Chronicles of Death

The sun was high overhead, slowly making its way westward that mid-afternoon when Katya arrived at the next spot on the map. The town of Vira was quaint but in an obvious state of disrepair. Slightly larger a town than Carva, it was also less impressive. Without a mining operation to drive wealth and employment, Vira’s struggle was clear as day to anyone who looked for more than a quick glance.

Soldiers were gathered along the outskirts of Vira and just within the forest surrounding it. Citizens kept their heads down and avoided eye contact with the soldiers.

The innkeeper informed Katya that the General commanding the troops was named Aither- all without prompting. The woman was unaware as to why the troops were there. All she knew was that they had arrived a few days prior and hadn’t caused any trouble- to her knowledge. They wandered the town and occasionally purchased supplies but that was it. Their presence, however, had put the townspeople on edge.

That was for certain, Katya thought. People were making their way around as if avoiding a plague!

Unlike Alev, Aither kept control of his soldiers. There was no loitering or partying. The few troops Katya passed kept their heads down and their mouths shut. The camp beyond the town gates was quiet. Yet something didn’t sit right. Surely, there was good reason for the townspeople to behave the way they did.

Katya paid for a room at the inn. It was a nice room too. On the second floor in the corner of the building so she could keep an eye on the central square below. After making herself familiar with her room, she tucked in for some rest. Odd hours were something she was no stranger to. Sleep had never been her ally. Nightmares had been the norm. Something about an overactive imagination mixed with the trauma of war.

That being said, over the past few weeks, she’d passed out almost the moment her head hit the pillow. She needed rest and appreciated her body’s newfound cooperation.

War was exhausting when she led an army. It was far more exhausting when she waged it singlehandedly.

Every bit of exhaustion would be worth it in exchange for her eventual reward.

Her niece and nephew.

They’d been torn from her home in her absence. Captured as prisoners of war.

She would not let them die. Not at the hands of that selfish God, Lysette.

She would not fail them.

With her motives as her lullaby, she slept.

When she awoke the sun was still in the sky- but barely. A few hours had been all she needed, and the sun was up late in the warmer months of Mahinaka. The innkeeper prepared her a bath when requested and she enjoyed the hot water. It soothed her aching muscles.

Her past wounds had been healed by Vrana’s gifts, yes, but she felt the phantom ache of them when she was exhausted. Raven told her this was normal. She’d been near death. The body did not forget that so easily.

Shaking thoughts of death away, she left them with the bath and got dressed then gave the innkeeper her gratitude. Afterward, she set about exploring Vira and gathering the lay of the land. Its people were extremely timid. She’d overheard some folks explaining rumor of a tragedy in the south amongst Alev and his men. That explained why people were so nervous. They thought the soldiers and their Generals were unpredictable. Violent.

Other than that, the only useful information Katya gathered was that Aither had ordered his men to remain out of town without express permission from their superiors. Katya followed a few soldiers cautiously, hoping to gain more, but all she heard was that they were to hold their position and await orders. In comparison to Alev’s troops, Aither’s were obedient and alert.

With the rumors of Alev’s death spreading through town, Katya was on her guard. As the sun set, shops closed. She made her way to the outskirts of town. From the gates she could see military tents lining the trees. It was a short walk from one place to the other but far enough away that chatter couldn’t be overheard.

The encampment was well-guarded. It would be impossible for her to walk amongst them to get a better look the way she had in Carva. She would, instead, do this as the raven. Making her way back to her room at the inn, she waited for the sun to completely set and left her window open just a crack. Once certain the streets were abandoned for the night, she became the raven and left her room.

She flew beyond the town and over the encampment and into the woods. She landed beyond the sight of the soldiers then crept close enough to overhear their conversations. It turned out that the soldiers were clueless. They knew very little as to why they were stationed outside of Vira. Many spoke of their families and how much harder being a soldier was than they’d anticipated. She guessed that many of them were of the lower class and had hoped to escape the difficulty of everyday life in Mahinaka by joining the military.

It was no better in Pabigo, her home. That had been the very reason Katya had joined the military. It was the same throughout Lupinaio. There was no escaping the harsh truth of their reality.

She hopped around the camp, avoiding lingering in any one place too long, remaining out of sight of the soldiers the best she could. When spotted, she did her best to behave like a bird. A handful of soldiers tossed her scraps of food. She dragged them off so as not to seem suspicious.

She stopped spying only when she heard mention of her prey.

“The General says we’re to lie low until he’s received more information.” From the soldier’s dressy uniform and colorful epaulet, she guessed he was a Lieutenant. She’d worn a similar uniform herself once.

“And what is it we do know?” The soldier that the Lieutenant spoke to seemed paranoid. He kept scratching at the side of his neck. “For him to just die like that? That’s insane! I know he wasn’t the picture of perfect health, and he was… disgusting, but he was also a warrior. Tenacious at that. You should hear the stories they tell about him.”

Tenacious, huh?

If only they’d seen the way that Alev had cowered by the end. How he begged for his life. She doubted they would have spoken so highly of his combat prowess if they knew the truth.

“From what I’ve read, it sounds like insurgence. His men turned against him during a drunken fight. He took out twenty of his soldiers before they finally took him down.”

Katya would have laughed if she hadn’t been hiding. Really? Alev? Take down twenty soldiers? Had they never seen him fight? Maybe once upon a time he’d been a force worthy of such praise but by the time Katya got to him, he was no warrior.

“Between you and me, he was no hero. In fact, he was an asshole.” The Lieutenant lowered his voice. “But he was a General. One of the rare who had a pact with our King. Once the investigation has wrapped up, we’ll know more. Alev’s men are to remain in Carva until word is received from Veran. Aither and Torrance will likely take his troops as their own after that.”

“What about General Cordelia?”

The Lieutenant laughed heartily, smacking the soldier on the back as though he’d told a very funny joke. The soldier laughed nervously, visibly uncomfortable.

“That broad has no real power. Veran favored her so he gave her a title. She isn’t being consulted on the matter. And if you ask me? She’ll be his new wife by the end of the season.” The Lieutenant’s comments made the soldier shift his footing nervously, but no objections followed. At least not everyone in Mahinaka was this deplorable. The soldier’s discomfort gave Katya a tiny sliver of hope. “Ah, I needed that. Thanks, soldier. Remember: keep your head down and it’ll be okay. This thing with Alev was a long time coming! We’re safe, remember? The war is over. We’re just standing guard here until Veran feels safe again too. Can’t blame him with that woman in power. Who knows what she’ll do when her time of the month comes around? Can you imagine?”

Maybe they had earned Lysette’s wrath.

No.

She shook it off. Lysette was a monster. She did not care about life. Katya immediately regretted sympathizing with her.

“Where is the General anyway? Haven’t seen him all day.”

“Busy. Should be back in his tent soon though. Left him a special surprise for later, too. Found it on the road here.” The Lieutenant smirked and the soldier’s discomfort intensified tenfold.

“Is that where we got all that food? Do you mean…?”

“Of course, it is, soldier. That’s what she gets for traveling alone so late at night.”

“But sir.”

“What, soldier? Do you have something to say?” The Lieutenant’s voice was suddenly stern. He was using the full power of his position to assert himself.

Katya hopped out of earshot. The something special left for Aither was a human being. A woman. She’d intervene, obviously. Aither would get what he deserved. How many ‘something specials’ had been victims before this one? Never again. She’d save this one and take Aither’s key.

Maybe Raven was right about them.

She’d been initially resistant to end their lives. Now, instead of murder, it felt more like taking out the garbage. Gathering the keys felt like a secondary task. Raven’s advice of ‘kill them all’ didn’t seem so absurd anymore.

The world was better off without people like Aither in positions of power.

Fluttering around the camp, Katya found a tent that was far larger than the others. It likely belonged to Aither. She landed nearby and listened for confirmation.

“Is he back yet? Checked inside but all I found was his guest.”

That was all she needed.

“No. No more meetings until morning. He’s got plenty on his plate. And if you stick your head in his tent again without permission there will be hell to pay, you hear me?”

Katya hopped around the tent, planning what came next. She would get a lay of the land within the tent as the raven and then wait for the General to return. Depending on the state of his captive, she would set her free first or afterward. If she was unharmed, Katya would likely leave her until afterward. If she required attention, that would come first.

The tent had some distance from the others, likely for privacy’s sake. Soldiers that had been mingling nearby were dismissed and returning to their tents.

A hush fell over the camp, and it was almost unnatural. Moments later though, the creatures of the forest returned. Their nighttime orchestra eased Katya’s nerves. Bugs chittered, and rustling within the trees made her aware of deer and other creatures. There was no army sneaking up behind her to attack. Nature found peace in the absence of people. The women of Carva had done as they’d promised and kept her identity hidden.

She would remember their kindness and hoped they were not suffering for their silence. Katya peeked into the tent several times and saw no one and heard nothing. Interesting. The captive woman was most assuredly in there somewhere but for now she was quiet and still. Katya did not smell blood, so she did not think it was urgent to get to her.

Her decision was made.

She would wait for the General to return and let his guard down. Then she would strike.