Rise of Heroes

Chapter 30 - Weak, Foolish And Easily Frightened

Tamara continued tapping on the dark stone with her gloved fingers, biting the inside of her lip to stop herself from screaming in frustration. The urge to break something grew by the minute, but she forced herself to calm down. She couldn’t appear even the slightest bit worried in front of their men, not now, nor ever.

She wasn’t afraid of them thinking she was weak — the Roderian people didn’t have such foolish prejudices as the other kingdoms and she had flipped not just one or two overconfident opponents on their backs. She just had to look confident and unafraid, just as she expected them to be. Seeing even a shred of doubt could lead her men to lose their composure, let their guard down and make a mistake. And any mistake in their line of work was often equal to death.

And in Jaden’s case, it was even more important, but she had rarely seen him hesitate once he was among their people. But he wasn’t here now, which made her performance all the more important.

It hadn’t taken her long to notice Princess Isabelle and her brother’s absence, and at first, Tamara thought that they had just been delayed. But after Tamara’s party had reached the castle, with no sight of Jaden whatsoever, she got worried. Her brother was by no means a fool; he wouldn’t risk facing such a deadly pack of demons, especially with deadweight. So she hoped that both he and the girl had found somewhere to hide or Roder was going to suffer a fate worse than a war with Anamir. Losing both the firstborn daughter of Anamir and the heir of Roder would mean the end of their home in every way possible.

“Commander.” A voice behind Tamara made her stop the nervous tapping. Her eyes, however, didn’t look at the newcomer. They remained locked on the desolated land surrounding the castle, methodically checking for any movement for what must have been almost three hours. “Commander, there is someone that insists on talking to you.”

Tamara finally turned, her gaze falling on the two soldiers standing by the entrance of the watchtower. Their black uniforms were in perfect condition, their faces hard and devoid of any emotion. Standing between them was a young girl nervously stepping from one foot to another, their difference in size almost comical.

Sighing inwardly, she made a gesture to let the girl pass. The two men stepped aside, making way for the tiny princess. Elaine’s fancy dress had turned into a crumpled mess covered with stains, blood, and sweat, her carefully arranged hairdo had been reduced to a loose braid falling past her shoulder. Her face was even paler than when Tamara first saw her, eyes red and puffy. She looked pathetic while fighting the trembling of her hands by squeezing the skirts of her dress.

“Princess Elaine…” Tamara started with a disgruntled tone, but to her surprise, the girl didn’t let her finish. Elaine’s eyes filled with life and what Tamara thought was anger.

“Don’t!” The short, frail girl took another step, stopping right in front of Tamara and giving her an even more detailed view of the condition of her face. There were traces of bruises and blood all over her hands and neck, all dry and untouched, which meant the Anamirian princess had disobeyed Tamara’s orders to retire to her designated room in the castle, and stayed outside. Tamara had ordered for a healer to wait for Elaine in her room, assuming the little girl will have all kinds of ailments on her body, but all of that was pointless now. She could suffer then, for all Tamara cared. “What is going on? Where is my sister? Is she back? I demand to know what is going on!”

The sudden authority in her voice took Tamara by surprise, but she quickly shook it off. She would have to take orders from the likes of her once Jaden married her? Like hell.

“I thought I asked you to go to the castle and stay there, Your Highness,” Tamara reprimanded her coldly.

“And I just asked you where my sister was. I guess we are both hard of hearing!” Elaine snapped, her face turning red. Tamara raised an eyebrow and the girl in front of her shifted uncomfortably. “Please, I just want to see my sister! I’m sorry I disobeyed your orders, but I want to make sure Isabelle is alive and well. She…”

“They haven’t returned,” Tamara interrupted her, turning her gaze back to the trees in the distance. A short silence followed, and Tamara could feel Elaine’s burning gaze on her. She was angry too, angry that Jaden had stayed behind, angry that he wasn’t back, angry that she didn’t know what to do, angry that her only option was to wait, and waiting felt even worse than death.

“What do you mean they haven’t returned?” Elaine finally spoke, this time coming between Tamara and the edge of the tower. “Are you telling me she is still out there with those… things?” Tamara nodded without saying a word. Elaine’s eyes widened with horror and she turned toward the surrounding field, panting in a sudden rush of panic. “Then why are you still here? We have to find my sister! Those creatures… they…” Elaine turned to face her and Tamara made sure to keep her calm mask on. The red-haired girl threw her hands in desperation. “Are you just going to sit here? How can you be so calm? You may not care what happens to her, but…”

“I lost twelve people today.” Tamara raised her voice just a little bit, but it was enough to startle the girl, forcing her to take a step back. “Good men with families and children.” Her words cut like knives, but she felt no remorse. This girl knew nothing of their world, of what they had gone through, of what they risked every day. “All of them died to save you and your sister, so show some respect!”

“And now they have died in vain because my sister is not saved! She is out there, probably dead and it’s your fault!” Elaine screamed out of a sudden, her face white as a sheet. Tamara’s body turned stiff, and she had to fight the overwhelming urge to slap the girl. The Commander’s eyes flickered with untamed rage and she gritted her teeth before doing something she would later regret.

She took a step toward the girl, using all of her height to look down on the fragile princess. She stayed like that for a few awfully long moments, repressing the boiling anger within.

“You know nothing of what you speak, Elaine Niabard. You have seen nothing. You have no idea what is at stake here.” The Anamirian girl swallowed loudly, slightly bending backward as if she wanted to pull away, but something was stopping her. “Do you want to come with me to all those twelve families when I tell them their loved ones are dead? Do you want to tell them that they had died in vain?”

“N-N-No…” Elaine squirmed, shaking her head. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry…” Her eyes watered, but Tamara was past caring about the princess’ feelings.

“You’re sorry? No, I am sorry! I am sorry my father is forcing my brother to marry you! I’m sorry that you had to come here and I’m sorry that I have to be nice to you because one day, spirits forbid, you may be my queen! You’re not bred for this place, you cannot survive here!” Tamara continued, ignoring the hurt and the shame on the girl’s face. “And now, because of you, not only your sister may be dead, but my brother as well! Because he was the one to stay behind to save her! So don’t talk to me like you’re the only one who has something to lose here!”

Tamara finally pulled back, feeling out of breath. Her voice had barely surpassed a whisper, but she felt like she had been screaming at the top of her lungs for hours. The Anamirian princess was shaking like a leaf, barely holding back her tears. None of them spoke after that, eyes locked, and the distance between them grew with each passing moment. Tamara was just about to order her men to take Elaine back to the castle when the voice of one of the guards made them all turn.

He was pointing at something in the distance, a small dark dot standing out in the green fields. Tamara immediately forgot about the girl, stepping toward the wall and leaning her hands on the rough surface as she focused on the given direction.

It was a horse, she realized, but the fact that it was riderless made her blood turn to ice. Her eyes desperately searched the trees surrounding the animal, looking for a movement, a sign. Maybe they had fallen off its back, maybe they had sent it forward to check for traps.

‘Maybe they are dead,’ A small voice in the back of her mind whispered, but she quickly silenced it.

The horse continued its way toward the castle, its pace fast and terrified. It was one of their horses, she realized, only they were trained to return to the castle if their rider got careless or killed.

“Open the gates!” she shouted at the men under the wall while rushing toward the tower stairs. She vaguely noticed that the girl was following her, lifting her dress so that she didn’t stumble on it.

Tamara took the stairs two at a time, reaching the main gate just as the horse was coming through. A few guards immediately circled it, slowly closing in as the animal kicked and neighed.

“Be careful!” Tamara shouted at them when one of the men tried to catch the reins, but almost got kicked in the face. When she finally reached the horse, her eyes found exactly what they were looking for — on the right side of the saddle, there was the insignia of the heir to the throne. There was no question about the owner of the horse now.

Tamara stepped back, overwhelmed by the idea of her brother dying at the hands of the demons. But it wasn’t possible, she would have felt it. He couldn’t be dead.

Somebody’s panting on her left made her turn just to find Elaine had stopped to catch her breath. Her face was red and sweaty from the effort which made Tamara dislike her even more. This girl was the very opposite of what every Roderian represented — she was weak, foolish, and so easily frightened.

“Commander!” The men finally managed to get the reins and were now trying to calm down the animal. One of them was just about to take off the saddle when he turned toward Tamara and said. “There is something scratched on the saddle.”

Tamara froze for a second, turning to look at the soldier.

“What does it say?” she finally asked, taking a step toward him.

“It says… Naysa,” he replied, frowning. “But isn’t everybody there dead?” He added, turning to face Tamara, who was now standing next to him, also staring at the saddle.

She almost laughed in relief. Her brother was alive, she knew that now, but they had to act fast.

“Get the horses ready, now!” she ordered.

Her men ran off, rushing to carry out her orders and as they dispersed, she turned to look at Elaine. She moved toward her, only to walk by and speak to one of the tower guards that had followed the girl downstairs.

“I want you to make sure Lady Elaine here gets to the castle immediately. I want her in her room within the next half an hour and she is forbidden to leave it until we return. You can carry her, drag her — I don’t care. I don’t want her down in the city. Am I understood?”

“But I want…” Elaine’s voice rose behind her and Tamara turned, glaring at the girl who immediately closed her mouth.

“What you want doesn’t matter. The king entrusted me with your safety and that is the only thing I care about!” Saying that, she gave the guard a sharp look and snapped. “Go!”

The man saluted her and tried to grab the girl, only to find his hand slapped aside. Elaine shot Tamara an angry look, turned, and walked away by herself, her guards following suit.

Tamara turned just as a soldier was bringing her horse. She climbed on the saddle and not long after her second in command, Auria, also joined her. Without any need for words, their group stepped into formation and galloped out of the city.

They rode so fast that Tamara had to clench to the saddle so that she wouldn't fall off. In a few hours, when they reached the village, her tights were aching from the effort. The sun was going to be up soon, so even though she didn’t want them stopping and walking around in the open, she wanted to find her brother as soon as possible. And once the sun was up, they’d be a little safer.

“Divide into groups of four. Check every house if you have to, but find them!” she ordered. “You three, with me.” She gestured at Auria and the two closest men to follow her and nudged her horse forward.

“Jaden!” Tamara shouted, taking a chance that there was no demon around. She almost didn’t care if there was one — she was more than happy at the prospect of killing something.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Auria asked, raising an eyebrow.

Instead of answering, Tamara called her brother’s name again. Auria turned toward the other two men, ordering them to split so they could cover more ground.

“Jaden!” Tamara shouted again after another few minutes. They had left their horses next to one of the houses, tied around a half-burnt tree. The calmness of the animals, despite the foul stench and the stillness of the place, made Tamara less troubled by the fact that they still hadn’t found her brother. She just hoped she wasn’t too late.

A loud screech made them turn, their swords up and ready in an instant. They stood still, eyes searching for the source of the noise, when a door finally cracked open. Tamara stared at the man that appeared at the threshold — his shirt covered in blood and dust, torn and dirty like the rest of his clothes.

Tamara sighed in relief, lowering her weapon when she remembered that the other Anamirian princess was missing, too. Just as the thought crossed her mind, a second figure exited the house, clenching Jaden’s cloak around her body. She looked around cautiously before her tired blue eyes locked on them.

“It took you long enough,” Jaden said as they reached them, his lips turning into a relieved smile. Tamara had to stop herself from running into his arms. The joy of seeing him safe and sound was so overwhelming, she was sure embracing him now would lead her to tears.

“I am tired of saving your ass, brother,” she replied instead. They stared at each other for a moment, a look that held more meaning than any words. After that, she turned toward the girl, but Princess Isabelle, unlike Jaden, seemed to be on the verge of her strength. “Are you alright, Your Highness?”

“I’ve never been better,” Isabelle replied hoarsely, her hands clenching the cloak harder, as if it was going to protect her from further harm. Tamara smiled at the response.

“Let’s get you to safety, shall we?” Tamara said, glancing toward Auria, who nodded and went to find the others.