.”

Uktesh said, “Oh, so he’s close to his hundredth kill and freedom.  I guess that means he’s tough, which must mean this is a desperate situation and I hadn’t realized it.  Thank you.”

Ceftin said,

“As you rissse or fall,

ssso too doesss the reputation of all.”

Uktesh was led with the rest of the gladiators fighting today toward the coliseum by dozens of guards.  Ceftin stayed back at the ludis to continue supervising the training.  Uktesh began to get nervous but Talia, who was ordered to come with, “for entertainment,” slipped her hand in his and squeezed.  He was glad for her support, but didn’t really need it.  The trick he was going to use would be either spectacular or devastating.  They arrived in their holding area in front of a massive gate to the coliseum floor, and Uktesh saw that the fights had already begun. 

As he watched, three spear-wielding gladiators faced off against two sword and shield gladiators.  He felt Talia pulled from his grip by one of his fellow gladiators, and said, “What are you doing?”

The gladiator said, “She’s here for all of us.  She’s our gift for our sacrifice of blood.”

Talia gave Uktesh a small smile and said, “I’m okay Uktesh.”

Uktesh said, “I’m not finished with her.”

One of the gladiators said, “Destus, let him have her if he’s not done; you know the rules.”

Destus scoffed, “You’re not even using her!”

Uktesh took two deliberate steps forward and said, “I’m not finished with her.”

Destus pushed her toward Uktesh and said, “You’ll have to fight sooner or later, and know that if I survive my fight that wench will be mine.”

Uktesh smiled, took Talia’s hand, and pulled her toward one of the benches.  Uktesh lay on the bench on his stomach and said, “I’ll need you to loosen my muscles with your thumbs.”

Talia knelt to his side and began to dig her thumbs into his shoulders. Uktesh arched his back in pain and said, “Not so hard. Just press your thumb down and rotate it like you’re drawing a circle.”  She quickly got the hang of it and Uktesh was glad for the fact that his costume was shirtless but with a belt, as she was able to work her way down to his balteus, but go no further down.  Soon it was Destus’s turn and when he returned victorious he grinned at Uktesh.

Gradually the gladiators in the room went one by one to the sand, and most returned alive.  One man had won, but would probably never walk again without a limp.  Destus stood and walked over to Uktesh.  He squatted in front of Uktesh and said, “You’re next lover boy, and while you’re gone, I’m going to make her scream out my name.”