Chapter 12
Isabella has never had a want for anything in her entire life. Ever since she was born as a princess of this kingdom and a god taking human form, she was absolute. All of her siblings were the same. Their father gave them everything. The people bent to their wills save a few a dissident.
Yet, not Zarracen. The knight from the slums was out of her chambers for no more than five minutes and Isabella had been thinking of their interaction. The woman even ignored her hypnotic eyes. Something, even her father hesitates to meet. One of the more powerful abilities from being born of the divine blood of Tximuria that Isabella can utilize.
"What do you think of her Fiella?" Isabella questions her servant. A bastard child from one of the Graveries.
"She's brash your highness," Isabella chuckles.
"That's always been her charm Fiella."
"But that doesn't change the fact that she's rude and disrespectful milady." Isabella tilts her head up.
"True but that's something no other knight of her caliber is. That's what makes her so interesting. She's still the same." Isabella sighs wistfully. She can see Fiella's confusion but says nothing.
"I don't understand. Anyone else you would have had me kill them for their disrespect."
"You think you can?" Isabella stares at her curiously. Fiella nods with confidence.
Isabella doesn't find that believable at all. In fact, she knows fully how quickly Zarracen could kill her aide. Her musculature was something interesting. Her thin yet curvy body held powerful muscles. The type of muscles that showed how long she fought. The rough scars on the back of her hands showed how many times her knuckles were split from punches.
The callouses on her hands and the untold number of scars beneath her clothes has her wonder how many times she came near death and kept going. Fiella would not win against her. Isabella wonders if even she could.
"My test did not give the desired result however Fiella. Your dossier on her stated that she was inclined towards women. Yet, none of my prodding received any attention."
Isabella mildly admonishes her. Fiella bows an apologetic expression on her face.
"It's quite strange that she was never tempted. I certainly thought it would be done with ease," Fiella says.
"Seduction and emotional manipulation won't pull me to her side." Isabella runs her finger around the rim of her cup. That's plain to see. "Find out what she wants. I wanna know her deepest thoughts and desires. Father will be leaving the throne soon and I plan on being the next to sit upon it."
"Yes Milady!"
Fiella fades to black, her magic carrying her away. Leaving Isabella alone in her state of near undress. She thinks of Zarracen. Those eyes were full of anger. Full of pride. Perhaps, that's what she can use to have her as her own.
The remnants of the celebrations of last night were still plain in the town. Banners still hung. Cracked mugs and glasses littered the streets of the capital. There were a few people who passed out in alleyways and a few stumbling home after spending the night out.
There were a good number of places that were untouched with the festivities. Zarracen was making her way away from it now. The nearest bank. With four thousand Star Vixtra in her pocket she is on her way to meet with the Sulkan Mercenaries. The of course they did not know that she was coming but hopefully they arrived fine at their guild after being separated from them yesterday for the parade.
A bit of guilt fills her at it. Not only didn't she pay them, but she got so caught up in the celebrations and her lack of a true prize for almost dying that she did not even set up a time to meet them. She hopes they did not stop her barracks already shouting complaints to the world.
It isn't too long until she pulls up to the structure. The Romantic Garden. An odd name for mercenary guild that the Sulkan Mercenary troop belonged too but it was certainly inviting. It made it easier for people to get comfortable around them.
From the outside the building was warm and inviting. Large and small stones with carved pillars make up most of the building's outer structure. Curtained windows around the from that were nigh impossible to see through but there seemed to be an energy of excitement coming from within that can be felt outside.
Even from where she was Zarracen could hear laughter as if yesterday's party carried onward to today. She enters inside through the flower decorated wooden door.
A minder was the first to notice her from the back by the counter at the far end of the room. The man behind it eyed her warily but says nothing as she stares in the entrance looking around.
It's as charming inside as it is on the outside. Rounded, stone beams support the upper floor and the large lights attached to them. The walls are packed with all sorts of memorabilia from weaponry, paintings to bodies of cognifiends. Most likely collected by each mercenary to be placed there by the owner.
The guild itself is full of mercenaries and perhaps clients. Several long tables are occupied by excitedly drinking mercenaries. A few people off looking at a job board while others are behind them as if egging them on choosing certain jobs.
It's at a smaller table that Zarracen spots them. The four of them look to be in a heated conversation with Prawm looking rather frustrated at Jack who seems to be the most vocal. She slowly walks towards them focusing on their conversation over the chatter of the rest of the place.
It didn't take long for her to realize they were talking about it. Jack was asserting they should go to the Valor barracks while Aias was adamant on waiting until the afternoon for her to show. Malia appeared to be trying to stop the two from arguing while Prawm was silent listening to them all.
"You wouldn't have found me at the barracks anyway," Zarracen remarks plopping down in an empty chair beside the table.
Their motions freeze and she snickers.
"For a bunch of mercenaries, you sure let ya guard down a lot." Zarracen mocks. Before they could say anything else she tosses the sack of coins on the table. "Four thousand Star Vixtra. I separated them into Toke credit coins it's a lot easier to divide than Cedi."
Prawm opens the bag revealing the Tokes, small pebble like coins that are a dirty brown in color. Each coin has the symbol of a flaming rock flying across it on its face with the date of the moment Tximuria fell to the ground. She looks rather shocked and doesn't even bother to count it.
"Four thousand tokes is enough for some of us to retire why pay so much?" Zarracen shrugs.
"You all did great work. I pay for what I receive as simple as that."
"With how informal this job was we weren't certain you'd actually pay us but here you are."
"Here I am."
A smile pulls across Zarracen's face as she feels a bit at ease no longer anxious after delivering the dragon around them. Prawm perhaps sees this too.
"Why don't you join us for a drink and you can tell us how you killed the beast that this capital celebrated over."
"Why not?"
Zarracen actually begins to relax a bit as she tells the story. She stays quiet about being shielded by her childhood amulet she's kept. That felt too private to share but other than that fight was shared.
The mercenaries when they're not on the job relaxed even more telling their own hunting stories. Aias revealed himself to be boisterous when he tells the story of how Jack made Fen trip over a cliff with a well shot arrow. The story was told in such a comical manner that it fills Zarracen with excited energy.
It takes her mind if for a short while off of her duties.
It doesn't take her mind off of it for long because she's reminded of the need to do the job once she senses Fiella's presence nearby. She was inside of the guild but her presence felt like it was on the outskirts of her mind skirting the edges to not be noticed. She looks at Prawm who was drinking a little talking quietly with Malia.
"Are any of you interested in being a member of the royal guards?"
The question is blurted out without much thought. Prawm blinks in shock and conversation is halted.
"We'd rather not," Aias speaks up. Prawm nods in agreement.
"No problem you wouldn't happen to know anyone as skilled as you lot who wants to stop being a mercenary?" Prawm frowns thoughtfully but shakes her head.
"I know a few. I can tell you." Jack informs her. Zarracen.
"Thanks, you'll make it easier for me to fill my roster. Are they a part of the Sulkan Mercenary troop?"
"A few of them are and a few of them are retired. But they're no less skilled," Jack informs. "They wouldn't mind a solid paycheck but just letting you know some of them failed the knight's test so they might not be up to snuff."
"I'll be testing them my way. Besides, the knight's test is full of stupidity that has nothing to do with strength. That's all I care about."
If it wasn't for Grand Knight Praer, Zarracen herself would have failed the knight's test. They tested things like intellect, mathmatics, problem solving, spatial awareness and skill. Zarracen would have failed have of their tests if it wasn't for the months of cramming Parer made her do to become a knight.
It's why the thought of his betrayal didn't sit right. Why? When he did so much for her to achieve her status as a Grand Knight of Valor would he try to still the dragon's heart. She understood it that the ingredient was potent and could jump even the weakest knights up several tiers and enhance their physical capabilities to legendary status.
But, he would have also been flirting with danger if he was caught. It didn't make sense to her but, she knows she cannot trust him now. She cannot trust anyone in the Valor Knight's to even be able to have back. Maybe Kayiback. He's the only good person she's met after joining knighthood.
So many people cared more about their nobility status. Rank barely mattered unless you were a noble with rank. Commoners with rank were looked down upon and Zarracen was even worse as her origins came from worse den of commoners. From the slums.
She's been considered as ignorant as a gnat flying straight towards swatting hands. Zarracen hates nobility for it but such is the way of life. The strong, the wealthy will always take power over the weak. With her way to the top being stopped by politics and bureaucracy she had no idea how to maneuver around.
Both Kayiback and Praer were like shepherds pulling her in the right direction. And now the emperor was the shepherd in giving her a dead-end job essentially as a royal guard. Why would he give her this position? She's a Grand Knight at the very least if she was going to give her a new position wouldn't one along the border be a better one. Why give her this position and why did Isabella react to her like that if she was a sign of weakness in throne politics?
Zarracen is full of questions that she's likely never going to get the answer to.