∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
It had been a long week and Ynyr didn’t know how much longer he could continue resting in that chair in Brice’s room, but he refused to rest in their bed without his Abby. Every night he asked her to rest with him. Every night she chose to rest with Brice. It made his heart ache. He wanted to hold her in his arms, wanted to touch her, wanted to kiss her. It wasn’t about Joining with her, although he wanted to do that too. It was about being with her. Goddess he missed just being her.
The trainee selection had been completed and there were many that were not happy with the outcome. He had allowed none of the previous Warriors to be returned to Warrior status and most trainees were returned to first year status. He had given several no choice but to leave and the remaining had to recommit to him or also leave. Do this meant he would have to continue to rely on the Warriors from other Houses until males that were up to his standards completed his training program. Goddess he wished he could have talked to Abby about it for it affected her as much as him but she no longer wished to hear about such things.
Paganus and Korin along with Navon, Morio and Cairbre had all come to him over the last week expressing their concern about the sudden change in their Lady’s behavior. They wanted to know what was wrong and if there was anything they could do to make her smile again. It had surprised Ynyr at first, then it had angered him, then he had realized that Abby’s gentle touch and caring ways had affected more than just him.
He discovered Korin was right about the first years infatuation with Abby when he’d overheard several of them talking about how they hoped they would be chosen next time to move furniture, just so they could see their beautiful Lady. When they had seen him they had paled and scattered. Ynyr had laughed… but that had been before… before his words and actions had taken away her smile and laugh. How was he going to get those back?
“Enter!” Ynyr ordered, the knock on his command room door, pulling him from his dark thoughts. When the door opened and Ull strode in and Ynyr couldn’t have been more shocked. “Ull!” Quickly Ynyr rose and went to hug his brother. It was a hug Ull coolly returned.
“Lord Ynyr.” Ull said bowing slightly.
“Lord?” Taking a step back Ynyr ran a critical eye over his brother and realized Ull was still very upset at what had happened during the Joining Ceremony. Goddess that seemed like a lifetime ago to Ynyr. Moving back around his desk Ynyr sat down. “Why are you here Warrior Ull?” He asked coolly. “I was not informed to expect you.”
Ull’s eyebrow rose slightly at the tone Ynyr was using. When had the little caca learned to sound so much a like powerful Lord? When had he learned to imitate their manno so perfectly? Looking at Ynyr sitting there behind the Lord’s desk it suddenly hit Ull. Ynyr wasn’t ‘imitating’ their manno at all. He was a powerful Lord.
“You requested my assistance.” Ull finally spoke. “I am here.”
“I assumed, since I did not hear from you, that you had ‘considered’ not to be of assistance.”
“Yes, well, it was pointed out to me that as the future Lord of Betelgeuse, that not coming to the aid of another Lord was not worthy of me. It was also pointed out that should the Warriors of House Rigel discover that after all the loyalty and support my blood brother had given me, I could not give the same to him, that they might begin to question my loyalty to them.”
“Manno said that?” Ynyr couldn’t hide his shock.
“No.” Ull admitted, feeling his skin darken.
“Then who? Who besides manno himself would dare say something like that to you? You are a first male!”
“Yes, well, apparently that has no bearing with the one that presented you.”
“What? Mother? Mother said that to you?”
“Yes. I have come to believe that the time she spent with the Earth females has had a bad influence on her.”
“You mean the time she spent with the Empress and the Queen of Luda?” Ynyr’s eyes bored into Ull’s his tone full of distain.
“And with your female.” Ull continued.
“Abby is my Lady, Ull. If you cannot respect that then you need to leave right now because if I had to choose between you and Abby… Abby would win. Every. Time.”
“Of course, she must until she gives you offspring, then things will return to the way they were.”
“No Ull…” Ynyr rose slowly, his hands resting on his desk as he leaned over it, making sure Ull understood him. “Abby will always come first. Before you. Before me. Before this House. She is the only thing that matters.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Brice had led Abby through the passageway, stopping every so often to show her were to look to see if the room was empty, where to push to open the wall. She found it amazing, but what amazed her more were the items she found stored in the passage, or was it hidden away, for some of them had years’ worth of dust on them. It quickly became obvious to Abby that these passages were built when the original House had been and that they were why Torino had them. The Emperor then had known about them. Risa, having known about the ones in Torino must have searched here until she found them.
She paused when she heard voices… looking through the spot Brice indicated she saw they were at Ynyr’s command room and that Ynyr wasn’t alone. Who was with him?
Ull…
Pausing she stopped and couldn’t believe what she was seeing and hearing.
“No Ull…” Ynyr rose slowly, his hands resting on his desk as he leaned over it, making sure Ull understood him. “Abby will always come first. Before you. Before me. Before this House. She is the only thing that matters.”
Abby slowly lowered back down from the toes she had been on to see through the wall. Could Ynyr really mean that? That she mattered that much to him? Could she believe it?
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“There is something else you should know Ull.” Ynyr told him slowly sitting back down. “Brice Guttuso is here and here is where he will remain.”
“What! What do you mean? What could you possibly be thinking having that spawn of Daco in your House?!! Why are you letting him live!” Ull demanded. “He is unfit and from a tainted blood line! It must be ended!”
Ynyr sat back in his chair looking at his brother a male he had, until lately, always respected. Ull had just said the same words Ynyr himself had spoken about Brice… and he had thought he right when he said them… but hearing Ull utter them… Ynyr had never been more ashamed in his life. No wonder his Abby had turned her back on him.
“You are my blood brother Ull and the future Lord of House Rigel of Betelgeuse, but if you ever… ever… utter those words again in my presence… I will send you to the Goddess! Do you understand me?” Ynyr rose and moved around his desk truly challenging his brother for the first time in his life.
“Brother or not.”
“Lord or not.”
“It makes no difference. It is males that think like you, who believe they are better than other males, all because of a chance of presentation, that have brought our Empire to where it is today! It was what Bertos believed! It was what Risa believed! It was what Emperor Berto believed when he abused his females. It is what those that assisted him in hiding those crimes believed! Those are the males that must be ended! Not innocent three year olds! You are going to have to decide which male you are.”
Ull found himself taking a step back at the rage his brother was expressing. Never in his entire lie had Ull seen Ynyr like this. Had Ynyr always been an exceptional warrior? Yes. Had Ynyr trained with the Emperor’s Special Guard? Yes. But still, Ull had always bested him. Ynyr had always conceded their fights. Never once had Ull witnessed this… power his brother was displaying… he had heard others whisper about it, but it had never been directed at him. Ull had always assumed it was because he was the better Warrior. Now he realized it was because Ynyr had let him win, out of respect for him being first male. Because of his ‘chance’ of presentation, as Ynyr called it.
Was he tr
uly like Bertos?
Goddess he prayed not.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Brice looked up at Abby as he led her to the unused Wing. It was one of his favorite places because no one ever went there. She had been quiet since they had left the two males arguing. It seemed to bother her. It didn’t him. He was used to hearing angry voices, used to hearing fights.
Brice liked this ‘Lady’, she had told him to call her Abby. She was so much nicer than the other one. They said that one was his mother but he didn’t know what that meant. Abby looked at him, she smiled at him and she took care of him. The other one didn’t. The only time that one had ever touched him was when she discovered him in her rooms, touching her things. She hadn’t liked that, hadn’t liked that he had discovered the passage behind the wall. She had struck him then had Wasaki come take him away.
The ‘Lord’… well he didn’t know what to think about him. He had been secretly watching him as he moved through the House. He was very different than the one everyone called Lord Bertos. This one didn’t shout or yell all the time. He didn’t strike or kill when angered. This ‘Lord’ would smile and laugh, at least when he was with Abby and she would laugh and smile back at him. He liked being in that Wing since they had arrived. It was a nice place to be.
Until they had found him. He should never have taken that food. But he had been so hungry. Wasaki had been gone for days and after the last time the cook had caught him in the kitchen Brice hadn’t dared sneak back in. Now Abby and the Lord didn’t laugh or smile at each other.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Abby couldn’t contain her gasp when the Brice opened the passage and they were in the unused Wing.
“What in the world? How?” Abby couldn’t believe it. They were on the opposite side of the House. Looking around the room she realized they were in one of the corners closest to the entrance doors, the opposite corner from were Brice had hidden the week before. No wonder he hadn’t been able to escape. Ynyr had been between him and the passage.
“You like this room don’t you?” Abby asked looking down at Brice and he nodded. “What do you think this room would say if it could talk?” She asked used to his silence. “I bet it would have some great stories. Don’t you think?” She walked further into the room. “What secrets do you think it keeps?” When Brice began to frantically pull on her hand she looked down at him. “Brice?”
“Oh, I know of one it will keep.”
Abby spun around as a dark shadow moved away from the wall and became a male she recognized. “Oh Warrior Oscosh,” she said breathlessly. “You startled me.”
“Did I?” He asked with a cold smirk.
Abby didn’t like that smirk, it scared her, but she wasn’t going to let him know that. “Just for a moment. Is there something you needed?”
“Oh yes, there’s much I need, starting with you.” As he took a step forward Abby side stepped him and another shadow detached itself from the wall, becoming a male Abby didn’t know and blocking her path.
“Wasaki…” Brice whispered.
“What do you mean ‘with me’?” She asked trying not to let him see her tremble.
“You are going to become one of the secrets this room keeps. You were speaking of secrets, weren’t you?
“Yes.” Abby admitted.
“Should I tell you one?” Oscosh asked.
“If you want.”
“I used to be from this House.” Oscosh whispered, still smirking at her. “My manno served Bertos’ manno and then Bertos until he met the Goddess.”
“You must have been very young.” Abby gripped Brice’s shoulder and pushed him behind her, back towards the secret passage.
“I was ten but I had already begun training to be one of Bertos’ Warriors. I watched my manno train, watched the trainees and then I would practice. I was going to be one of the greatest warriors the empire had ever seen.”
“You are a great Warrior. You serve the Emperor.”
“Not anymore and that is because of you!” Oscosh spit out at her.
“Me?”
“Yes! Lord Ynyr felt it would be a good use of my skills to guard a Wing, your Wing. Me! A Warrior with specialized training! A warrior that survived Gehenna!”
“You were sent to Gehenna?”
“Oh yes, that’s part of the secret. You see, after my manno’s death, Bertos sent me to Gehenna, even though I was the male of one of his warriors. Even though my manno had already paid him for my training. But I bested him. I survived!”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“I fought my way out of Gehenna. I obtained the funds needed to have a Lord train me and then I fought my way into the Emperor’s Special Guard. When the Emperor sent us here I knew the Goddess was smiling on me. Captain Dai would become the Lord of this House and finally, finally I would be back where I belonged. In the place I belong and I would be the Captain of his Guard!”
“I can speak to Ynyr if you wish. I’m sure he would consider your request.”
“Consider my request?!! That third male had me removed from his House, had me returned to Torino in disgrace, all because you needed a new mattress!”
“Mattress?” Abby didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but as long as he was talking, she had a chance because once he stopped she knew she was in trouble.
“Yes! Those fracken first years couldn’t carry it by themselves and that idiot Cairbre helped them. How was I supposed to know he wasn’t a trainee? Was I actually supposed to search them? They were first years! What harm could they do? And when they left… was I really supposed to count how many left?”
Abby was starting to get an idea of what happened. She remembers seeing the shocked looks on Navon and Morio’s faces when they had seen Cairbre but she had forgotten about it. Apparently someone had told Ynyr and he had judged Oscosh as unfit to serve in his House. Abby wondered what else had occurred to make Ynyr pass such a harsh judgment because she knew something had to have.
“As I said, I will speak with him. I’m sure we can get this all cleared up.” Abby told him.
“Oh, we are going to clear this up.” Wasaki said. “Why if it isn’t little Brice Guttuso! You little caca! I’d heard rumors that you were still here, but I couldn’t believe it. Now I know Lord Ynyr is unfit! Any male is that would let you exist in their House!”
“He is a child!” Abby couldn’t stop herself from speaking. She wasn’t going to let this male terrorize Brice.
“He is nothing! He is the reason I was not at my Lord’s side in Torino. Had I been at his side, the Empire would now be ruled by its true leader! And that little caca is the reason for it! He ends now!”
When Wasaki moved towards Brice, Abby stepped into his path. “Run Brice! Hide!” She ordered.
“Cease Wasaki!” Oscosh ordered his eyes never leaving Abby. “He is of no importance.”
“No importance! I want him ended!”
“Yes well, maybe later. Right now we have a Lady to deal with.”
“What do you want Oscosh? I’ve already told you I would speak to Ynyr.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Oscosh to her. “But you are going to be delivering a message for me.”
“I am?” Abby asked not liking the sound of that.
“Oh yes, a message that will let the entire Empire know just how unfit Ynyr is… you see… Ynyr can’t even protect his Lady in his own House.” Oscosh lunged for her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Brice’s breath was coming hard and fast as he ran through the secret passage. Abby had told him to run and hide but if he hid then Wasaki would hurt Abby the way he had hurt him and he couldn’t let him do that. Abby was the only one that had ever cared about him. Brice didn’t want him to hurt Abby, but he was too little to stop him. Who could stop him? Knowing the answer Brice headed for Ynyr’s command room.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“This male was insane.” Ull muttered as he looked over the reports Ynyr had given him. T
here was still tension in the room, but slowly the brothers had begun to work. “No, Lord wastes his time on ordering food supplies. It’s the duty of the Master Cook. No Lord wastes his time scheduling who is on the walls and when, that is the duty for one of his Captains.”
“Bertos trusted no one.” Ynyr informed him.
“I can see that. You are going to need to.”
“I know, that is why I called you until I can find those I can. I have already offered positions to several males from Betelgeuse that I trust to guard Abby.”
“You are taking my warriors?!!” Ull raised irritated eyes to him.
“It was made clear to me, and to them, that I could offer a position to any warrior I wished, including the Emperor’s. They are free to either accept or reject the offer. So far they have all accepted.”
“Who?” Ull demanded.
“Navon and Morio. Sunil and Saar.”
“All fit and worthy males.” Ull grudgingly admitted.
“Yes and I am considering several from the Emperor, but have decided to wait before offering the positions. I had two of Dai’s warriors returned to Tornio. I need to see if that is going to have any ramifications.”
“You returned two of the Emperor’s Special Guards!” Ull looked at him stunned. “Are you insane?!! You trained with these males! They are the elite! They aren’t going to just accept this.”
“They felt guarding a female beneath them. Especially the female of a third male!”
Ull frowned at his brother’s words. He couldn’t believe it. Two of the Emperor’s Guard?!! Refusing to guard a female? Unheard of… but there seemed to be much in his life lately that Ull hadn’t heard of… like the slurs his manno told him his brothers had endured.