The King's Knights

Chapter Ten: Blackguard

William was...

Exhausted already.

Walking beside him, Narcissa seemed to have no comment on the subject. The streets around them in this part of town were less well-maintained. Years of grime had built up and cleaning was not yet taking place.

They found Raka outside of the Temple of Elranor, sitting on the steps. There, the High King had made her base of operations. Or the one she was staying at the moment. She was sitting on a bench, crosslegged, and meditating with her eyes closed. A little ways off, William could see a red-haired woman of statuesque build. She was sharpening a long spear. Her clothes left almost nothing to the imagination. The imagination could hardly match it.

Was she a Zigildrazian like Narcissa? No, her features were Themousian, like Mother or Sophia and Casia. Though her skin was tanner, olive rather than white.

She seemed oddly familiar, but William could not place her. Either way, he had no time to consider it now, so he turned to his dwarf compatriot. "Raka?"

"One moment, I just finished making a report to the High King on the progress of medical training. I'm going to head out soon," said Raka.

"We may have occasion to travel together again if you wait," said William.

"Oh really?" asked Raka with a smile. "You sure you're not trying to escape the city?"

"Perhaps, but it is a task that must be done," said William, walking up the steps to find the temple empty. Practically, no one at all was in these halls of gilded marble. The guards were absent as well. "...Where is everyone?"

"The priests are all out healing," said Raka, adjusting her sword. "As for the temple guards, most of them were dismissed and have yet to be recalled. Now that Fayn has left with Korlac, only a few people are here.

"I'm told this place used to be a place of prayer. That must have been long ago; I haven't seen anyone come to the temple on matters of faith. I don't understand why Relma chose this place as her base of operations."

"Well, it does have an escape route," said Narcissa. "Where are the new recruits for the sewer operations?"

"Already sent out with Coalmarsh and the priests," said Raka. "It's a lot of nasty, unskilled work, and Relma has had to assign members of her personal forces to guard it. There needs to be more security around here.

"That's why I'm still here." She moved along to a hall toward the back of the temple and found a door. "Relma should be through this door; I'll stand guard."

William halted. "Is this not the private docks of the High Priest?"

"It is," said Raka. "Nobody has been using it of late, though. Relma is fishing out here."

"Fishing?" asked William.

"I think she finds it relaxing," said Raka. "I once spent time on a fishing ship when we were afraid of a rogue sea serpent. It stank to the clouds, and I never wanted to do it again. But I had to go on a few more patrols after that."

"Being willing to do inglorious work for little reward is the mark of a good soldier," noted William.

"In that, we agree," said Raka, opening the door. "In you go."

Relma was fishing, as it turned out. Arengeth was some ways off, writing at a desk while the High King sat without a crown. Her fishing line was in her hand, and Lightning Trail was across her knees.

"...I don't care how important this is," said Relma. "I'm going to catch a fish."

William waited politely as Narcissa halted a little behind him. Relma adjusted her fishing line and finally dropped it in disgust. "Alright, what is it, William?"