The Queen's Blade Prequel II - God Touched (23 page)

As she waited
for the next blow, a familiar voice spoke above her.

“
I have a use for her, but she’s no good to me
dead.”

Lilu opened
her eyes to find a pair of scuffed black boots mere inches from her
face, which bore the marks of the straps that fastened blades to
them. Relief gushed through her.

“
Do what ye want with 'er,” Oxan rumbled, “just get 'er away
from me.”

“
Oh, I shall.”

A strong hand
gripped Lilu's arm and lifted her, forcing her to scramble onto
rubbery legs. Blade dragged her from the taproom, steering her
around obstacles, and thrust her into her room. She stumbled to her
bed and sank down on it, clutching her aching belly. He slammed the
door and flopped down on the chair with a sigh.

“
Do you have a damned death wish?”

“
I need the money.”

“
You have room and board, what do you need more
for?”

She raised her
gaze to his pale, hard eyes. “My children.”

He rubbed his
face. “Gods, Lilu, you try my patience, you really do. Who will pay
for their care if you get yourself killed?”

“
I don't know. How will they eat if I don't feed
them?”

The assassin
considered, then dug in the heavy pouch on his belt and drew out a
golden, placing it on his palm. “I tell you what. In the interest
of peace and quiet in the taproom, so I can enjoy my wine
undisturbed, you stay away from that brute, got it?”

She nodded,
reaching for the coin. “Thank you.”

He closed his
hand. “And if you slap him again, I won't stop him from kicking you
to death.”

Lilu nodded
again, and he let her take the coin, which she pushed into her
bodice, her heart filled with love for him. “How much did the Watch
commander pay you?”

“
None of your damned business.”

“
You were almost killed. I hope it was a lot.”

“
I was not almost killed.”

“
If I hadn't stopped the bleeding and stitched the
wound...”

He groaned,
“Here we go again. Do you never tire of reminding me that you
helped me?”

“
No.”

“
You should, it's annoying.”

The urge to
hug him overcame her, and she rose and reached for him. Blade leapt
up and moved out of reach, wagging a finger at her. “You stay away
from me. Go and feed your children.”

Lilu picked up
her coat and headed for the door, where she paused to look back.
“You're a good man, Blade. Thank you.”

He snorted.
“I'm just trying to stop your whining, now go away.”

Lilu knelt and
spread her arms as her children ran to embrace her, hugged their
precious little forms to her and kissed their hair. The fishwife,
Nelta, stood beside the wash basin, Endel on her hip, a pipe
clamped between her few remaining teeth. Iron-grey hair framed her
weather beaten, square-jawed face, and her narrow, knobbly nose
jutted over a rat-trap mouth. Her faded brown eyes, set close
together under bushy brows, had a kindly twinkle. Nelta had once
been a whore, before her husband had married her when she had
claimed to be carrying his child. Whether the son she had borne was
his remained a mystery, for the boy, who was now a grown man,
looked like his mother. Cutthroats had killed Nelta's husband seven
years ago, and since then she had eked out a living selling fish
and caring for Lilu's children.

Lilu rose and
took Endel, who gurgled and waved his arms, and she sat at the
table to feed him. Nelta watched her with a smile.

“
That lad's going to be a giant when he grows up,
lass.”

“
I hope the next one's a girl.”

“
Aye, they're always easier.” Nelta winked at Estra, Lilu's
four-year-old daughter.

Lilu had no
idea who had fathered Estra or her eldest son, Dorron, since they
had been born before her beating, when she had entertained soldiers
and even a few noblemen. She liked to think that Dorron, aged six,
had been fathered by a handsome nobleman's son. Dorron's curly
brown hair and green eyes reminded her of the youth. Estra, she
liked to imagine, was the daughter of a veteran soldier who had
visited her on the night before he went to the temple to become a
sacred Knight of the Veil. The girl's straight, light brown hair
matched her eyes, and there was something about her that reminded
Lilu of the soldier, even though he had been grizzled and
scarred.

Endel was her
handsomest child, with his black hair and grey eyes, which reminded
her so much of Blade. Endel had inherited his grandfather's eyes,
however, because Tromar's were brown. She wondered what her new
baby would look like, thinking of Oxan's shaven head and hazel eyes
with a shudder. The man was ugly, but that did not mean his child
would be, too. How she wished it was Blade's child. Then, she was
sure, he would be gentler to her, and help her more. Although Lilu
appreciated the help he already gave, she was sure he would have
made an excellent father.

Nelta puffed a
cloud of smoke. “I must go to market, lass. You going to watch the
babies while I do?”

“
Yes. I'll take them for a walk to the park.”

“
Good. I'll be no more than a time-glass. I expect you have to
get back to work.”

Lilu nodded.
“I’ll be back before you.”

“
Right.” Nelta took her coat from the hook behind the door and
left.

Lilu dressed
her children in warm coats and strolled down the street to one of
the city parks. In the affluent areas, they had trees and grass,
but in the slums they were little more than areas of packed dirt
where children played with dogs, balls and sticks. Estra clung to
her hand and Dorron marched ahead, Endel sat on her hip, sucking
his thumb. Lilu used the golden to buy the older two hot pies from
a barrow-hag and a sticky sweet for Endel. Fourteen silvers would
pay Nelta for a moon and buy food for two tendays.

After spending
half a time-glass in the park, Lilu headed home, Estra weeping
because she was tired of walking. Turning a corner, Lilu froze.
Tromar stood just up the street, talking to a merchant. She stepped
back, intending to duck behind the corner, but Estra wailed and
Tromar glanced around. He scowled and strode towards her. Lilu
dragged Estra around the corner, shouting for Dorron, who came
trotting back. She hurried along the road, glancing around for
somewhere to hide. Houses lined the street, offering no shelter.
She came to a lane and ducked into it, hoping Tromar had not seen
her. Endel cried and Estra shrieked, tears streaking her flushed
face.

Lilu stood
with her back to the wall, gasping with terror and exertion. Estra
tugged at her skirts, demanding to be picked up, and Lilu raised a
finger to her lips.

“
Hush.”

Tromar rounded
the corner, and his eyes glinted with delighted malice when he
spotted her. His shaggy bear followed him, huffing and snuffling in
the garbage. There was nowhere left to flee. The alley was a dead
end and Lilu was too tired. She wondered if he would kill her in
front of her children. He stopped before her, raking her with angry
eyes.

“
Tho, the ugly whore ith all alone. Where'th your protector,
hmmm? The one who did thith.” He gestured to his flattened nose and
scarred eyebrows. He spoke with a lisp now, due to his missing
front teeth. “I know it wath becauth of you.” He glanced at Endel,
who stared at him with wide eyes, and his gaze sharpened. “How old
ith he?”

“
A year and a half,” she lied.

He shook his
head. “No, he'th older than that. Closer to two, I reckon. And
he'th the thpitting image of me. Tell me that'th a coincidence and
I'll thplit your head for you.”

“
I’ve had many black-haired customers.”

“
Lying whore. I wath there, remember? I know who your
customerth were, and I'm the only one who hath black hair. He'th my
thon, ithn't he?”

“
No.”

Tromar stepped
closer, his expression murderous. “Don't lie to me! I can see he'th
my son!”

“
He's not! I know who his father is, and it's not you! Even if
he was yours, he's mine too, and you have no rights.”

“
I'm hith father. I have rights.”

Lilu clutched
Endel to her, and Estra hid behind her skirts. Dorron frowned at
Tromar, looking puzzled.

The drover's
face twisted. “Look at him, drethed in rags. You have no right to
my thon. I won't let a dirty whore raithe him.” He reached out to
stroke Endel's cheek, and the boy turned to clutch Lilu.

“
I'm his mother.”

“
You're a two-copper whore!” he shouted. “And you'll be a dead
one if you don't give me my thon!” His voice dropped to a vicious
mutter. “You already have two, and another one on the way. You can
have ath many ath you want, but he'th my only thon.”

“
How will your wife feel if you bring him home?” Lilu demanded,
clutching at straws. “The son of a whore!”

“
My thon! She doethn't need to know who hith mother ith. She'll
accept him, or I'll beat her until she doeth.”

“
And she'll beat and starve him in turn.”

“
No.” He shook his head. “I'll hire a woman to care for him. A
wet-nurse, if needth be. Duth he need a wet-nurse?”

“
You're not taking him!”

“
You can't thtop me,” he sneered. “If you fight, he might get
hurt.”

“
You'd hurt your son?”

He glanced at
Dorron. “No. I won't have to. Hand him over or your other children
will thuffer.”

Lilu went cold
with shock, and the dirty alley spun. She did not doubt that he
would make good on his threat. She knew from bitter experience just
how brutal he was, and he would think nothing of harming her
children. The beefy drover stepped closer and gripped Endel's arm,
dragging him from her arms, and the boy shrieked. Tromar gripped
him too tightly, making him cry and squirm.

“
Don't hurt him!” Lilu shouted, reaching for Endel, who held
out his arms to her.

“
I'll not hurt my thon,” Tromar said, clutching the boy to him.
“But I'll gladly kill you if you make trouble.”

Lilu sobbed
with helpless terror and fury as Tromar strode away, Endel
shrieking in his arms.

Dorron tugged
at her skirts. “Mama? Where's Endel going? Who's that man?”

She wiped her
eyes. “It's all right, sweetie. That's Endel's papa. He's going to
look after Endel.”

“
But Endel's crying, Mama.”

“
He'll be all right. Come on.” Lilu swept up Estra and followed
Tromar at a distance. His bear trailed behind him, allowing her to
stay out of sight. Tromar led her to the poor district, better than
the slums, but not by much. Endel's screams lured her on, even if
the bear had not given Tromar away. Lilu hid behind a corner and
watched the bear enter a dilapidated house, longing to call the
Watch. That would do her no good, however. The guards did not
interfere, generally, in family disputes, and they would probably
think that Endel was better off with his father. Lilu knew better.
Tromar would end up beating the boy, just as he did his wife and
the whores he used. He was a bully; it was in his
nature.

By the time
she returned the children to Nelta and explained Endel's absence,
her limbs were leaden. Her pregnancy was an unwanted burden,
sapping her strength, and she plodded to the whorehouse with heavy
feet, utterly drained. Blade was not there, and she flung herself
down on her bed and wept.

When Blade
arrived, she had been weeping for three time-glasses, and her eyes
were slits. He studied her with a frown as he sat on the chair.

“
What's wrong?”

Fresh sobs
racked her, and he sighed and folded his arms, gazing at the wall
until she gulped and blew her nose on a rag.

“
It's Tromar,” she husked. “He's taken Endel.”

“
Tromar's his father, then?”

“
Yes.”

He looked
puzzled, cocking his head. “And you want him back?”

“
Of course I want him back, he's my son!”

“
And Tromar's.”

“
That man is a brute! He'll beat Endel for sure! Besides, he's
my son!” Her voice rose. “Tromar almost beat me to death. He almost
killed Endel then, next time he will!”

The assassin
winced and rubbed his ear, frowning. “I'm not deaf, Lilu.”

She lowered
her voice. “Will you help me?”

His brows shot
up. “How?”

“
Kill him!”

“
You have ten goldens?”

She sagged,
wiping her nose. “You know I don't.”

“
Do you have two goldens?”

“
You'd do it for two?”

He shook his
head. “But doubtless the second-rate assassin who shares my haunt
will.”

“
I don't have two goldens!” she wailed.

“
Then I don't –”

“
Damn you, Blade, you owe me!”

He frowned.
“This is why assassins don't have friends, and I don't appreciate
your demands.”

She tried to
see beyond his bland, inscrutable expression. “What if it didn't
involve killing?”

“
What would it involve?”

“
Endel looks just like you. Come with me and claim to be his
father. If we can convince Tromar that he's not Endel's father,
he'll give him back.”