Part 47

Greza didn’t see the assassin until it was too late.  Now she stood over his blood covered body wondering what would have happened if Onata: the Protector hadn’t been there. 

“Who’s trying to kill the Duke?”  Onata asked. 

Greza kneeled down next to the body and began going through it.  They had people staring at them and the Duke, but she ignored them. 

Rumors would be all over the barracks by dinner. 

“My guess,” Onata said, “is that it’s someone who know he’s the Promised Victor.”

“You’re starting to believe, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Greza didn’t push the issue but inside she was smiling. 

“Someone kidnapped him so maybe they want to deal with him now,” Greza said. 

From his “warrior plates” around his neck they found his name and unit.  While the mock battle continued on they went to the man’s barracks and began looking through his stuff.  He had no journal, no letters and nothing beyond what the Company had issued him. 

“This man left us with nothing,” Onata said and kicked the man’s footlocker closed. 

“You think they have more than one agent?”  Greza asked. 

“That’s an unpleasant thought.”

“We’re not paid to think happy thoughts.  We’re paid to serve the Duke.”

“Ah, yes, Your Duke.”

“He’s your Duke as well and if we can’t protect him then we’ll fail in our duty.”

“Remember that man you fought at the border?”

“Of course.”

“You think this has something to do with him?  What I mean is…do you think this is the Empire?  They have to know what the Duke’s planning.”

That was indeed an unpleasant thought.  If the Empire wanted Verin dead, they had a lot of resources to throw at him. 

“I think we need more information.  If the Duke is in danger, we have to find out by who and we have to protect him.”

“He has his officers.”

“Who are too busy to watch his back all the time.”

“Grez, do you want to watch the Duke’s back or his backside?”

“What?  How can you even suggest that?”

“Ha!  It’s true isn’t it?”

What angered Greza the most was that Onata was partially right.  She did enjoy looking at Verin. But it was more than that.  He was the Victor and dark forces would oppose him.  He needed to be protected so he could fulfill his destiny. 

“If he dies, the darkness wins and we’ll both be out of a job,” Greza said. 

Onata elbowed her and winked. 

“Say what you will, Grez, I can see the bloom of love.”

“Shut up.”

After the mock battle they interviewed all his squad mates one by one.  By all accounts he was a quiet man who kept his own council and never made friends with anyone.  He claimed to be from Ekonia but his accent had been wrong.  It sounded more Imperial. 

After dinner they reported what few findings they had to Duke Verin. 

“It was a matter of time before they found out,” Verin said.

“Then we don’t have the element of surprise,” Tempest said.

“I never counted on it.  But their spies seeing a threat and the Emperor mobilizing his armies are two very different things.  His spies deal with intelligence and politicians seem to avoid intelligence at all costs,” Verin said.

“That’s cute,” Tempest said. 

“I can use my magic to find out who this assassin was,” Alethia said.

“No, don’t waste it on this.  He was one man,” Verin said.

“For now.  There’ll be others,” Tempest said. 

“I agree, my Duke,” Greza said.  “We have to assume that whoever sent this man will send others.  In all probability it is the Empire.”

She wasn’t sure she believed that.  In her heart she felt the man had been sent by whatever dark forces had kidnapped the Victor.  But logic said “the Empire” so that was what she reported. 

“Then what do you suggest?  I lead a war with one eye on the enemy and one eye on my own back?”

“No, I suggest you have dedicated body guards with you at all times,” Greza said. 

“I concur,” Onata said. 

“Sounds like they’re volunteering,” Alethia said. 

“Wait, that’s not what I was implying,” Onata said. 

Verin laughed. 

“Makes sense to me,” Verin said.  “Onata, Richkurk has told me on several occasions that you have the sharpest eyes in the army.  And Greza, we already know that you can rip almost any man apart with your bare hands and your dedication is beyond question.  I order you two to report to my quarters at seven in the morning.  You’re to follow me everywhere I go unless I say otherwise.  That means you can’t follow me into the bathroom.”

“But…but Commander Richkurk…,” Onata tried say something.

“I’ll tell Richkurk in the morning myself.  Don’t worry about him.  I’m the leader of this army.  That means I get to make decisions like this.”

They were both stunned to silence as they walked back to their barracks.  They undressed and climbed into their beds. 

“That didn’t turn out as expected,” Onata finally said. 

Greza could hear Onata chuckle in the darkness. 

It was a surprise to say the least, but now that it happened it made perfect sense.  Onata was the Defendor so it made sense that she’d be close to the Duke.  Every time she thought about it, it felt more right.  Onata was a part of the prophecy. 

A part of her said that it wasn’t fair that Onata was named in the prophecy while she wasn’t.  After all, she had found the Victor, not Onata or anyone else.  She was telling everyone who he was yet she knew somehow that she wasn’t the Witness.  Since she certainly wasn’t a Princess that left her out. 

A follower of the Divine Path shouldn’t seek our rewards or do the right thing because they expected a compensation.  Quite the opposite in fact.  Often good deeds were only met with scorn and hardship. 

Perhaps being forgotten was her hardship.  She told herself that it was a small price to pay for having the honor to serve the Divine Lights and the Duke. 

No matter how many times she told herself that the pain didn’t go away.  As important as her work was, she herself wasn’t important enough to be mentioned. 

She began to wonder if she’d even be remembered.  It was a selfish, vain desire but it was real and she had to deal with it.  She was after all, just a mortal like anyone else.  She wasn’t a demi-god. 

“Grez, you still awake?” Onata whispered. 

“Yes.”

“So, you really are a virgin?”

“How is that remotely important?”

“Just curious.  You were a slave like I was and you’re easy to look at.  I don’t see how you could have escaped what even ugly slaves can’t.”

“I told you, I had my protector.”

“Yeah, but I always assumed that you and him…”

“He was like my father.”

“So?  ‘Like’ doesn’t mean he was.”

“I’m a virgin.  Change the subject.”

“Sorry, but I’ve been thinking.  The Divine Lights love virgins, right?”

“It’s considered holy, yes.”

“Then it wasn’t coincidence that you were protected.  You’ve been set up to be Their servant for a long time.  I can’t think of any other slaves that were protected.” 

She hadn’t thought of that.  How long had she been prepared for?  Childhood?  Birth?  Did her mother have anything to do with it? 

What little she remembered of her Mother she remembered that she hadn’t acted like the other Ork slaves.  She was kind and intelligent.  She taught her to hide her talents and hide her resentment.  But she couldn’t think of anything Mother said or did that related to the prophecy. 

All she knew was that her mother came from the Long Tusk Clan and that her father was a Dark Elf noble of some kind.  Useless for her current situation.  She wasn’t who she was born as.  She was who she chose to be.