Secrets

Another week went by and I fell sick. I could barely get out of bed, let alone have a rematch against Nick. He had visited me once already, but I pretended to be asleep. The medicine woman, Kwin, took good care of me. Kwin had thick white hair and pale blue eyes. She treated me like a daughter. It was a feeling I had never really known.

Right now, I could hear Kwin and Nick talking. He was demanding to see me.

“No. She needs rest,” Kwin said simply.

“I need to talk to her,” he replied.

“You can’t visit her anytime you want, no matter what has been said,” Kwin answered with a touch of amusement.

“She doesn’t know yet, does she?” he asked, suddenly quiet.

“No. I will tell her soon. But since you do not need to have a conversation while she is resting, you may write down anything you need to say on paper and I’ll make sure she gets it,” Kwin promised then walked to my room.

“What were you talking about?” I asked in a rough voice.

“Nothing sweetheart,” Kwin said soothingly.

“But-” I started and was cut off by a hacking cough.

“Here, take this, you’ll feel better,” Kwin said, handing me a small glass with something red and sticky in it.

“What in Sanjua is that?” I asked, feeling the fight leave me.

“It is what’s going to make you feel better. Now drink it,” she ordered. I obeyed and drank the entire glass. It was sickly sweet and tasted of grapefruit. I slowly became dreamy and was soon asleep.

Crazy is what I do best

So, I know this all sounds crazy, but I'd really like to know what you guys think! Comments are open to everyone!

In the Eyes

Two weeks had passed since I had first come to the Kahule. I had to admit that I was starting to warm up to them. They had an air of caring about them. A young boy named Jesan delivered my food. He was only about six with soft golden hair and pretty blue eyes, and he tried to act like a warrior. I had come to like him. I told him stories when he came and he loved to listen to them. Jake had once come in and told me my story and said he’d heard it going around the village. I felt proud of myself.

I had been sentenced to a small cabin with all the necessities I’d need. Jesan delivered my food and I was actually happy, though I’d never let anyone know. Jake had visited me a few times. Once, he came with his younger brother who was about a year older than me. He had light fluffy hazelnut hair and soft chocolate eyes. He was handsome, I admitted grudgingly, even though he didn’t really look like Jake or David.

Nick had had an air around him too. But it wasn’t caring. It was more a ‘Ha ha, we caught you’ kind of air. I didn’t really like him as much as his brother and father. David had also visited. I had expected questioning, especially since I came from a military camp, but he had only wanted to know about me. What did I remember? Was I happy? Did I still want to go back? Etc. I had let him know that I still wanted to go home. Well, I wanted to go to the camp. I didn’t realize how far I had traveled on horseback. Miles. In the night, it seemed like only a few.

Then, Jesan wasn’t there one afternoon. Nick came in with my lunch meal.

“What do you want?” I asked impatiently.

“It’s more what you want. You know, food,” he answered, holding out the platter and rolling his eyes.

“Where’s Jesan? Scaring away six year olds now?” I asked sarcastically. Wow, I thought, I really have found another person with a knack for sarcasm.

“Maybe it was you who scared him off,” he retorted. “He was delivering you food.”

“Unlikely. Jesan was my little man. He wasn’t scared by me,” I answered.

“Keep telling yourself that,” he muttered as he set the tray down. “So, will you ever be more than another mouth to feed to the Kahule?” he asked.

“Well, if you let me go, I won’t make you feed me anymore,” I joked.

“Can you use a blade?” he asked.

“A bow. With a sword, I’d probably cut my own arm off before I hurt you,” I replied.

“Even if it meant you could go free?” he asked.

“I could probably beat you then,” I relented.

“Then do it.”

“What?”

“Fight me. If you win, I’ll let you go. I’ll even escort you to the border. But if I win, you have to stop complaining and work hard and become someone the Kahule can trust.”

“When have I complained?” I asked, pretending to look hurt.

“I think I can name a few times,” he mumbled.

“Why should I? I’m pretty comfortable here. I have no reason to fight you,” I replied.

“What have you to lose?”

“My life. Everything I was. Do you realize what you’re asking? I grow up, raised one way and now, with one sword fight, where I can barely wield a sword, you’re asking me to forget everything I knew about the old world and live with the rebels. Become a rebel! I have everything to lose!” I shouted. Now I was really worked up.

“Think about your way of life. People suffer in their own country. The king wages war, not caring about the lives of the soldiers as long as they listen to him. He cares nothing for his people, only that they’re under his rule and doing what he says. Villages are suffering, people are suffering! We’re not rebels. We’re revolutionaries,” Nick answered.

“So, you’re saying I should forget about the people that raised me, when I was given up by my real parents and just let it all hang loose? Well, let’s fight,” I answered.

“Alex, wait, your parents-” I cut him off.

“No, you wait. We fight right now or was everything you just said nothing?” I asked venomously.

“Alex, I need to talk-”

“I promise, you can talk to me after we fight. Then, you can lead me to the border. Now, get me a sword!” I demanded.

Looking like he was almost as angry as I was, he left the room to find swords. I thought about everything he had said. Why should I drop a way of life because some obnoxious boy pointed out some flaws?, I thought.

“Stupid kid,” I muttered. Just then, Nick walked in with two swords. He threw one to me. I caught it, fumbling for a second. I then walked out of the door and to the slight clearing behind my cabin. There supposedly was another clearing very close to this one that they used to practice sword play, cavalry charges, and what not. I hadn’t been there yet. Really, I’d only been in David’s longhouse and my cabin.

I unsheathed my blade and swung it with force, almost taking a knick out my own leg. It was heavy.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” Nick said hesitantly, watching me with my sword.

“Are you afraid that a girl like me, who has never been allowed to barely touch a sword, will beat you?” I asked mockingly.

“No, I’m afraid that girl will take a piece of herself instead of me. This is a bad idea. We can’t,” he said resolutely.

“Then I’m leaving right now. Through the woods. I’ll find a way out of here. You can’t stop me,” I answered.

“Over my dead body,” he replied.

“No, with your beaten body. You’re escorting me to the border aren’t you?” I asked.

“Only if you win,” he replied savagely. I had ticked him off. And a ticked off Nick with a sword is not something you wanted. You didn’t really want an Alex like that either, but no such luck for either of us.

“Let’s fight,” I said and dived at him. I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t know how to use a sword. I mostly hacked. But, I moved my feet and did the best I could to stop his blade. I held him back for two minutes before he managed to get the blade at my throat.

“There,” he said, panting slightly. “And, don’t lie. You may have not had much, but you had training.”

“With a sword? Women aren’t even allowed to own one, let alone use one. Like my father ever would have let me near the training grounds. He hated me because of my love for adventure and swordplay,” I snarled. My eyes widened as I realized how much I had said. I looked at him and patted his sword away and thrust mine up at his throat. “You ever tell anyone I said that, and, training or no, I’ll cut you to ribbons!” I growled.

“So, you’re just a natural with skill,” he said, ignoring my comment and knocking my sword away.

“I have skill. Or you don’t. But remember, I almost beat you without anything but my own knowledge of swordplay. Just remember that,” I said, my chocolate brown eyes blazing.

“You have skill; just you’ve never had to use it before. You’re a natural, even though you never even picked up a sword. Your father was the same way. Anything he touched, he was instantly good at,” Nick said.

“I don’t care what that man was. He isn’t my father. The ones that I know about have either left me at someone’s doorstep or lied to me for sixteen years. So, I don’t have a father. Goodbye,” I started to walk away.

“I thought you said I could talk to you?” he said. “Don’t tell me you’re a liar.”

“You can talk, I just won’t listen. Maybe next time you bring me food. Or is the captor supposed to decide that?” I asked obnoxiously.

“I wouldn’t know,” he answered, his own eyes ablaze with an amber glow. He turned and walked back towards the other huts. He didn’t even lock the door. He didn’t even watch me go in. I realized I could leave, right now. No one would ever know. Nick would probably even take the heat for it. But, something held me back. I couldn’t leave, not yet. There was something important Nick hadn’t told me. I could see it in his eyes.

Welcome?

With Jake pointing the way, I walked into the biggest longhouse, which was only a little bigger than my father’s tent. I felt slightly intimidated, but refused to show any emotion on my face.

Inside were a few people. Some of them seemed to be my age. One was looking at me intently. He had brown hair and green eyes. I grudgingly noticed that he was handsome. I felt that just being good looking was a battle won for them.

I continued forward and was sat down in front of a man.

“Found her in the forest,” Jake said to the man. “General’s daughter.”

He was sitting in an ornately carved chair, smiling at me. He had dark brown hair with a bit of stubble on his chin. He had a sword on his belt, with a long coat covering the faded silver designs on the sheath. His eyes were hazelnut and friendly. I looked up at Jake and saw the resemblance. The same eyes, same nose, and same curly hair.

“Oh, and you say I look like my parent,” I muttered at Jake as he leaned down and untied my hands.

“Perceptive, young one. So, what are you doing way out in the forest?” the man asked politely

“Well, I heard it was just so lovely looking this time of year,” I answered, and then snapped, “What do you think? I was hunting!”

“Fiery young one. How old are you?” he asked, seeming unperturbed by my sarcasm.

“Sixteen. Why’s it matter?”

“What’s your name?”

“What’s yours?” I shot back.

“David Canelson. Now will answer my question?”

“Alex Kline, Alex Gorday, and Alex, daughter of Carmen are all the choices you have for you today,” I said pleasantly and then rolled my eyes at Jake. He seemed to be in his early thirties, which meant David was somewhere near fifty, but he looked closer to thirty. If it weren’t for the streaks of gray around the temple, I would have thought he was Jake’s brother.

“Jake, you never could keep your mouth shut, could you?” David sighed. Jake grinned guiltily at me. I scowled at him, but I knew it wasn’t real. I liked Jake. He was funny and charming. He was like an older brother. Only he was my captor.

“So, how much has he told you about your real parents?” David asked, sighing resignedly.

“Pretty much zero,” I answered. “All I know is that I look a heck lot like her and her name was Carmen. Other than that, I have no idea.”

“Do you want to go back to the Kline’s?” he asked, startling me.

“Um, I don’t know. I guess, a little. They did raise me after the real ones ditched me,” I answered uncertainly.

“Jake,” he turned on his son. “Did you blindfold her on her way here?”

Jake opened his mouth then shut it.

“Cardinal rule,” I whispered. “Never let the captive see how to get back.” He looked at me, glaring, but he was smiling all the same.

“Well, Alex, I believe this means you are stuck with us. Welcome to the Kahule.”

Uncle Jake

I didn’t understand it at first. I was stunned. The fact that everything had backfired and I was caught and my parents would be and probably already were furious had temporarily shut my brain down. Now, it woke with a jumpstart. I still had my bow and my hands free, even though my feet were no longer visible. It was quick sand into which I was sinking and I knew it was possible to go under quick sand if a cave is there. I doubted the trip wire would have been put there otherwise.

I grabbed my knife and sliced off as much of my dress as I could without taking it all off and keeping a bit of my pride. I cut it into strips and tied them together. I grabbed the ribbons from my hair and tied them onto an arrow, then laced them through my top strip. My waist was just going under.

Aiming at a tree branch, just a little ways away, I fired. It was an awkward shot because of my position, but it landed with a thunk in the tree anyways. I slowly pulled myself out of the sand. It took a while and my arms hurt, but finally, I lay on solid grass, breathing deeply.

“Ha,” a voice from the shadows said.

I jumped up, knowing how exposed I looked, how unladylike it was. My dress was cut to way over my knees. There were no arms. My hair was flying around my shoulders in a tangled mess. Still, I would fight. I lifted my bow, cocked an arrow and ordered, “Come out of there.”

Out of the woods came a man. He was taller than me, closer to 6’, while I was about 5’ 6”. He had honey brown hair and soft brown eyes. He seemed to be laughing.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“Jake is my name.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Same as you,” he answered with a shrug.

“What? You don’t seem to be hunting.”

“I am. Except, it isn’t animals I’m hunting,” he said with a Cheshire cat grin. He leaped and evaded my arrow. Before I had time to let another fly, his knife was at my neck.

“Look, I caught a prize one,” he joked with me. “Now, I’m going to ask the questions. Who are you?”

“Why should I tell you?” I snarled.

“Well, I have the knife,” he started sarcastically. With one hand, he grabbed my dress rope. Pulling out another knife, he cut off a few pieces of it. Tying it around my hands and feet, he set me down and put away one of the knives. “You know, you look familiar. Now talk.”

I took a deep breath and started. “My name’s Alexandra Kline.”

“Kline?” he asked surprised. “You mean the daughter of famous, evil Fason Kline?” he asked cheerfully

“The one and only,” I said, using the same bored tone Fason had used with me earlier.

“So, I have someone actually worth something,” he whistled with happiness.

“So, you’re a kidnapper?” I asked with venom.

“Nope, I’m with the Kahule. You know who they are, don’t you?” he asked with mock sincerity. Like anybody from Sanjua didn’t.

“If you don’t let me go, the entire house of Gorday will come down on you and so help me-” I started.

“Gorday. I thought you just said you’re name was Kline,” Jake said, reeling.

“It’s our real name. Fason’s military name is Kline, which his family took. But his ancestors are all Gordays. Why?” I asked suspiciously.

“You just made yourself even more important. Let’s go,” he said, motioning for me to stand up.

“Maybe if you untie my feet, dipstick,” I retorted, happy to be able to use my smart aleck-ness finally.

He looked at me affectionately.

“You are your mother,” he said, smiling.

“I believe I’m me and I am not at all like her,” I responded, shocked at his comment.

“I know you’re you. You don’t look that close to your mother to be mistaken for her up close. And, she could always make you feel like an idiot,” he answered.

“Three things here. One, my mom has blonde hair and blue eyes. Exact opposite from me. Two. My mother could make you feel like an idiot by belittling you, not sarcasm. If she even knows what it is, I’ll be surprised. And third. It isn’t that hard to make you look like an idiot,” I said.

“Three things to you missy. One, you’re not as smart as you think. Two, you really sound like an idiot here. And third. I’m not talking about Penelope Kline. I’m talking about your real mother.”

It took me a second for me to fully comprehend that one. And, by the time I did, Jake had undone my feet and tied that strip to my hands, using it like a leash. I stood up and walked in silence, adjusting my course at Jake’s demand. I just couldn’t figure it out.

Yes, my mother and father looked nothing like me. There skin was way lighter than mine. They were boring. They didn’t care extremely about me. They never had let me meet my only grandmother left. It made sense, but it meant that my entire life was a lie. And, if Jake knew about them, then they were rebels! Slowly, I got out of my trance.

“We sort of skipped the ‘Take me to your leader part, you know,” I said.

“It’s more of a hostage situation. I take you no matter what you want, doll face,” he answered with a grin.

“So, my parents. How do I know you’re not lying about them?” I asked.

“Well, let’s see. I was there when you were born. My best friend was your dad. That’s how I knew your mother’s face so well. Carmen was beautiful just like you,” Jake said.

“What am I supposed to call you then? Uncle Jake?” I asked snidely.

“Jake’s fine, doll,” he answered.

“You never proved that I really am related to you rebels and that Carmen was my mother or whatever you called her,” I retorted.

“Fine. The baby that Carmen had had a small dark birthmark on her stomach,” he said. I look thoughtfully at my belly, where I had a small dark birthmark. “There,” he said with a touch of amusement. I scrunched my nose up, thinking about it.

Dawn had finally appeared by the time we made it to his camp. It looked more permanent than my camp. It seemed cozier. It was mostly longhouses and small cabins set up inside a courtyard. It was only near half the size of my camp, but it seemed to have almost the same amount of people. It amazed me.

People were stepping out of their cabins or stopping in the middle of an early morning chore such as washing clothes, making food, etc. to stare at me. I felt like I was heading to an executioners block, not the leader’s cabin. I expected there to be a trial on my treason and either have me imprisoned or killed like at my camp. But, there was no trial.

Sinking

I was happy. Pearson had let me out as I had hoped and I had gotten away as fast as I could. On a horse, almost no one could catch me. I had learned to ride when I was five and taken to it like a fish in water. I let the cool night air blow my braided hair around. I had dressed in almost all black, finding the blackest and simplest dress I could, knowing riding would be hard, because I was going to find adventure. I was going to go into the deepest darkest part of the woods and hunt. I was forbidden there, so it meant something had to be there.  And who would stop me?  I reasoned. Nobody except Pearson even knew I had left at all.

The woods seemed to be cast in a blue glow as I passed through them, trotting as silently as I could. I slipped off my horse, deciding I’d have to go from foot here. The forest thickened with trees as I kept walking, obscuring anything more than two feet away.

I walked slowly and slightly nervously. But, as I kept walking, I grew more and more confident. I was good with a bow and arrow, which I had strapped to my back. I wanted something to attack. If I’m a good hunter, father will have to realize that I could serve, I decided. It put a determination in my step.

I hit the ground with force. At first I thought there must have been a root I had tripped over. As I looked back, I saw nothing. I felt where I had tripped. There was a small thin wire across the only real path. I realized with horror that I hadn’t been really quiet. Not only had I scared off any prey, I could have aroused the predators, such as the Kahule.

The Kahule were a rebel force that was rumored to be near this end of Sanjua. It was a classic rebel-dictator story. The king, Sester, was not the greatest king. He was a bit like my dad. If it didn’t concern military and conquering, it could wait. Sanjua had been waiting for five decades. It’s not surprising that a rebel group was created. They opposed Sester’s conquests and attacked his conquered country, mostly military encampments, but others as well. They were a thorn in his side, always stopping his greatest conquests. At the moment, Sester could go no farther. He had control over the whole continent. From ocean to ocean. There was no more. But, with mountains and giant forests, the Kahule were everywhere he couldn’t be.

At that moment, I realized who this had to be. In the deep of woods, where no one is supposed to venture because hardly anyone ever returns. I remembered the tales of people coming out of the forests and how the soldiers were banned from there. I had thought of it as a lot of suspicious mumbo jumbo. No, I realized that it wasn’t a joke.

And, I was sinking.

Pearson wrote this...

Alex personally knew the officer at the gate closest to the stable. He was one of her father’s “friends” called Pearson. He was older, but had raptor vision and could hear if a mouse tried to sneak in. But, he of course let her sneak out.

He admitted to himself he had soft spot for that girl. Her manner reminded him of his wife, who had died nearly seven years ago. He smiled as she galloped away, looking like a warrior of the night.