• Chapter I
    The Beginning


    Tylen stared out the window, marveling at the rolling sea. It was his first visit to the city, but he usually kept to his room, watching the choppy ocean. He didn’t like the people out in the streets, and always wondered at their stupidity. Well, they may not have much to look forward to, but they scared him, with those eyes that seemed to never see.
    “The burned fools, wandering like that. They ought to be hung, or even transferred.” He shuddered, remembering what had happened the last time. No, better not to think of that. He’d just have more nightmares, and that was something he desperately wanted to avoid. His dreams were the only place in the world where he would be harmed, or even could be, and that was something Tylen truly despised to think about. He looked into his mirror, and saw his brand new reflection glass, and much better one than his old one, but still had a few little bubbles. He supposed he was handsome, with his two-inch hair, and his deep brown eyes. He was tan skinned, something rare in Lebridy, his father’s country. He was wearing a Lebridian shirt, which had lots of white on it. In fact, the only color was gold at his collar.
    “Excuse me sir?” Tylen spun around, then loosened. “What is it, Chilla? I’m a little-“Tylen started as the woman cut him off. “Don’t you feed that nonsense to me. You’re just moping about, staring at the sea. Why don’t you go off and look around? You were amazed at the Teshnel yesterday. Word is, there’s even a circus in town!” Tylen stared at the woman, feeling a little amazed at the maids arrogance. “No Chilla, not today. I’m feeling under the weather, you know?” Chilla’s look of rocks suddenly turned to a look of feathers. “Are you alright? Do you want me to call Miss Valley? We can-“ Tylen raised a hand, stopping the maid. “I’m fine. And besides, you know how I hate that… that… person.” Tylen said, struggling with himself. The woman fed him concoctions that made you want to heave, but they always worked. She had saved him from dying once, but she had done it with a glare that would have made a bear sit down and cry.
    Chilla looked at him, almost as if inspecting him, and nodded. “Fine, but your going outside whether I have to drag you by the ear or not.” She glanced at Tylen once more, and left. Tylen breathed a sigh of relief. “That woman…” She was nice, if younger than him by two years, but stubborn as a mule. I swear that woman was raised by the Hairen, or I’m a mule myself! Tylen laughed, a new thing. He didn’t laugh much, but he was getting more and more reasons to lately. The poverty in his father’s kingdom was ending, and they had won the war. Tylen grimaced at that. He never had liked war, or the things that happened with it. The Hairens themselves were the smallest kingdom, but with their Bandai, they were nearly impossible to defeat. Which was why his father had allied with them.
    Tylen walked out of his room, into the small but beautiful anteroom awaiting him. He looked at Chilla, smiling at her. She had her feet on another chair back, and saw him looking at her and blushed, hastily removing her feet from the chair back. He took the time to admire the beautiful worked chandelier and ornate fireplace, and noticed the woman with her back to him. “So. You decided your going to stay with us, I take it?” The woman turned around, and gave him a smile that would have chilled wine. “For now. The people on the streets need to be put in their place. Wandering like that… it sickens me. But of course, I would need your permission.”
    Again she gave him the smile, making him feel sickened. “Lady Domara, I’d pass the order if you would simply specify someone who actually deserves to be transferred. Well, some among all others anyway. You know, criminals and the like.” She grimaced at him, but with a look in her eyes saying she would find everyone who had so much as stolen a teaspoon. The ‘lady’ was the leader of the Goldheels, and as such believed she was righteously a queen. Moreover, he had to be respectful to her, because she was an emissary for the Hairens. And had three Bandai. A fact worth noticing.
    He himself had the spark to become one, a mythical Bandai, which excited him as much as frightened him. The Bandai could make objects appear from nowhere, and change their appearance and another objects appearance.
    He smiled, remembering the way he had made Chilla’s hair turn from fair to black. She had run around, thinking she had gotten some hair-ridden disease, until Tylen decided to release it. The woman had been sobbing, asking why it would happen to her, and had spent more than one night washing it. He really didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. He looked at her, and she gave him a smile, which turned into a grimace. She still claimed he had put soot in her hair, but she hadn’t any proof, so he wasn’t worried.
    He walked out of the room, and gave a start. His bodyguard, Jovi, had stayed outside. She was an easygoing girl, only 15, and she had a smile that could melt your heart. Tylen ran when he saw that smile, because he was aware of what might come from it. She grinned at him, and sheathed one of her several knives. She claimed she carried nine, but Tylen couldn’t see how. But he never once doubted it. He had been going to Deinla, a beautiful country, when three men had attacked him. He shuddered as he remembered Jovi putting their bodies into the water.
    “Jovi, I’m going to the Main Street. Want to come?” Jovi gave him a cool look, and nodded. She loved being shrouded in mystery, but at the same time managed to drink what seemed bucket loads of wine. Strange, but with her dark brown hair and near perfect skin; She always complained she had a blemish on her arm; she could make most men trip by fluttering her lashes. He knew better. Well, he knew better now at least. “Okay. Let’s go out through the underground, ok?” Her eyes lit up, but she nodded, all composure. Unless you were paying attention to her lips. They were moving, sometimes reminiscent of a smile, other times pursed.
    Tylen looked at her and grinned, and walked down to the hallway. “So, did you find Muffin yet?” he said, treading into a dangerous ground; her kitten had been lost for a little while, but Tylen thought he was just in the kitchen, looking for food. She glared at him, and then decided it wasn’t meant as a cut on her feelings, and shrugged. “He isn’t in the garden, and he isn’t hiding in that nook in the chimney, so I’m going to start looking in the underground.” Again her eyes lit up; the place was as near to a Quei as any woman could ever get. Of course, a Quei was one of the only places in the world only a man could enter, whereas woman had several. He sighed, remembering the ornately worked pillars, meeting impossible corners, mind-teasing shapes worked from gold, and, more importantly, the waterslides. He smiled, remembering the amazing water shapes. It was a talent only men had, and one out of a hundred, shaping water. It was interesting watching it swirl around, being held by only air.
    He shook himself back to now, and started as he realized Jovi was gone. “Jovi, come out. I hate it when you do this, you know.” He heard something snap behind him, and turned, a smile on his face, when he saw who it was.
    Chilla had snuck up behind him, and she stiffened like a board. “You want to come, don’t you.” “I don’t believe that’s up to you, Tylen. I am your maid, after all. I’ll clean up your messes, whether it’s from an ugly man wanting your money, or you just being sloppy.” Jovi dropped down from the roof- how had she gotten up there so quickly? - And smiled at Chilla. She must have thought someone had been going to mug him, and would drop on him from above.
    “Well, we’re going through the underground. Still want to come?” Tylen said, and Chilla looked at him as if he was an idiot, mouth just barely keeping from dropping. “You heard what happened down there, didn’t you? It’d be suicide, at best!” Jovi gave Chilla one of her best looks, a glare without the glare, and Chilla frowned. “Jovi, the rumors aren’t true. There’s no gold, no treasure. It’s just to get you down there, so a shifter can catch you.” Jovi’s mouth popped open, and she scrambled up the street. “Jovi? What’s wrong with-“ a loud, guttural snort appeared from behind him, and he turned. A man was there, and he wasn’t friendly looking. That was all Tylen managed to think before everything turned black.

    * * * * * * * *

    “Lady Valley, we are honored to be in your presence. Would you like some wine, or would you prefer tea?” She shook her head, her long black curls swinging slightly. “I’ll take cold water, thank you. Oh, and maybe a biscuit.” The three men watching her gave each other looks, but she had them pinned down. A small boy came in, clutching a plate with water and biscuits on it. They would have loved her having wine, mainly because it was so hard to check. For poison.
    “Well, to have Lebridy’s top healer with us is such an honor. Do you think that something might be worked out between our countries? Or is this something that will need to be settled… brutally?” He looked at her carefully. She smiled, making sure to tinge it with doubt. The best way to win a war was to have your enemy underestimate you. “Well… I do have some experience with matters. Shall we say you get one portion of the River of Blood, and I get mine?” It was a curse, that one, and most likely unexpected.
    Moindin had very strict relationships with other countries, and even stricter laws. Mainly ones that were unfair to the enemy. Which was almost everyone. However, their naval power was second to none. Their ground power, though, was a weak point. Although, it was not much needed, for a nation on water. Not the whole nation was, of course, just most. “Well, Miss Valley, we own that river. And…”
    Whatever he had been about to say was cut off, because he was preoccupied with a knife at his throat. “I am Lady Valley, Mister Halfon, and I will not be insulted.” She took the blade, and stuffed it into her sheath. It didn’t fit well, and it wasn’t well made, so stuff she did. “My lady, violence is treason! Do you wish to come to blows? Because if you do, my lady, then we will ask you to leave.” He put on a small smug smile, thinking he had won. Good. That would only boost his bravado.
    “I am not willing to apologize.” She said. “But if you are wise, you will. Not a threat, Lord Halfon. Simply a fact.” She kept all emotion off her face. The little she felt at all. Emotion always ruined these things, and she had calmed herself extremely before coming in. Although, the threat had been hasty.
    Then you should have carried on, or at least let Syphel do it. Syphel was her pet Teshnel, a long scaly lizard, near ten feet long, with a beak, strong enough to crunch through bone. They had the most wonderful obedience, and could even spit poison. Say, in the eye, or even the mouth, if it was open. And they were even intelligent enough to tell what you would want shot. And all she needed to do was snap her fingers. “I don’t really care what you want. I get land and water rights to the swamps, and we will clear brigands from the area around and in it.”
    The smile left Halfon’s face so quickly she might have smiled. “But my lady! We need those for the mica that we sell! I cannot allow you to have them.” “We will give you mining privileges if you like. It will cost, but we will give them to you.” With that, she walked out of the room. Oh, she had them like she wanted them. She was actually quite surprised that no one had even attempted on her life.
    Moindin was known to have abrasively barbaric people, and the Supreme League council was no exception. They probably had at least ten other men tracking her. She had found and caught several others, most with Syphel’s help. She walked down the brightly lit street, eyes flitting from corner to alley, searching the windows, observing the rooftops.
    As she walked down to the small boat awaiting her, her thoughts drifted to Lian. She wanted to see her friendly pet dragon so badly right now, but the boat had been too small to carry him, and he didn’t like flying over the ocean. It made him sick, and more than a little worried. She couldn’t blame him; a creature that could only fly for an hour or so without rest, and not being able to see land, would worry even the toughest. But she knew he would be fine, staying with his mother. He was one of several breeds that could speak, but he had chosen not to yet. That was fine anyway.
    She was just to the beginning of the dock when she heard a scream. She turned and saw the biggest man she had ever seen, and he was holding a club, coming quickly for her head.