“I won’t be able to do that Faldrid.”

Faldrid rubbed his temple. His tent had much improved since he had arrived in Canalith. Fulgcere had showered him with gifts such as a desk and an actual bed. He appreciated it, but the craftsmanship was a little much for his taste.

“Mordrin, they all respect you. I’m sure they will listen.”

“No, they won’t.” He wore a look of indifference, and stated it as if it was a fact.

“Can you explain why?”

Mordrin’s expression twisted in confusion, “Because they are bored. I’m sure that the moment they see a single luxcian they’ll wate no time in killing them.”

“But surely your influence…”

Mordrin seemed to becom annoyed, “I have no influence Faldrid. I am just a tracker. Nothing more.”

Faldrid leaned back in his chair, “A tracker that has the respect of Mortis.”

“They care for Mortis not for me. They will maybe listen to me on some things but not this…not this.”

Faldrid stroked his beard, “Then who will they listen to?”

“You?”

Faldrid gave a laugh, “Only the ones least likely to kill luxcians in the first place, the others will likely be more willing to do the opposite.”

Mordrin shrugged, “What about Talquin?”

“Who?”

“She’s a Bluecloak that has been pestering everyone recently, but the kind where people listen rather than get annoyed. She’s actually stopped many conflicts with the Hands of Morta and Fulgcere in the camp from what I’ve heard.”

Faldrid wrote all this on a piece of paper, “I’m not familiar, so I don’t know if she’ll be willing. Anyone else perhaps?”

“Relam Kymos.”

Faldrid looked back at him in bewilderment, “You can’t be serious.”

Mordrin smirked as if realizing what he just said, “His name lends him much respect from some, and it seems like a group of Bluecloaks have rallied to him in a way, but…”

“But?”

“But the only reason for that is Talquin.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Everyone that doesn’t like her goes to him. I presume it would cause problems, except that it seems that Talquin has him in her pocket.”

Faldrid slowly nodded, “I’ll take that into consideration…you may leave.”

Mordrin gave a nod and silently left the tent.

Faldrid gave a long and tired sigh.

“Tell me. Why would you want to humor the luxcians.”

Faldrid almost fell out of his chair in shock. He spun around and was put a little at ease at what he found. Behind him on the bookshelf near the bed, lay a girl with an eyepatch.

“Well?” asked Thestra.

“We are not humoring them, we are ensuring peace with the fulgcere, but why are you in here anyway?!”

Thestra drew away from his gaze, “I needed to get away.” She sounded distant.

“And you came here?”

“You owe me your life, so you wouldn’t tell anyone I was here.”

Faldrid gave another sigh and went back to his papers, “And why is it that you need to get away now?”

“They keep me in a tent, guarded by three hands at a time. It’s embarrassing the way they look at me.”

“And why is it that they keep you in a tent?”

Thestra went silent.

“Could it be because you ignored orders to come here?”

Thestra suddenly took great interest in the floor below her, “Something like that.”

A moment of uncomfortable silence fell between them

Faldrid picked up the iece of paper he had taken notes on a few moments before, “Do you know anything about this…Talquin?”

Thestra shook her head, “Is that the girl that gets into shouting matches with Hands?”

Faldrid pinched the crest of his nose, “I have no idea, you probably heard that Mordrin recommended her.”

Thestra gave a nod, “You only other option was Relam was it? If your choices are that bad then why don’t you just ask Vale?”

“There’s already enough tension with the Bluecloaks and the Hands. I don’t want to be pouring fire on the flame. It has to be a Bluecloak.”

“Don’t know many of those.”

“Well thanks for the suggestion.”

Suddenly Thestra seemed to jolt awake, and darted under Faldrid’s bed at an amazing speed.

Faldrid just stared, dumbfounded until Vale suddenly parted the door into the tent, “Busy?” She looked worried through her pleasant smile.

Faldrid put his quill down, “Have you heard?”

She skated into the room, “The luxcians coming? It will be challenging for certain, but Morta wills that we not cause problems, so me and Sadine will do our best to achieve that.”

Fadlrid had to smile at how nonchalant she was at it all,“The Bluecloaks might riot.”

Vale furrowed her brow, “If they knew there place, they would listen to the disciples.”

Faldrid shrugged, “They’re getting antsy.”

“They need discipline.”

Faldrid knew continuing the conversation in that way would be useless, “Why did you actually come here, Vale?”

Vale gracefully sat on the bed, “It’s about Thestra. You know Shelta’s prodigy.”

Faldrid nodded, “Yes I remember, she helped save me in Sanghai.”

“She’s missing.”

“So? I’m sure many tenebrage are out partying in the city about now.”

Vale clenched her fist, “I hope that’s not what she’s doing.”

“Why is that…”

“Because its improper!”

Faldrid withdrew in on himself at the outburst

Vale seemed to be shocked with herself as she calmed her tone“She is Shelta’prodigy, and Shelta wouldn’t want that. We have great expectations for her, and I will not see that go down the drain. Besides, she not even supposed to be out of her tent.”

“You can’t expect to keep a young girl locked in a prison, and not expect her to escape.”

Vale laid back on the bed, “I know. Really, I do, but for some reason Morta doesn’t want her to be seen. I don’t what I’m going to do with the girl.”

“From what you're telling me, I wouldn’t be surprised if she fought back. An eagle will not let its wings be clipped willingly.”

Vale gave a chuckle as she rose from the bed, “If that’s the case, I’ll just have to send Sadine after her, and hope that her old instincts kick back in.”

Faldrid gave a bitter smile, “I wouldn’t put too much hope or faith into that.”

Vale waved away his words, “I know. I know. Just if you see her, tell me. Okay?”

“Certainly.”

Vale left just as she came, and Faldrid was stuck staring at the entrance to the tent, “She’s gone you know.”

Thestra slowly crawled out from under the bed, “I know,” She stood up tall and started to dust herself off.

Faldrid leaned forward on his desk, “See? They care about you. I’m sure it’s for your own good…”

“It’s not.”

Faldrid let his head fall to his desk in resignation, and when he looked up the girl was leaving, “Where are you going?”

“Into the city. They can send Sadine chasing after me if they want, but I’m not going to be excited to go back into that tent.”

“Well good luck with that.”

Thestra stopped short of the entrance, “Thanks for not telling her I was here.” She left quickly as if the meaning of her words would change if she stayed any longer.

***

Thestra walked as if a fire was licking her heels. She paid no attention to the events going on around her.

There were those that called out to her in either slur or cheer, but all fell on deaf ears. Something possessed the girls mind to the point that nothing could possibly…

“What do we have here? It seems like the little star has lost its way.”

Thestra’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively went for her kukri.

“Oh, don’t be like that. I mean you no harm.”

Thestra spun around, but didn’t see anyone speaking to her. She only noticed tenebrage and fulgcere walking by. Some laughed with each other, others stumbled drunkenly, and some listened to the wind of the night;however, no one was talking to Thestra.

“Tell me child, is that any way for a future queen to act? So quick to violence what would your mother think?”

“Shut up!”

“Oh, did I strike a nerve? Was it something I said?”

“Leave me alone!”

“Of course, of course, but will you humor me for a bit more?” The voice started moving away, “Come, come, I’m sure your sisters will find you soon. They’ll find you if you don’t come quickly.”

Thestra bit her lip and ran in the direction of the voice, holding onto her kukri tightly.

“You’re so slow. My time is precious.”

Thestra sheathed her kukri, and picked up her speed. She climbed building after building. Jumped from roof top to roof top, clinging to shadows as she went.

All the while the voice teased her, “Ah, not tired yet? Let’s hope you can keep that up.”

The more Thestra ran and ran the more her frustration and anger grew. Each slap of her foot on pavement carried with it a burst of her built up emotions towards the voice, and she hoped that sh could kill it before morning.

“This should be a good spot.”

The voice ceased, and Thestra stopped at a roof top on the outskirts of the city, “Where are you.” Thestra whispered to herself.

She looked around with a deadly glare.

Suddenly a giant purple eagle appeared in front of her. On the crust of its head was a giant horn that looked like a branch of the most ancient tree.

“Thestra, what a sweet name, what a powerful name! So, you will be the queen of nations, a conqueror, and a martyr!”

Thestra unsheathed both her kukri’s, “Who are you!”

The bird became almost ethereal and the environment around them started to blur, “I go by many names and titles, but to you I am the Beast of Time, Mura!”

The environment around them faded, buildings turned to houses, weather was sunny one second and the next: a thunderstorm. Graves were placed and vanished, forests were cut down and regrew. The stars shifted and brightened. However, Morta simply glared at the bird.

“Oh, why do you stare at me so little star? Are you not honored? Will you not bow before me? Have you no reverence for the gods?” His voice boomed and the air seemed to boom around them.

Thestra readied her kukri with an irritated glare, “To some you may be a god, but to me you're just a stupid bird that’s messing with my head.”

“Amazing! At something at least, you do not disappoint me! You do not lower your station in the face of me! Promising indeed little star! For that I will answer any question you ask, be it of the future or past.”

Thestra gave a wry smile, “Why don’t you tell me how I’m going to kill you?”

Mura gave a great laugh, “You will not be able to kill me with those things!”

Thestra gritted her teeth in annoyance, “Well, we’ll just see about that.”

“No, we won’t. I am not of this world, so something like that won’t kill me, but your blessing…”

Thestra face went dead, “Stop it.”

“Hmm why? I’m just answering your question. Your blessing of…”

“SHUT UP!”

Thestra lunged at the beast, but it only disappeared into fog and she found herself on top of the building again.

Mura’s voice left with one last utterance in her ear, “So disappointing…”

Thestra grasped for breath as sweat dripped from her brow. She fell to her knees, clutching her kukris so tightly that her hands went numb.

“I’ve been instructed to take you back to your tent, sister.”

Thestra looked behind her to find a Hand of Morta, but she couldn’t bother trying to recognize who it was.

She slowly stood up, her kukris still brandished. In response five other Hands appeared out of the shadows with their weapons drawn. Thestra couldn’t help but give a sigh.

She went to sheath her kukris, but the women around her tensed up, ready for a fight. When her kukris were finally away the other women waited a moment before they put their weapons away, still on edge.

Thestra relecuntantly nodded and followed the other Hands back to camp.