Token of Loyalty

Chapter Fourteen

Sindri awoke to the smell of crisp meat wafting through the air. He inhaled deeply, pulling himself from a dead sleep. He stumbled about for a moment, reaching for the clothes he wore the day prior.

Then Sindri took a deep breath. The worries for Taryn clouded his judgment like no other. Kamaria had had little responses from Taryn, and Sindri knew why. The birds Kamaria used were weak, malnourished even, but it wasn't her fault. Aelfgar had stripped the peoples' lands of everything. Aelfgar had done the same to everyone in the East, except the West and the North. Sindri's dream was to build a wall between the East and West, to forever block Aelfgar out of Othmar and the freelands.

"Someone is groggy this afternoon."

Sindri hummed before he blinked, recognizing the familiar face. "You're Hasana, correct?"

"Everyone was awake at six in the morning," she replied. "It seems you sleep straight through the drums."

"I'm greatly accustomed to the sound." Sindri chuckled, then sighed. "I'm off kilter since I had been left here, but I'm recovering. I appreciate the hospitality you've given me thus far."

"Well, it's at Queen Kamaria's demand," Hasana stated before she waved Sindri ahead. "There's food outside. It's a pork stew. There's enough to feed the whole assassin army and more."

Sindri nodded his appreciation. He passed through the open wooden door of the massive hut and into the afternoon breeze. The cold air felt like nothing to him, hardly invoking a shiver. He glanced to the sky, noting the thick, gray clouds overhead. There would be blizzards in the North this time of year. The winter spared its worst from the East due to the coast nearby, yet he knew the Eirsion ocean was roaring with tumultuous waves. Sindri wasn't a sailor, but Hrafn had told him sixteen years ago that it had been a battle for him to cross the Eirsion.

"Sindri, good afternoon!"

Hearing his name to his right, he beamed. "Kayin!"

Kayin grabbed the hand of her wife, Eniola, and rushed over. "We've been up since dawn hunting with Lanre, wherever he went."

"Lanre isn't one for talking," Eniola stated, when she and her wife arrived in front of Sindri. "His background is... difficult. We don't speak of it since he swore us to secrecy. If you ever befriend him, maybe he'll share, but I doubt it."

"Why?" Sindri asked, crossing his arms over his burly chest.

Kayin and Eniola shared a solemn glance before they sighed. Eniola quieted and twirled a lock of her thick hair between her fingers. Kayin diverted her attention to the pot of stew behind Sindri, then smiled.

"How about you eat up?" She walked over to the stew, then pointed to the iron ladle and then a few pewter dishes beside it. "You wouldn't want to waste the meal that we hunted."

"Never in a million years," Sindri replied. Sindri trudged across to the stew pot, then scooped himself a heaping spoon full of the pork, potatoes, and carrots. "Thank you for the meal and hospitality."

"You're a friend of our tribe, Sindri." Eniola came to her wife's side then grasped Kayin's hand. "So long as peace and prosperity continue to come to our lands, we will welcome you."

Sindri watched the two somberly, remembering the days when Hrafn had held his hand like so. It was unfortunate that the two had split ways. For the most part, Sindri had come to terms with their parting over the last two months. His newest venture was to align himself with Queen Kamaria and demolish Aelfgar's reign forever. Hrafn had killed Hyacinth already, which meant there was one more threat remaining, or so he thought.

Sindri bit into the hearty meal then chewed through the chunks of food and swallowed. "Do you know anything about the communication between Taryn and Trigion?

Suddenly, Hasana barged out of the main hut. She ground her teeth, staring firmly at Kayin and Eniola. The two bowed their heads before they meandered off hand in hand. Hasana turned her gaze onto Sindri. She glared and sized him from head to toe. Sindri was six feet and five inches, muscular and heavyset, while Hasana was six feet, lean, and toned. If either had to fight, it would be to the death.

"You shouldn't be asking that question outside nor outloud," she ordered. "Those are Queen Kamaria's direct orders. Silence, Sindri."

Sindri's jaw clenched. Orders were something he was used to giving, not taking. "I would rather speak to Kamaria herself than be spoken to by her second in command."

"You know chains of command, but you're no longer a king and therefore have no control or authority here." Hasana stepped towards him, coming in peace. Her hands remained at her sides, her back straight, and her head held high. "I speak for the Queen as her second in command. The Queen, herself, is our commander and queen. You know as well as I do what that means, Sindri Bloodrock."

It was as if Sindri had been punched in the gut all over again. The world spun before he took a seat on the grass, bowl steady in his hand. Who had named him Sindri Bloodrock? His birth name was Sindri Halvard. Sindri for sparkle, Halvard for rock-guardian. He was born to be the protector of the mountains of Folki, the home of the Tarynians. The mere idea that someone had renamed him to Bloodrock was a spit in his face and the face of his ancestors.

"Who named me that?" He spat in Ikshan, spittle hitting Hasana's face. "I won't stand for the name of my ancestors to be dragged through the bloodshed of the past!"

Hasana grimaced and wiped the spit from her face. "Take it up with someone who cares, Sindri. Oh wait, you can't because you nearly killed everyone in your own damned kingdom!"

Sindri snarled before he put his stew aside. He rose from the grass, hiding his own pain. His back seized, then he bit his teeth together hard. Tarynians rose from the forests of Folki, driven to arms by the madness of their former king Sindri. He saw now why he had been dethroned. He would've destroyed them, yet here he was wrecking another kingdom.

"I apologize for my angeried outburst," Sindri replied, returning to Ashkamer. He bowed his head, honoring the wishes of the Commander and Queen Kamaria and the Second-in-Command Hasana Oyinlola. He cleared his throat, then rushed out a sentence in Ikshan, "Please alert me when something arrives from Hrafn."

Hasana shook her head. "I can't guarantee that."

Sindri nodded in defeat, then turned about face. It became crystal clear to him that everyone had overheard the shouting. The faces of the tribesmen grew worrisome, many of the women rushed their children inside while some of the men and women glared towards Sindri.

They witnessed Sindri as a threat that day rather than the peace bringer he was trying to be.

A/N: Sindri's POV will continue to be short for awhile since the main plot is in Taryn right now, expect longer chapters when I'm writing in Calanthe and Hrafn's POVs.