A Soldier's Life - Book 5 Castile's Epilogue (1 of 2)

Chapter: Book 5 Epilogue (1 of 2)

Castile looked over the young mage on the bed. She was probably attractive under the gag and all the grime. She sighed as she pulled the short knife hidden on her hip and cut the cordage and leather straps binding her ankles but leaving the hands tied. Eryk had really gone overboard with securing her and didn’t want to waste time on unraveling the knots.

She wondered what he meant when he said he was rough with her but doubted he had abused the woman. It wasn’t in his nature, but then again, she had been wrong about many men in her lifetime. He also couldn’t escape fast enough from the room after depositing her—so maybe there was some guilt there. It was still unfathomable to her that he could store people with his dimensional spell form. She guessed she was even now underestimating his size.

Next, she checked the bandage wrapped on her thigh. The bandage was still wet with blood and hadn’t clotted completely. The mage poison must be something new for the Hounds as she had never heard of it, or perhaps it was a secret. She cleaned and put on a fresh dressing. Eryk said healing potions would be less effective until the poison cleared her body so maybe after she awakened.

She left the gag on for now and moved to the writing desk with Selena’s pack. She started emptying it and laying out its contents. The woman had certainly taken a small fortune: stacks of gold and silver and two modest piles of jewelry. She searched the jewelry but didn’t find anything that excited her aetheric probes.

Returning to the bed, she pulled away the gag. Eryk could have used something a little less soiled. As she cleaned the woman’s face from the water pitcher in the room, some familiarity struck her. Maybe she had seen a younger version of Selene as a mage commander. Then again, the First Citizens were all related in one way or another, so she could be confusing her with someone else.

A knock came at the door, and she found Lirkin standing there. On seeing the bound woman, he looked over at the bed questionly. Distracted, he asked, “I wanted to see if you wanted something to eat. I will need to go to the market.” By his expression, he clearly wanted to know who the woman was, and his eyes bulged at the fortune on the writing desk.

“Yes. Prepare something for the three of us.” Castile ignored giving him details as she didn’t have them all herself. “How has the hiring been going?”

Lirkin snapped his attention back to Castile. The two servers who had worked the inn and cleaned the rooms had left when the establishment had been sold so he was seeking replacements. He was seeking probably four servers/maids and one barkeep. Lirkin planned to do all the cooking himself. Lirkin found his voice, “I interviewed a dozen this morning. I'm glad Mateo and Benito had already left; some were quite comely, and they would have scared them off. I talked to the wood carver as well for the new sign.”

“Oh, have you decided on a name then?” Castile said, still ignoring the identity of the bound woman.

“Yes, Adrian’s Rest.” Lirkin said.

“Fitting,” Castile replied, smiling, her throat getting tight. Castile finally indicated the woman. “She should be up in a few hours. Perhaps while you are out you can get some simple clothes for our guest. You can use some of her coin. And draw her a bath when you have time, I need to keep an eye on her.”

Lirkin nodded obediently, took two golds from the desk, and left. His mentality was still stuck in not questioning his mage commander. That would change with time if she stayed with him. He was a good man, and maybe they might become intimate in time. She still wanted a family, and maybe when she truly felt safe, she would seek his bed if she didn’t find another.

Selene had light auburn hair and a soft, oval face. Castile checked her eyes to make sure she was not faking being asleep, a lovely soft green. She wished she had been blessed with such looks. Castile closed her eyes and sent out her all seeing eye, a habit she had in the legion. The aether burn had not lessened with the lessons from Elaro but she could see their effectiveness would come with practice.

She searched the building and the stables, finding nothing but the old innkeepers packing a wagon in the small courtyard out back. Another three days, and they should have all their things moved. Castile searched Selene with her hands for weapons but guessed Eryk already had. She did find a thin knife strapped to her inner thigh and smirked, imagining if Eryk had found it. It at least proved he had not abused her in that way. She also found another secreted pouch with twenty more gold coins and added them to the desk.

She thought about stripping the mage as she had pissed her undergarments but decided to let her wake on her own first. Many hours later, the Selene Greko stirred. Castile waited until she opened her eyes groggily and started to panic. “Calm yourself, Selene,” Castile soothed. “You are safe and in the company of friends. I will free your wrists once you are fully awake.”

Selene’s mouth was dry and hoarse as she tried to speak, so Castile gave her water so she could speak. Her voice was uncertain as she recalled events. “Where am I?”

“Gramney in the Grand Duchy of Manch. It is the capital.” Castile said levelly and gave her more water.

“How did I get here?” Selene asked as she regained more alertness.

Castile couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “A mutual friend smuggled you out of the Empire. Don’t worry, according to him, they are certain you are dead.” Selene tried to sit up, and Castile helped her. Her eyes focused on her wealth on the table. Castile put her at ease, “It is all yours. Lirkin took some coins to get you some fresh clothes and food. But I have not touched a thing. If anything is missing, it is because he gave it to your legionnaires.”

Confusion and realization played across her face, “Helena and Sylvia live? Are they here as well?” Hope was in her voice.

“I don’t know if they still live. Your abductor left them alive, though.” Castile replied. “I am Mage Castile Duval, ex-mage commander of the Empire.”

Selene eyes focused on Castile. She was still fighting the oblivion pills effect, it looked like. “Ex-mage commander?”

Castile didn’t know how to break the news softly, so they just said it. “The Emperor is dead. Rumor is Duke Octavian is maneuvering for the throne and is close to seizing it.”

“Good! He killed my parents!” Selene said angrily, and the veins in her neck bulged.

Castile observed her flaring anger for a moment before talking, “The Emperor was too addled to order the death of your parents. According to the man who rescued you, it was Centurion Sergius of the Western Hounds and Duke Octavian who plotted to gain your family's mines.”

Castile studied her reaction for a long time as she processed the news. Confusion, disbelief, and then anger passed through the woman’s face. “I knew Duke Octavian was involved but I thought it was at the direction of the Emperor. He was angry with my father after rejecting his son’s marriage proposal.”

Seeing she had gained an understanding of the situation, Castile cut the bonds on her wrists. “What do you plan to do now? You are far from the Empire, and Empire is being squeezed from all sides.”

In a deep, serious voice, Selene responded, “Whatever I can to make Octavian suffer the fate of my parents.”

“We are of the same mind then. It is best if we bide our time in secret and listen for news from the Empire. Acting prematurely will reveal our presence to Octavian. The Empire may collapse on its own; from what little I have heard, there is a goblin army in the south, Caliphate orcs in the west, and the Esenhem elves in the east.” Castile said, smiling.

Castile didn’t know why she couldn’t let it be. She could live in peaceful obscurity in the Grand Duchy, but she had too many debts to repay. Most of her legionnaires had died needlessly for the whims of the First Citizens. She needed time to recover herself, but it felt good to be one on the offensive instead of constantly on the defensive.

Lirkin’s foot steps sounded and he knocked, “A bath is poured, and food will be ready in an hour. Clean, used clothes are in the bath.”

“Thank you,” Castile said in a dismissive tone. Lirkin walked away. She turned to Selene, “Now, Selene, it will take time to build some trust, but you must not tell anyone how you arrived in Gramney…” The impressionable young mage could be molded into an asset and ally…

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