Chapter 3: The Narins Revenge

Hadah choked back the knot in her throat as she adjusted the blankets on her mount. She blindly checked her pack and pulled herself onto Jad. She was fortunate to have him. Luc saw to her needs on the battle field and the horse he gave her was a handy weapon of war. Jad knew her so well, she only needed light nudges and a gentle hand to get him in the right direction, and sometimes in the heat of battle she didn’t even need that.

She spun him around heading west towards the road that led to Fasad. Memories overwhelmed her as frustrated tears streamed down her face.

Fifteen years ago, just after they arrived in Ardara, Uncle Tal decided it was best to change their identities to fit in and to protect themselves from what was to come. In Ardara, they lived their lives making new friends with new names in the hope that they would find a way to help their brothers who had been foolish enough to not heed the Seer’s warnings.

Father’s business at home in Naran had been prosperous and with the silver he brought with them, they were able to purchase a modest home within the city walls. He set up an engraving shop next to their dwelling, and soon became a master seal engraver where the wealthiest of peoples, and eventually the King himself, procured important pieces.

Though Uncle’s wisdom and inner sense directed them to stay in the capital city of Ardara, he did not foresee that this would be the place of his brother’s death.

Not long after their death, Tal discovered the man who was responsible. He saw in a vision that Ashem, the former ruling regent and the old King’s advisor, had visited her father’s shop just before the fire was set.

At that time King Jo'El was a boy Prince, only a few years older than Hadah, and heir to the throne. When Jo'El's father's heart suddenly stopped one night at a lavish banquet, Ashem was made Regent until such time Prince Jo'El would be ready to rule.

Jo'El, with brilliant mind, absorbed his studies at a rapid rate and by age thirteen was crowned High King of Ardara and all its provinces. He did not realize that Ashem was not so willing to give up the power he once held.

With his true nature hidden, Ashem was thought highly of by the King and the people of Ardara. Oh, they knew he thought much of himself, but then, didn’t all ruling class? In addition, the people felt he did a fine job as Regent. The city prospered because of his decisions and his training of Prince Jo'El.

It was all a lie in Hadah’s eyes. She, if no one else did, saw Ashem's true nature and she burned for him to be held accountable for murdering her parents. She also included Jo'El in that need.

Hadah's people were still being oppressed and the horror stories of what Jo'El's Queen did to the women of Naran who were enslaved in the Palace reached Hadah's ears at an increasing rate. Jo'El's allowing it to continue made him just as culpable as Ashem and Queen Vara, in Hadah's eyes. When Hadah was fifteen, she had placed a Naran flower onto her parents’ grave marker and made an inner vow to avenge them, even if it took her entire lifetime to do so. That thirst for vengeance now included bringing justice to her people.

Hadah was fast approaching Fasad. The entrance gate, with it's huge wooden doors laid open over the impressive moat surrounding the city, bottlenecked as people from all over waited to gain entrance with goods to trade to make their living. These last few years had been excellent for trade. The city attracted more and more caravans, and many people traveled from far away to make their living in Fasad.

As they arrived, the King’s deputies directed the caravans to inspection points where they would be scrutinized in order to assess taxes. Politics were politics, and many of the most prosperous merchants knew how to get around the greedy eyes of the appraisers with payoffs and kickbacks. The newer or smaller caravans, who hadn't yet learned the way of things, still came because they were not averse to paying the tax when such a high profit could be made.

Hadah looked ahead, estimating how long it will take to get in. Jad danced beneath her, just as frustrated with the high amount of traffic causing their delay.

Her eye fell on the city advisors sitting at the side of the gate arguing with each other. She knew full well how heated their discussions get. It might just be the opportunity she needed to slip by unnoticed and, if lucky enough, to slip by the toll collector gathering the entrance fees.

Uncle Tal was an advisor also, but only sat at the gate on occasion. He disdained the politicking among the advisors and considered their gossiping tongues poisonous, though he could not disconnect completely. Their gossip at times held an element of truth and Tal knew sometimes you had to follow the rats to find an escape from a burning city.

The other advisors knew he was not native to the country and probably had connections to the Naranans, but Tal's predictions and his well-timed advice caused many to overlook this.

As she approached the gate, the debate became lively with one man shoving another in his passion to make his point. The Ancients must be smiling down on me.

One of the deputies funneling the caravans walked over to settle the dispute, while the other deputies watched to see how it would end. Those old advisors landed good punches before it was all said and done, and anything that broke up the monotony was a welcome distraction.

Hadah turned her face away as she slid off Jad. She walked her mount the rest of the way in and somehow avoided being noticed. She breathed a sigh of relief, for the last thing she needed was to be detained longer. She stabled Jad with little fuss, and headed out in search of Tabitha.

A year ago, on one of her excursions into Fasad, she and Tabby met in the market and became fast friends. Although Tabitha was a slave in the Queen's court, she was one of the fortunate ones allowed out from time to time. Not on personal business of course, Tabitha served at Queen Vara's whim, and childish whims they were. At times Tabby fetched dates and nuts because the palace kitchen had sent the wrong ones, or delivered messages that meant nothing. Vara had power over people's lives and she enjoyed wielding that power, if only to prove she had it.

The city was in full swing. A cacophony of people crying out assaulted her. Beggars cried out for the mercy of money as they sat along the main road into the city. Caravan drivers Hullo’ed at their pack animals making their way to the square, men argued with the tax assessors, gossiping women passed by, laughing with baskets full of bread, fish, and other goods to be sold in the busy market. Hadah ignored their cries as she made her way to their usual meeting place.

She arrived at one of the many back streets that led to the market area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tabitha before she reached the square.
Although Hadah entered the city unnoticed and with relative ease, she knew Tabitha was never late so she quickened her pace. Tabitha had no choice but to be on time. Any lateness getting back to Vara’s court met with severe retribution, and she would never be allowed outside the Palace again.

Hadah, beginning to loose hope of seeing Tabitha, suddenly saw her turning a corner on the Main Street.

“Tabitha!” she called in a loud whisper. Sensing more than hearing who called her, Tabitha stopped and waited by the side street staring at the wall until Hadah reached her.

“I’m so glad I caught you,” Hadah said in a rush, trying to catch her eye. For some reason Tabitha refused to look at her.

“Hey, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s the matter. I’m in a hurry, of course, as you know what will happen if I don’t get back in time.” Tabitha spoke in a hushed tone darting a furtive glance out onto the main street.

Hadah gently grabbed Tabitha’s arm and turned her toward her, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. Tabitha kept the right side of her face hidden from her friend.

“What have they done? Look at me!” Hadah said.

With a restrained sound, Tabitha turned her head slowly toward her, careful not to make eye contact. Tabitha’s right eye was shades of purple and swollen shut. A cut down her cheek showed where the abuser left his mark.

“Oh, Tabby,” her eyes hot with anger, “why this time?”

“Does it matter?” her friend whispered softly. No it didn’t. Their abuse was arbitrary and Tabitha was a particular favorite.

“I have to get you out of there.”

Tabitha looked up quickly forgetting the shame she felt for just a moment.

“No, I won’t have you in danger too.”

“I refuse to sit back and watch anymore of this!”

“Then don’t seek me out.”

“Not an option. I have few friends. I can’t afford to lose any of them.”

Tabitha smiled half-heartedly at the joke. Hadah had many people who cared about her. Tabitha had no one.

“I can’t allow it, Hadah.”

“It doesn’t matter what you will allow, this will happen.” Hadah was emphatic.

“I have to go, I’ve been delayed too long as it is.” Tabitha turned to leave.

“Wait.” Hadah was still holding Tabitha’s arm, “Remember my mother’s amulet?”

Hadah pulled out the necklace for the second time that day. Tabitha nodded with a questioning look.

“If I can’t get into the palace by the day after tomorrow, someone else will and they will be wearing it.”

Tabitha distractedly pulled free and walked quickly into the street.

“Tabby,” Hadah called again, “Remember the amulet.”

With one quick glance back, Tabitha nodded again and slipped into the throng of people.



Hadah moved into the shadows along the back street, a low level of fear began to overwhelm her. “You’re defeat is close at hand” it whispered in her mind. The song of the Narin warrior began its hymn inside her spirit. Words of another world overtook her and as she whispered them as she unsheathed her short-swords. Moving along the shadows the words escaping her mouth became louder.

Suddenly a Calahite warrior appeared, his sword cutting toward her. Hadah blocked his move and knocked him across the narrow street, slamming him up against the wall. She moved her forearm up to his neck cutting off his air with surprising strength.

“You have no power over me,” she whispered and thrust her sword into his side. The fighter groaned but mustered enough strength to push her off of him. Hadah stumbled back but remained on her feet.

With lightening speed that the fighter couldn’t possibly track, she flew at him and thrust her sword into his heart. It was over before it really began. His eyes appearing startled, the felled warrior stared at her in a death glance as she pulled her weapon free.

Wiping his blood on his shirt, she left him there, without a backwards glance. “He really is going to have to stop sending his low level minions if he wants to see us dead,” she thought as she walked into the bright light of the sun.

Hadah made her way to where Jad was stabled after picking up the weapon Luc dropped off earlier to be repaired, and the spearheads she ordered for the boys a couple days ago.

In the last battle with the Calahites, they'd managed to rout them in short order. Still, it was a harsh fight and their stock of weapons needed to be replenished. She left the city with no further problems and headed home to the Forest of Hazzur.


###

Hadah saw Luc talking to Jayce, his second in command, when she arrived at camp.

She dismounted and released Jad in with the other horses, waving to young Dahl. Dahl usually was the one to run the errands in the city, but Hadah had needed to go there today, so he stayed back caring for the horses. He smiled when he saw Hadah’s mount. Jad was his favorite animal. Brave and strong, he was a good match for Hadah.

She walked over to Luc, who saw her approaching, and noticed the look of concern on her face.

“What happened this time? A Calahite?”

"Yes, but I handled him in short order. Can we talk?" she asked, nodding her head towards his tent. She dropped the sack of spearheads in the center of a group of men sitting around the fire. Luc finished his conversation and followed her in.

“I need your help,” she said as soon as he entered. She was still out of breath from her swift ride back.

Luc walked over to the water skin hanging by his low table. He handed it too her and she drew deeply from it.

“It’s Tabby,” she said wiping her mouth with her arm.

Luc sat down behind the table.

“We need to get her out of there, she’s bruised again, and I’m worried because she doesn’t seem to care anymore.”

Luc listened, his eyes following her as she paced before him.

“I told her I’d be in to get her within the next two days, and I mean to keep that promise.”

“Hadah,” Luc began.

She raised her hand to stop whatever he was going say and looked directly at him.

“We cannot let this go on when we can do something about it.”

“The thing is Hadah, we cannot.”

“No, I won’t accept that! How can we say we are fighting for the freedom of all our brothers and do nothing for one who suffers under the brutality of oppressors daily?”

“Hadah-”

She tried to stop him again, but this time he continued, “You know damn well we cannot. You have been working just as hard as we all have to accomplish what we have set out to do. We cannot compromise our position when we are so close to infiltrating, and we certainly cannot risk them seeing you on the eve of executing it,” his voice rose as he spoke. He stood up moving towards her and stopped her pacing with hands on her shoulders.

“Look at me.” She looked up and he saw her eyes filled with tears of anger.

“If we succeed, all like her will be free,” he said, gentling his voice.

Hadah shook her head. “No. Unacceptable. She’s my friend. Mine! I’ll not leave her to those bastards any longer.”

What Hadah considered her's, she protected fiercely. The loss she suffered at such an early age made her more determined to do all she could to protect the ones she loved. She brought up her arms and swiped his hands off of her, and turned to leave the tent. Luc stopped her just outside the door.

“Get back in here.” This time he used the voice of command that led their little army so efficiently. Recognizing the stubborn look she gave him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back in.

“Think Hadah! Be guided by your head this time and not your heart. I know this is painful for you, but the needs of many must outweigh the needs of one!”

Hadah drew in a deep breath and looked away. Several silent seconds passed. Releasing her breath she said quietly, "I've lost too many I love in the name of the "needs of the many"".

Luc knew better than anyone else she was thinking of her lost family.

He sighed and walked back over to his table. He stood with his back to her looking down at his plans.

Finally he spoke. “We cannot risk them seeing you,” he paused, “I will go in your place.”

Hadah’s gaze locked on his back. It’s time. Slipping off her amulet she walked over to him and took his hand. He looked down as she pressed it into his palm.

“Wear this. It will keep you safe and she will know that I sent you.” She lifted his hand and kissed the back of it, before leaving the tent.

Luc watched her leave, shaking his head. The brat probably had him in mind to do the rescuing all along.

#

She woke with a start, her heart pounding. The Calahites! Hadah heard their whispers in her dreams and knew they weren’t far.

She grabbed her sword belt and ran from the tent while fastening it. She didn’t bother tying on the leather veil that Luc always made her wear, deciding the darkness would have to do for her disguise now. With a shrill whistle she alerted the rest of the men and advanced on the warrior she had surprised while he entered the encampment.

The song of the Narin hummed in her head and with it the courage she needed to bite back the fear rising in her. She withdrew her weapons, spinning them. Ancient Warrior instincts took over and she kicked her opponent’s knee from behind. As he bent back from the blow, she lifted her leg high and hooked her foe’s neck to pull him down.

She thrust her blade into him and as he fell she put her foot on his chest, spun, and slit his throat in one motion. She suppressed the slight disappointment she felt at such an easy fight and spun, ready to take on more. She finally noticed the sound of battle around her as the rest of the camp came to fight off the Calahites who were swarming in.

A burly arm grabbed her from behind and wrapped around her. With a back blow of her head she knocked him off balance and brought her hands back to bury both her weapons in his sides. Using his body before he hit the ground she kicked with both feet, hammering back the warrior advancing in front of her.

Dropping one of her weapons, she turned and squatted over the warrior who had fallen. With both hands on the handle she buried her sword in his heart, battle rage burning through her. Sensing someone approaching she turned, sword ready, then stopped just in time, realizing it was Jayce.

Tension emanated from her, her senses heightened. Jayce had finished off the Calahite she kicked back. She lowered her short sword as they looked at each other breathing hard, Calahite blood on both of them. The band of infiltrators was dispensed.

As they looked around they noticed the men gathering around a wounded Calahite lying on the ground. Behind him Luc had his arm around the man's neck and was choking off his air supply.

“Who sent you?” He shook the warrior and tightened his arm. “Who else knows we’re here?”

Hadah picked up the other sword she dropped during the fight and approached them. The men parted to let her through. Neither Hadah nor Jayce needed to be asked to help in the interrogation. They fought by each other's side enough to be able to read the mind of their leader in these situations. Hadah had the keenest ability to do so.

"You better answer him, or it'll be a long, painful wait to die," she said sweetly, hovering over the fallen man. Her eyes, now bright amber from the rush of battle, dared him to fight back.

He dared. “I ain’t telling you shit,” the Calahite wheezed. Luc tightened his hold and the wounded man’s breathing became more difficult.

“Wrong fucking answer,” said Jayce standing behind Hadah with his arms crossed. Hadah moved away and he stepped over the prone Calahite’s body to kneel down. He delivered a blow to the wound in the fallen man’s side.

Luc eased his arm from around his throat as the man groaned from the blow Jayce had landed.

“Answer.”

Jayce pulled back to strike him once again.

“The Eye,” the man gurgled and Jayce cut short his second punch.

“The King’s Eye sent me and he’s sent a thousand Calahites to destroy you rebel dog shi…” With a swift move Luc grabbed his chin, spun his head, and snapped his neck.

Luc didn’t have to say a word. Everyone moved around the camp grabbing essentials. In short order the men were mounted or running through the forest in all directions. They knew where to meet, for Luc always picked a contingency encampment when he decided where to set up home base. For once Hadah was glad he spent all his time planning. Once again his overly-cautious nature would save them.

#

Haddah rode ahead of Luc and Jayce, ducking branches. She did not hear the whispers, so she supposed the fallen Calahite was lying. Still haste was important. Her blood was still thrumming from the fight.

Forgive me Uncle Tal, say a pray for the blood I shed tonight.

Tal followed the ancient code of the Narins, the warrior sect who guarded the mystical realm. Their code said all life was sacred and it was forbidden by their doctrine to take lives. Not that Tal could not defend himself. He was a chief master of the Dun, the long staff, which he wielded efficiently.

In the ancient years the Narins developed special fighting techniques designed to control an attacker without injuring them severely. It took many years to become a chief master, but Tal had achieved it. He would not be happy with the amount of blood that was shed tonight, even if it was for defense purposes.

“The ancients cannot bless one with blood on their hands,” he would tell her when the subject arose. Though Hadah often argued with him about his outdated ideas and pointed out the fact that if the Narins had fought back maybe their sect would not have died out, it didn’t stop her from covering her ass. No need to piss off the ancients anymore than usual.

#

They arrived at the new site first. Getting off her horse, she turned and waited for Luc and Jayce to dismount. When they got down, Jayce took the reins of all three mounts, leading them to an area cleared for the horses keeping.

“Did you get all the plans,” Hadah asked Luc.

“Yes,” he sighed, pulling off the bag of scrolls which was slung around his body and set them on the ground. He sat down and pulled one out. “But I want to know how the hell they knew where we were.”

"The Calihite was lying. There were none following. If they didn't stumble onto us, then someone has betrayed us,” Hadah said hands on her hips.

He looked up at her. “You're sure no one followed you from the City”.

“Positive,” she answered. He nodded and looked down at the scroll spread out before him on the ground. He would be lost in thought in no time. Hadah went to find the material hidden to set up tents. Most of the men slept by the fire but she and Luc had tents wherever they encamped. Perks of starting a company she supposed. Jayce returned and a few more men came running in.

“Were you followed?” Luc asked standing up to greet them.

They were breathing hard, some bent over, hands on knees, some squatted down resting on their heels.

"No, we doubled back to cover our tracks," Kel answered, "Jul and Jex went back to make sure your's were covered too."

“Okay Men, you know the drill, get set up then we’ll discuss our next move”.