MAN OF WAR

13

Titus stood among the other guests as the minstrels played. He looked toward the altar watching the bridegroom fuss over his wedding tunic. Both royal families were happily placed on either side of the altar. “You are glaring,” Logan whispered at his side.

            “Am I? I was unaware,” he said, trying to mask his contempt for the Prince. Titus was not entirely sure why, but the few days of observing the man, he had come to dislike him very much so. He was a philander and abusive to the servants. He talked down to the men the day the Emperor decided to introduce him to the officers. He was arrogant and cruel.

            “I do not care for the man either,” Logan admitted quietly. “But he is to be our new Emperor, and we need to obey.”

            “The man will be the end of us all,” Titus whispered as the hall turned their attention to the opening doors. Gaia appeared in her long flowing bridal gown. Her veil pulled down over her face. Even through the sheer fabric, Titus could see the misery in her eyes. She was a woman walking to her funeral, not a bride to the altar. His heart ached for her. She would indeed spend the rest of her days unhappy. “And what of Gaia? Her life with this man will be unbearable.”

            He could see the remorse in Logan’s eyes as well. They had all played together, spent countless sunny summer days chasing each other through the palace. He disliked this marriage as much as Titus. “It is not our place to change it. It is the way things are done. This is her place in the world, and we must know ours.”

            Titus knew his old friend was right, but he did not have to like his place. He watched as Gaia made her way to the altar and accepted her bridegroom’s hand. The hall fell silent as the priest began the ceremony. This was wrong, Titus knew, he could feel it in his bones. He wished to put a stop to this travesty but knew it was not within his power. He had never felt so helpless.

            He watched as Gaia was forever tied to that sorry excuse for a man. The Prince then lifted her veil and kissed his bride. The congregation cheered and clapped for their Empire had secured their next ruler. The Emperor could finally die in peace with the knowledge his legacy would be passed to another, and the people would have a leader.

            The couple walked down the aisle to leave the church. The celebration was to begin. Titus was making his way out of the church when he saw a messenger rushing up to Field Marshal Dustan and whispered in his ear. A look of horror appeared on the Field Marshal’s face, and he stared for a moment at the messenger. He then said something, and the messenger began speaking to other soldiers. Each soldier reacted the same as the Field Marshal and following him out. Field Marshal Dustan quickly went to address the Emperor. He nervously bowed and then quietly spoke to him. The Emperor’s face went red with rage.

            Something had happened, and every soldier was being called to arms. Titus looked at Logan as the messenger came for him. “What is happening?” He asked.

            “The rebels have taken Fort York,” Logan said, hardly believing what he had heard.

            “How is that possible?”

            “I do not know?” Logan looked at the messenger. “How did the fort fall?” He demanded.

            “The survivors said a wounded soldier came to the gate. They let him in, and once inside, the man became a giant wolf. He killed every guard at the gate and lowered the defences, letting the rebels inside. They sacked the fort in less than an hour. The man became a beast of wings and fire. Killed all who stood against him,” the messenger said fearfully. “Sakwa has a demon in his ranks.”

            He had no demon, but it was clear now where the shifter had gone. Miya had joined Sakwa’s rebels, and with his powers, there was no telling how strong they would be in battle. Logan headed off to join the other men as he was ordered, leaving Titus. The Emperor left with his soldiers, and Titus watched as they went. Gulliver came to stand beside him. “What is going on, Admiral?”

            “The rebellion has a new weapon,” he said quietly. “The Emperor is trying to decide what to do about it.”

            “Why has he not called you all in?” His first mate asked, noting that not one sailor had been notified of the sudden crises.

            “Because they took a military post. It is at this moment, still a military matter, not naval,” Titus said, ushering his man out of earshot of anyone else. “Make sure the men are ready to go at a moment’s notice. I am going back to my quarters if anyone needs me.”

            “What for?” Gulliver asked.

            “I have some questions that require answers,” he said. Titus went out to the stables and found his horse quickly. He mounted the beast and rode it hard through the city to the south wall to the soldiers’ quarters. Men were scrambling, arming themselves and rushing around. He was not entirely sure, but it looked as if the Emperor meant to march on Fort York.

            Titus handed his horse off to the stable boy and rushed into the house. He looked around but did not see Jade anywhere. He went into the next room, but she was nowhere. Titus came back out, heading into the stables. “Boy, where is my girl?” He demanded, hoping the stable hand had seen where Jade had gone.

            The young boy peered around the steed he was grooming and looked up at Titus. “She is with Lizzy Sir, in the barn,” he said meekly. Titus turned and left the stables. He navigated the crowd of rushing soldiers and worked his way to the barn. Titus went inside and peeked in each stall, looking for Jade and Elizabeth. He finally found them in the last one where Elizabeth was teaching Jade to milk a cow properly.

            “Leave us,” he ordered Elizabeth, pointing to the door, “now,” she did not question him. Elizabeth immediately wiped her hands on her apron and rushed off.

            Jade stood up from the stool she was on and wiped her hands off on the apron she was wearing. “Well, now, that was rude,” she said, looking at him expectedly.

            Titus pointed his finger at her. “You better start talking, and I do not want lies. Did you know he was seeking out Sakwa?”

            She looked at him, confused. “What in the world are you talking about?”

            “Miya has joined forces with Sakwa’s rebels, and they have just sacked a military post. Now, did you know where he was going?” He demanded. Jade stood quietly, staring at Titus; she did not let him stare her down. She was a strong-willed woman, and he admired that, but he feared one day her pigheaded nature would land her in serious trouble even he could not rescue her from. “Did… you… know?” He yelled.

            “Yes,” she snapped. Her confession only further enraged him. Jade had lied to him the night she had said she did not know where he was headed. She had looked him right in the eyes and lied. What was worse is he had believed her. He had allowed her beauty to turn his head and cloud his judgement. Titus had forgotten that despite the fact that she shared his bed, Jade was, in every way, still his enemy. That the man they were hunting was first and foremost her lover, and she would protect him. “I knew.”

            “You lied to me,” Titus snarled. He was surprisingly more hurt than angry.

            “I had to.”

            Titus swallowed back his emotions. He could not come apart because some chit misled him. For the love of God, when he had caught his mistress in bed with another man, he had not been this upset. His reaction to her betrayal was ridiculous. “Do you know who released him?” He asked quietly, trying to control himself.

            “No,” she said.

            Rage filled him, and Titus grabbed Jade by the arms, his temper flaring. “Do not lie to me!” He yelled. “Who released him?”

            “I do not know!” She screamed back. “He never told me. All I know is he showed up that night, he begged me to leave with him, and I said no. I did not want to leave without my own crystal,” she said. “I could not tell you the truth you would have hunted him down.”

            “Your damn right, I would have,” Titus snarled. “And when I find him, and I will find him, I will have the pleasure of killing him myself,” he said, releasing Jade and walking away.

            “Why do you hate him so?” She cried with tears in her eyes. “He has done nothing to you.”

            Titus paused, keeping his back to her; he felt his heart ache at the distress in her voice. He could practically hear her tears. How could she love a man who would abandon her so unconditionally? There were times when he held her when he kissed her, that Titus thought he could feel a connection, a bond forming between them. The way she looked at him. The way she smiled. It was almost as if he could see the affection in her eyes. Feel the tenderness in her touch. Had it all been a lie? Could she ever come to care for him?

            “We are enemies,” he whispered, “I need no other reason to hate him.”

***

            Gaia stood on the balcony of her bridal chambers watching the troops march out of the city. Her wedding had been marred by military action. Her new husband had chosen to join her father in the war room to deal with the pressing matters. The festivities brought to an immediate end. She wished she could say it was a shame, but she had been more than happy to be free of her new husband’s company.

            She watched the men below marching off to their deaths. The servants were already whispering about what was happening. Rumour was that the rebel leader Sakwa had a shifter at his side. No doubt the man she had set free. She had armed the enemy with a powerful ally, and now her people went to face them. There was too much war. She was sick of war and death. Gaia longed for peace, but she did not think peace was in her husband’s future.

            The strange thing was she found herself hoping more for Miya’s safety in battle than for that of her own troops. Why was her heart so traitorous, and for a man, she knew only through bars? What did the future hold? To be bound to one man while wishing for another?