The journey to the palace only took two days. The length of the journey was a painful reminder of just how far Sharlot had brought her forces into Calidonica.
I passed many farmers and merchants trudging along the road in horse-drawn carriages carrying their wares. Other more wealthy merchants drove horseless carriages, the usual pale blue glow emanating from beneath the carriage. I tried to avoid villages and towns. There were the roads made for Baruuk to travel, which I had access to, but I preferred not to make myself conspicuous. I was already a notable figure, though I rarely made public appearances anymore. My long blond hair, so pale it was almost white, my eyes as pale blue as an alpine lake, and my tall stature stood out.
Calidonicans were generally short in stature because our land was completely mismanaged. Food was scarce among the general population because the majority of it went toward feeding the military.
As I settled in for the night at the base of a tree, my sleep sack pulled up to my chin, Buzzard nuzzled his nose into my belly. I scratched under his chin and kissed his nose — something I only did when I was sure no one else was watching. He bedded down next to me. When he sighed hot breath skimmed across my neck, but I didn't mind. I couldn't think of a single person I'd rather sleep next to than my horse.
He was known to be as fast as a whip, as strong as a bull, and more aggressive than the average war horse. He tolerated very few people, and if anyone else tried to ride him, he bucked them off. But I was the one who had broken him. He was my first horse, gifted to me by Baruuk nine years ago. I had been riding horseback for the entire five years I'd been in Baruuk's care, but he said it was essential that I develop a close bond with my horse, because he would be my greatest asset in battle. He was my best friend, and I cherished the nights when we could sleep together.
We traveled a second day, and spent another night sleeping under the stars before arriving in Malosiaga.
The capital of Calidonica was a sprawling city and the only of its kind in Calidonica. Baruuk had gifted estates to those he wanted to keep close. There was an entire district dedicated to housing military figures, merchants and advisors of the king. Since the city was full of people Baruuk wanted to live comfortably and remain placid, the city flourished. If only Baruuk cared enough about the rest of his realm, Calidonica would be a great nation.
I had asked Baruuk on multiple occasions if I could move into my own estate in the city, but he refused every time. He said I was still a child in need of guidance. Parents and guardians rarely let their children leave their care until they were in their late teens. Well, I was nineteen and Baruuk still hadn't freed me from his care, even though I'd been appointed as the leader of his army for an entire year. I had been leading my own battles independent of Baruuk for two years before that. I knew it was because he feared losing control of me, but I thought we were past the point where he felt he needed to micromanage me.
As Buzzard cantered through the city, people took notice of my presence. Just as notable as me was my horse. Buzzard was an icon in Malosiaga. Even with my hood pulled over my head, people recognized Buzzard. Soldiers in the street saluted as I passed, others gawked. Some cheered, while others hid their children from me. It was a welcome unique to Malosiaga. Everywhere else I went, people shuddered in fear and shuttered their windows.
The palace was set apart from the city, surrounded by a dense forest. Only one road led to the palace. Both of these factors made it difficult to attack the palace. That, coupled with the open field surrounding the palace, which didn't allow for any coverage for those who could attack, and Baruuk's palace was difficult to infiltrate.
If that wasn't enough, there was a wall surrounding the palace that you needed clearance to enter. As I left the coverage of the forest and crossed the field toward the palace, I took a deep breath in and forced my muscles to relax. I felt some ease with returning to the palace because it was familiar. However, I never considered it my home. A home was a refuge — the place you felt safest. I never felt safe in the palace, though Baruuk told me over and over he was the only person in the world who had my best interests at heart. It took me a long time to separate his lies from reality. Even still I sometimes left our interactions wondering if I was crazy for not trusting him the way he said I should.
Guards had the gate to the palace opened before I reached it, and I passed through without issue. At the front door I dismounted and handed Buzzard's reins over to the stable hand. Buzzard reared and neighed as I left.
"Whoa," the stable hand said, and took a step back to avoid being trampled under Buzzard's hooves.
"Good boy," I mouthed to him and gave him a small smile while the stable hand was occupied with calming him. Terrorizing those in Baruuk's employ was part of my job, though I was exceedingly polite to my personal servants. Baruuk encouraged my reign of terror since it upheld my reputation as an absolute menace and a force to be reckoned with.
Leaving Buzzard and the stable hand behind, I left my cloak with the palace butler, who informed me Baruuk was in his study. I climbed the wooden stairs two at a time as usual, bypassing the second floor, where my personal quarters were, to head to the third floor, which Baruuk had all to himself. I knocked on the door to his study, and Baruuk muttered a sharp, "Enter."
"You're in a foul mood," I said as I opened the door.
"According to you I'm always in a foul mood," Baruuk said, finishing signing a document before looking up at me. His face was wrinkled, his hair mostly white, and a dusting of white hair speckled his jaw. "Dealing with idiots all day will do that to you."
"Surely not everyone you deal with is an idiot," I said, my arms crossed as I leaned on the door frame.
"Most," he said, looking down at another document. "You're one of the rare few who don't completely disappoint me on a regular basis."
My traitorous heart swelled with pride and gratitude. His praise still gave me a rush I couldn't explain. I knew he was evil, and that his approval meant I was well on my way to being evil as well, but when he was disappointed in me, it left me feeling empty and worthless. I was a cup he could either fill to the point of overflowing, or toss to the ground, my contents spilling into the dirt.
"Unless you've given me a reason to be disappointed in you?" Baruuk looked up, one eyebrow pulling above the other.
"It's hard to win a battle when I'm not on the battlefield," I said, reminding him of where I ought to be, and hoping he wouldn't blame me if my legion failed in their task without me present. "Don't blame me if we lose Quantum Fortress while I'm gone."
Baruuk looked up and folded his hands on his desk. "I'm taking a calculated risk. Your legion is made up of the most capable soldiers in my army."
"And they've been left with an almost impossible task."
"Quantum Fortress houses our reserves. They are by far the least valuable of our soldiers. Their loss would not be insignificant," Baruuk said, and my body flushed with fury. How calloused he was toward those who were willing to die for him ignited a rage within me I had spent years mastering. "However, Prince Cisco's impending arrival has me on edge."
"It's not the first time he's shown up without much notice. Maybe he has business dealings in Calidonica and thought it'd be the courteous thing to pay a visit."
I knew this was not the case, given Cisco's message to me, but someone needed to temper Baruuk's irrationality. When he was angry, he made careless mistakes. His temper was his greatest weakness. I had saved Baruuk from making hasty decisions in anger on many occasions. Cisco knew this well, as I had quelled many arguments between him and Darius over the years. Playing mediator was one skill I'd had to master over the years I'd spent in Baruuk's service.
"Regardless of why he's here, your job is to keep him distracted."
"You brought me here to use me to distract him? I was making good headway with Sharlot."
"Oh?"
"She wants to meet with you. She says she never gets anywhere with me."
Baruuk grinned and my heart soared again. "Then you're doing your job." I bowed my head to hide my smile. Baruuk hated to see me smile. I rarely did, but sometimes I couldn't help myself.
"Be wary, Lura. He knows us better than most. He knows you better than most." The look Baruuk gave me sent chills down my spine. Baruuk had spent Cisco's entire life underestimating him. For even Baruuk to see Cisco as a real threat was unsettling. "Cisco has proven in recent years that he is not as vacant as I thought he was. It unsettles me that he has been able to hide his true nature from us for so long."
Had I not spent as much time observing Cisco as he spent observing others, I might have been surprised too. But I learned long ago not to underestimate Cisco. Still, some reports of his war tactics made even me sick to my stomach.
The sound of galloping hooves echoed in the courtyard. Baruuk went to the window. "He's here."
"I'll meet him at the door," I said, watching Cisco dismount from his horse, smiling jovially at his attendants and tipping the stable hands who cared for their horses.
"Watch your back," Baruuk said as I walked away. I turned to look at Baruuk. "I fear he's worked out every one of our weaknesses."
"Why are you suddenly so wary of him, Baruuk?"
Baruuk pursed his lips. "Darius has grown testy. I fear for the stability of our alliance."
My heart skipped a beat. I backed out of the room with a pang of fear in my chest. Baruuk had thoroughly shaken me, but I knew Cisco at least as well as he did me. Besides, he wasn't the only one with a head for strategy.
I raced down the stairs so that I could beat him to the front door. As I flew past the mirror in the atrium I caught a glimpse of my wind blown hair and my cheeks that were bright red and blotchy from being wind-whipped. I quickly ran my fingers through my hair, but it was hopeless. There were tangles throughout.
I adjusted the collar of my tunic in the mirror. "I didn't even get to change out of my riding clothes. His timing is impeccable."
The palace butler looked at me out of the corner of his eye wearing a smirk that made me feel like an idiot for caring what I looked like, but Baruuk was all about appearances.
The front door creaked open and Cisco stood silhouetted in the doorway, his face cast in shadows. I could hear the grin in his voice though as he said, "Well, well, well. Look who raced home to see me."