Lady Sword-son

Ghostdog is laughing! “Not yet,” he calls out to the shadowy shape passing overhead then disappearing into a shaft of moonlight, “You’ll have to try your luck another time.”

My squire lets go and I stalk over to where Ghostdog still laughs, Little Brother standing over him and scolding like an old uncle. “Why did you let me live? I cannot bear this dishonor; you must…”

Reaching them both I spin like a sword dancer and clip Little Brother above the temple with the toe of my boot. He drops like a laden sack to the mosaic floor. Ghostdog has stopped laughing and, as he rises to his feet, gives me an inquiring look. I cannot keep my anger at Little Brother off my face. “As eldest daughter I learned to fight in secret, including the way of the Monkey King, using hands and feet. It was only when I took over the family that I could openly practice the way of the sword.”

Ghostdog gives me an approving look, which I do not need from him. “Monkey King is a good path to use with the other fighting styles; throws your enemies off balance, which is especially needed when they’re stronger than you are. As I know. well.” He points down at Little Brother, still too stunned to move. “When Blood-archer, or whatever his real name is, wakes up, tell him he owes me a great debt for saving his life.” Ghostdog begins walking away towards the front of the ruined building and our camp, adding over his shoulder, “Tell him to come see me in the morning after I’ve had tea.”

Without waiting for an answer he continues walking away, singing a vulgar drinking song I heard in a common house we had to stay at once. “There once was a knight a-walking on the road, fa-la-la-dee-dee-dum, when he spied a maiden ugly as a toad, fa-la-la-dee-dee-dum. Oh good knight, the maiden says, I have for you a noble quest, for my virtue is forsworn... unless you pass the test, fa-la-la…”

The urgency in my senior squire’s voice pulls me away to more important things. “Lady Sword-son, if what Ghostdog said is truth, then we have a problem.”

“I know,” I reply, unable to keep the sigh out of my voice. “Take Little Brother back to our fire and question him when he wakes up. I need time to think…and decide what to do if Ghostdog is not just boasting.” My senior squire nods and hoists Little Brother onto his broad shoulder as he would a sack of rice, and then turns and walks in the direction of the camp. I turn back toward the dead, grey tree.

All at once many things I have keeping locked away surround me like angry ghosts, and something inside me breaks; hot tears are running down my cheeks and I am silently sobbing, unable to stop. This is wrong. Men do not cry so I must not either. But instead I am weeping like a foolish girl. I hear a heavy tread on the mosaic floor behind me and call out, “I need to be left alone to think. Return to camp and I will join you presently.” I try to keep my voice under control, but it betrays me by cracking.

The heavy tread never even slows. “Apprentice told me and papa that you were upset. Papa doesn’t understand, so I told him I would take care of things. He’s gone off with Grandfather to get a bath.”

I will not let Tinados see me like this. “I did not know you could speak to his swords.”

Tiny stops directly behind me. “All the Ogra-Ki can. Even though we cannot wield magic, we share something of our mother’s affinity towards it, as do you.

I am getting my emotions under control, wiping my face on the sleeves of the fighting tunic under my armor. “What do you mean my affinity? I have no affinity for magic.”

“Yes you do, or else you would never be able to hear the swords. Grandfather told me most people have some small affinity for magic, but not enough for any of the powers to show up. He calls it the ‘tipping point’. In your case, though, several magical talents are present inside you, competing for dominance, but since none will give way to the others, you never reached the point where you could use magic. But you still have the potential.”

I cannot keep the sigh out of my voice. “Tiny, even if what you say is true, it does not help me. This burden my father placed on my shoulders, I…” My head droops towards the mosaic floor as despair laughs at me. “I cannot do this,” I whisper.

Tinados’s voice remains stubbornly cheerful. “Yes, you can, because I’ll be there to help you.”

Surprised, I turn around and gaze up into his calm, grey eyes. “But you have found your father now. Are you not going to travel with him?”

“I am, but papa’s going to follow Grandfather because he has to, and you are as well, because Grandfather’s going to continue paying you to act as his guards even after we leave the caravan.” My mouth hangs open a moment in surprise before I shut it with a click, and Tinados smiles. “Grandfather and I spoke while everyone was setting up camp. I will remain at your side until whatever plan Grandfather has to make everything right again succeeds, and help you when the burden becomes too much to bear.”

I choose my words with care. “Tiny, we do not know what Grandfather has planned. You know he is a bit…eccentric.”

His face never wavers. “Grandfather is who he says he is, and whatever his plan is, it will work. You will see. Now, put on your lord’s face and let’s return to the others.” A dour expression sweeps across his features.

He looks so absurd I begin to snicker and he gives me a sour look in response, making his eyes squint like a self-righteous old man. I cannot help but laugh and his face lights up in a delighted grin. I smile back at him as I look up into his craggy face…and begin to understand, at least a little, why Ghostdog is so eager to defend the honor of an Ogra-Magi he named Meg.

From the front of the ruined temple one of my retainers calls out, “Lady Sword-son, Senior Squire wishes to know if you have come to a decision. All of the men are gathered.”

I still my features into their usual mask. Tinados nods and I step away from him so I can be seen. “Tell him I have and will join you all at once.” My retainer bows then straightens again and hurries off as I look up again at Tinados. “This is going to be difficult. Will you remain beside me?”

“Always,” he answers in a deep rumble, his face wearing its usual calm expression. I nod and stride towards the camp with a firm step, Tinados walking alongside me once more.