An Oath Of Lords And Ladies (ARTK, Book 1)

Chapter 83

Derun 9th, 3328 A.G

"How are you not going insane sitting here while the rest of them fight?" Maude asked, pacing across the strategy tent. It'd been only moments since the others left, yet the sounds of metal clashing against metal made her want to cut her way out of the cloth and sneak out the back.

She would have too, if there was no one there to tell. She wouldn't be able to blend into a battlefield as easily as the other soldiers, either. Sure, there were some women fighting in Nara's army- seventy four to be exact, but she was smaller than all of them and Nara's eyes would drift to her immediately.

Imania only shrugged. "I do more good in here."

"What do you- how is that possible?" Maude asked, though she knew exactly what the older woman was going to say.

"Come sit-" she gestured, patting the crate beside her. Maude eventually listened, leaning on her hand. "I would be more of a burden than a help out there. My husband would not be able to focus on staying alive if he had to worry about me doing the same. So... as hard as it is- I know he will survive. He is not one to just die, no matter the circumstances- and that is the one thing that's kept me sane."

Maude knew all too well what it was like to be a burden- but mostly to her own 'father' and youngest half sister. She'd heard the same things over and over again since she was capable of remembering them:

"Her hair is too light- there's no way she is of the lord's seed."followed by a fit of laughter- was the first. She'd been two or three when she overheard a conversation between two servants, who thought she'd been too young to remember.

"My child's hair is that color and my husband and I's is both dark- to be fair he and I are both sluts." That'd been a common woman, and there were so many more comments like it she'd heard over the years.

Eventually, people would bring it up with her- but her 'father' always did refuse to acknowledge it. A noble man having a bastard or forty was one thing, but a noble lady carrying one was another. The things people said about Typheinne were often so much worse than the things they said about Maude, but there was nothing Maude could do to stop it. In her 'Father's' eyes, as long as he refused to see it it wasn't happening.

Ade had treated her like a pest for so long that Maude couldn't see a different relationship between them ever happening.

And so she'd enjoyed all the benefits of a noble lady despite the people's beliefs; hot baths drawn for her, books to read and a seat still at the table of honor in events, a timekeeper who taught her numbers and the months and days until she could keep track of the exact day it was in her head (Despite her memory- that had been the hardest thing to learn).

Books and weapons had always come easily.

"Do you know how to use a weapon at all?" She asked Imania after moments of silence.

Again, Imania shrugged. "I'm half decent with a dagger, but what good is that against swords and arrows and... lances.... Axes....."

Maude smiled, though inside she wanted to laugh. While a dagger wouldn't do much to protect one against arrows or throwing knives, they weren't completely useless. They still had pointy ends- pointy ends that could cause someone's death if you plunged them into and pulled them out of the right spots.

She'd spent a few weeks when she was eight learning just that; with blunted daggers of course. Andrew didn't show it to other people much, but he was pretty decent with knives. He'd taught her the basics, and then Maude improved and taught him how to be better.

"Perhaps you are better off in here." Maude finally replied. "A dagger can be just as effective at causing someone's death if you know how to move around the swords and axes... and lances."

  "Perhaps." Imania nodded. "Perhaps you could teach me. Daughter of a high lady- sister of a high lord, you seem to know what you're talking about."

  Maude did have access to countless books growing up, books that common people would never see or know of- and for that she'd been grateful. Imania could read, but not well- as she'd never needed to.

"I'm not a teacher." Maude stood and started to pace across the tent again. All around them, the sounds of metal clashing grew louder, closer. "Today marks my twelfth year alive."

  She'd never quite understood people who celebrated such days, like they deserved rewards for not dying. Her mother had made her sit through small feasts in her name a couple times, and even as a child she'd made the servants take the food home for their families after. Otherwise- perfectly good chickens, Brussels sprouts roasted with butter and garlic, potato and vegetable skewers, cakes and puddings and elderberry wine- would have gone to waste. Maude hated waste almost as much as she hated sitting and doing nothing.

  "I imagine this isn't how you thought you'd spend it." Imania said.

  Maude stopped, looking at her for only a moment. "You're right. It isn't."

  She bent down far enough to pick a sword from the pile of spares, knowing a battle wasn't the time to go back to her own tent to grab hers. This one would do well enough; The hilt was plain but the blade was Ashhand Iron, and sharpened with whetstone. It would do half of the work for her.

She gripped it tight and stalked towards the tent flap.

  "What are you-" Imania started, but before she could protest her mouth widened in shock.

  Maude touched the smaller giant's arm, no care in the world- and made eye contact as it turned. The thick Cralonese glass protecting it's eyes reminded her of just how dangerous the creatures were, so heart beat a bit faster then as she recalled the words. There was no guarantee that either would listen to her- They could ignore her as they did Renard when Nara tried tried to teach him the language- but she had to try.

  "Aoodeoq.... yqa tom." (Let me through)

  After a moment of hesitation, both giants moved aside. Maude didn't stop to think of what it could mean.

"Where in the hells did you learn Eurati?" Imania frowned.

  "I found a book in the library back home." Maude shrugged. "Stolen from the temple during the Great War, I think. I taught myself when I was six."