Rise of Heroes

Chapter 18 - Witch - part 2

Gavyn raised his head, looking at her with disbelief. Tamara ignored him, focusing on the Chancellor, who was already digging into his pockets. He produced a collection of keys from there, then tossed them to Tamara as if too afraid to go any closer. She caught them mid-air and kneeled next to Ayla, finding the right one and unchaining her foot. Ayla made no attempt to move, just sighed in relief as she rubbed her bruised ankle.

“Can you stand?” Tamara asked her and Ayla nodded, getting up by leaning on the wall. Tamara lent her a hand and as the two headed toward the door, the Chancellor and his son rushed into the other room, keeping out of their way. The General took off his cloak, offering it to Tamara, who wrapped it around the girl’s shoulders. She could sense the old man’s eyes on her back as she did so, but his face remained an unreadable mask.

Tamara got the girl to the door, turned the handle, and pulled it open. Auria and her brother turned their heads at the same time, eyeing the girl curiously before locking their attention on their commander.

“Take her to our camp. Give her something to eat and wait for my return.” The two siblings nodded, patiently waiting for the girl to follow them. Tamara turned toward Ayla and gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ll be safe with them, I promise. Just go with them for the moment, I’ll find you later.”

“I won’t forget your kindness,” Ayla said, bowing her head in gratitude. “I’m glad I met you. Farewell.” She added and then followed Auria and her brother down the corridor. Tamara frowned, trying to shrug off the feeling that her words had sounded awfully like a goodbye. She closed the door slowly, turning around and locking her gaze on the Chancellor and his son.

They were standing next to each other on the opposite side of the table while the General stood by the door, arms folded in front of his broad chest. Tamara gave herself a second to pick her next words, trying to sound as calm and polite as she could. Her father would no doubt be extremely cross with her if he learned that she beat down a man appointed as a Chancellor by the king himself.

“Tamara,” the General spoke her name cautiously as if to remind her of that.

“I came here with high hopes, Chancellor Prium, because your letter said that you had found something major, something that can change the course of this war. What you give me are rumors and old writings that you can’t even read.” She took another breath and stepped toward the table. “I wish all of this nonsense was true. I wish there was this power that can oppose the demons, even if it’s inside a handful of people most of which may not be even willing to help us. But it’s not. And you have imprisoned and humiliated a feeble woman without any proof.”

“It is true, I swear!” Gavyn cut in but was silenced by his father’s glare.

“Gavyn, don’t you think that if she was a witch she would have found a way to escape your chains and break the lock on the door? If she can’t do that then what good would she be against a demon?” Tamara sighed.

“Those chains are supposed to suppress magic!” Gavyn said with that same unwavering confidence. “And the runes on the door are supposed to repel anything that has magic in it. That’s why she couldn’t do it!”

“You can have your obsessions and you can study your books, but I will not allow you to fill the people’s heads with nonsense,” Tamara said coldly. “It will invoke fear and panic. They will be afraid of the demons and of their neighbors. We have more pressing matters to deal with — like fighting the actual monsters. I can’t waste any more time discussing this. I’ll leave a few of my men to supervise that my instructions have been followed. We’ll also send provisions to the city as soon as we can, but I urge you — you must find a way to provide for your people and not wait for some magical being to solve your problems for you! The demons are not going anywhere and magic is not going to stop them. Or find you food for that matter. Things will only worsen.”

“But…”

“That’s enough,” General Mayern finally spoke. “This is a lot to process, so let’s talk again later when we all have time to cool down and think about it. Pack the sword and everything else you’ve found. We’ll take it on our way back and have the Keeper of the Chronicles examine them.”

“Yes, General!” The Chancellor replied just as his son was opening his mouth to say something. “Please, the both of you, forgive us for the poor hospitality. Let me escort you to your rooms until dinner is ready.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Tamara said, opening the door. “We’re going back to the camp. We’ll come back tomorrow to take the stuff. If there is anything else that I need to relay to His Majesty, prepare it.”

The Chancellor looked like he wanted to argue, but then just bowed down.

“It shall be done.”

Tamara nodded, then left the room without looking back. A minute later she remembered that General Mayern would be soon to follow, so she waited for him at the next turn. He seemed a bit surprised to see her leaning against the wall, her foot tapping impatiently on the marble floor. They continued together, nobody speaking for a few long minutes.

“So what do you think?” Tamara finally asked, a trace of frustration finding its way into her voice. The General gave her an amused look.

“I thought you didn’t believe his theory?” he said, his bushy eyebrows knitting together. “You had me fooled in there.”

“I wish it was true, believe me, it would be so much easier if those witches and wizards existed, but that can’t be all. We would have seen or heard of such people. Even if they were not fighting demons — a magic user would be able to do more than kill with their gaze or something. It’s all fairy tales to give people hope or frighten them to death, but the reality is different.”

“Well, Gavyn claims this girl was one of them. How do you know she is not?” General Mayern shrugged.

“Did you see her? She was chained to the wall and probably starved for days! And what kind of witch would let herself be chained and locked?”

“So you’re a witch expert now, are you?” The General laughed good-heartedly. She hated being the center of sarcasm, even if it was quite an innocent one, but she tried to keep her mouth shut. “The girl looked pretty calm to me. Confident even. You did not see her face when you stood up for her. She knew you’d get her out.” Tamara opened her mouth but was swiftly interrupted before she could speak. “I’m not saying she is a witch but when it comes to a situation when a woman has been wronged by a man, you’re not always thinking straight.”

“Excuse me? What was that supposed to mean?”

“You have nothing to prove, Tamara. You’re one of the best people and warriors I’ve ever met. I dare say that your skills might be surpassing your brother’s. But you have a nasty temper. You’re often led by your emotions, and this will get you into a lot of trouble. Mark my words.”

She was speechless, all the while trying to find the right words, to prove to him that he was wrong, but she didn’t have the chance. They walked the rest of the way in silence and had almost reached the courtyard when they noticed a familiar figure running toward them.

Bron stopped a few paces away from them, bowing down.

“She is gone, Commander! The girl is gone!” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“What do you mean ‘gone’? Dead?”

“No, Commander. She simply vanished!” the man continued, struggling to find the right words. “We were riding down the street, the camp, as you ordered. One moment she was there and in the other, she was gone. No girl, no horse. It was like magic!”

Tamara didn’t have to look at the General to know that she wouldn’t like the look on his face. Her anger returned with full force, and she decided she would be damned if she continued to entertain this foolish idea.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Bron. A girl and a horse cannot simply disappear into thin air! She must know the city better than you and took a chance when you were not looking. I want her found! Guilty or not, I want to know why she would run away when I promised her safety.”

He nodded, completely unabashed by the harshness of her tone.

“Auria is already looking for her. She got half a dozen men helping her in order to cover more ground before dark. We’ll find her, Commander.” Bron bowed down, fist pressed to his chest, rushing to form another search party right after.

Against her better judgment, Tamara turned to face the General who, surprisingly, was staring thoughtfully in the direction where the Roderian soldiers had disappeared. She waited for him to say something as the older man let out a deep, tired sigh.

“You know, my dear Tamara, I’m starting to think Gavyn might have stumbled upon something there.”