The Clutch of Sharys: Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter 29- Smacks in Sparring and Smak the Rat 

The seal dictated that dragons would take no more actions of violence against the humans but instead would watch from afar should the humans quarrel against one another.

Needing neither permission nor help, Bree had claimed the recently vacated study tower as her own and settled into life at the palace. The day after her arrival, Cara was unceremoniously dragged from her nest in the library tower, leaving behind a sleepy dragonling and a pile of warm blankets. 

"Wha," Cara managed, trying to figure out what was going on. "Yes, wuh, let's see how those weapons skills are coming along." Bree said, herding Cara towards the cleared area at the bottom of the library. "Doh wah." Cara garbled, sleepily making her way back towards her bed. A few steps in, her foot sank into something wet, cold, and thick, sliding down into the muck until she was ankle-deep in the floor. "Bree." Cara groaned, catching her balance and pulling her foot out. "Let me sleep." 

The puddle of darkness on the floor disappeared as her friend walked over and gently tugged on a red curl. "Sleep later. Practice now." The Countess ordered, wheeling her back towards the floor, and after a few more minutes of cajoling, Cara reluctantly stretched and pulling back her hair. "Catch." Bree called, tossing over a familiar shaft of wood that Cara caught with ease. 

"How'd you get my spear back?" She demanded, gripping the familiar weight in her palms.

"I asked. They're pretty eager to please me at the moment." Last night, Bree had told Petra that since there wasn't a choice here, she would help, but only because of her friend’s position, and she was not pleased with it. 

"At least the Princess will listen to you." Cara griped, laying the spear down and wrapping its head in the blanket she had drug down with her. 

"I'm sorry you're stuck in this." Bree said, offering a hand up, which Cara gratefully took. "If I thought you'd be safe, I'd just take you to Rodeholm and be done with the lot of them." Her lips formed a thin line as she added, “That we now have to look out for assassins on your tail is quite the dissuader.”

Tying one of her boot laces around the bottom of the spearhead, Cara finished blunting her weapon and jabbed it a few times in the air, grunting a noncommittal sound in reply. The added cloth made it more unwieldy and unbalanced, making her movements feel slow and resisted, but it would do for now. 

"They're not all bad." Cara said softly, heading to the middle of the ring.

“Oh, I would think not, given how red your face was after a certain someone bumped into you yesterday." Bree taunted, twirling her hammer over her wrist, swinging around the thick leather loop that was attached to the handle."I think I might take to calling you tomato girl from now on." She paused, tilting her head," Or perhaps cherry cheeks? Something fruit-inspired." 

"Hush, you." Cara said, readying her spear. "How about instead, you tell me why you and the new love are just surviving?" Without hesitation, Bree swung into Cara, momentarily lit by the morning sun coming in through the massive window behind her.

The soft, straight dark hair that she kept tied back spread in a fan of motion as she turned, raising her hammer for a backhanded strike. Bree's face was arranged in a focused but wide smile as she struck, and Cara was forced to attempt a block, the force of the blow pushing her back as she used both hands on the shaft of her spear, the only barrier that stopped that hammer from swinging through. 

Cara exhaled, looking up at Bree. "You're pulling your punches." She said, voice slightly breathy from resisting the force Bree was pushing against their weapons.

"You're avoiding the subject." Bree shot back, dripping a hand and poking Cara in the stomach. "Also, yes, not breaking your arm is an attractive motivation to hold back. Wish they had quarterstaffs here." She was forced to lower her grip on her hammer so she could block the end of the spear that Cara jerked upwards. This gave Cara just enough resistance to push away from the clash, disengaging their weapons and skipping a few steps backward. 

"About Cheska. She seems… pleasant." Bree said, placing her hammer on the ground. "No." Cara replied, dropping the head of her spear down but still keeping the shaft tucked behind her back. "I'm not… Cheska is pleasant, but what you're implying is out of the question." 

Bree watched her speak, expression neutral. "Not much progress on that front then?" She asked Cara, her voice soft. 

"A little. I haven't had the time to sort through things yet."

"You do know it doesn't have to be a one or the other sort of situation, right? Your heart isn't con-" 

Cara shook her head violently, "You've said this before." She said, voice low. "And I'll admit you have points. But I'm a mess, Bree. Even before all of this, I was barely getting through a day and still end up functioning. After Toby…" Cara's throat clenched, and her mouth slammed shut, eyes and nose tingling as tears threatened to gather. Without another word, Bree crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Cara, hugging her tight. 

"That wasn't your fault. That wasn't anyone's fault." Bree whispered into her hair, giving her a squeeze. Cara wanted to say that she knew; she’d told herself that a thousand times, but she couldn't deny that she could have done more, done something. It wasn't blame for the death; it was a raging frustration with her own inaction. 

The words rushed out of her as she spoke, her voice muffled by Bree’s hug. “I've been infatuated with men, but I've also fallen for women, and I don't see a difference between the two when I look at them. It's always been something about their minds that drew me in, and I just... I don't know between the two, and the more I think about it, the harder it is to find a preference. It's just a mess, and honestly, when my life is on the line in this great moldering, dung-filled rotten dragon's gash of a succession situation Petra forced me into, I just can't spend my time pining over emotions. I'm fine being on my own right now. My company is more than enough to keep me happy. Plus, I have a dragon. I'd like to see both of us live through the year without being assassinated, eaten, or violently wiped from the face of the earth before we can even fly together." She stopped to take a breath, taking a small step back from her friend’s comforting embrace. 

"I'm not ready, so I'm not looking. There's just... a lot that needs to happen, and I can't be focusing on emotions like that right now." 

Bree gently smiled, placing a hand on Cara's head and ruffling her hair. "You'll grow up to understand that there's more to love than just emotion, miss cherry cheeks." 

"Well, tell me what it is then." Cara said, pushing her hand away and trying to re-tame her curls. 

"Many things to many people." Bree said, her voice somewhat far away. "Companionship, understanding, support. Everything you love about a best friend wrapped into an opaque wrapper of a person's true self. There's a pleasure and a change, a desire to be near and see someone other than yourself content and fulfilled, and before you notice it, you're putting them and their needs before your own, and you’re happy to do so." 

Bree placed two fingers under Cara's chin, tilting it up to face her, expression serious. "More importantly, for everything you put in and sacrifice, they do the same for you. It's an equal thing that both of you want and strive towards, but to have only one person dragging the load of the relationship is not what love is." 

Cara exhaled as Bree let her go, shaking her head and taking a step away. "That sounds genuinely wonderful." Cara said carefully, eyes on the ground. "But it's just not what I want right now. I don't want anyone other than me, and that's enough to survive." Bree shrugged, unbothered. "If that's what you need to do right now, then so be it. I'll be there supporting you either way." She lovingly threw an uppercut towards Cara's ribs, giving her barely a moment's notice to avoid the blow. 

Dropping low to the ground, Cara quickly jerked herself backward, stepping away from the strike. "Such a wonderful friend." She muttered, jabbing an elbow back at Bree's stomach. Cara mounted a small comeback after her blow successfully landed, but Bree's Ataran combat training specialized in close combat, and that quickly became apparent as their sparring continued. 

When Cara went for a blow at Bree’s throat, her fist connected with nothingness and went directly through a hazy shadow instead. She heard a small -pop- behind her and dove forward, avoiding the kick that Bree was now aiming at her head from behind. Instead of safely falling to the floor, Cara found herself seized and flipped over the seemingly missed kick, a knee shoved into her stomach. Two hands clutched the back of her jacket and kindly reintroduced her back to the floor. 

"What's all the fuss in here?" Cheska's husky voice asked, and  Cara heard the door click shut as the monk came in, "Are you fighting without me?" Her voice sounded hurt. 

"I didn't know you wanted to spar." Bree said, sounding mildly apologetic. Unable to respond, Cara slowly felt her body mend, breath becoming free once more. 

“Always.”

Cara resolved to lie on the floor while she caught her breath, letting Cheska explain her Farcan martial journey to Bree while she looked up at the roof, large globular lanterns still glowing. Next to Cara's head, a small thud sounded, and a draconian snout made its way into Cara's line of view, nudging her nose with its own. "I'm not dead." Cara grumbled, sitting up and stroking the dragon gently. 

"Not yet, anyway." Bree said, walking over to Cara as she stood up. "So the first question is, why didn't you fight back?" 

"You broke my ribs, you gashwad." Cara replied, examining the extremely painful spot on her side. 

"They're just bruised. Give it an hour or two, and you'll be fine," Bree said, waving a hand. 

"You're the worst." 

"Love you too." Bree shot back, threatening to poke at Cara's side. "Why didn't you use your power? Petra mentioned it was a unique light interpretation." 

Cara shook her head. "I need other people for it to work. On my own, I'm useless. I could function as a standing lamp in a corner or something if you want to read late at night, but in combat, I can't do much at all." 

Bree pursed her lips thoughtfully; eyes slid towards the window in thought. ”I doubt the Aspas girl would've gone to the trouble of abducting you if it was nothing." She said, turning back after a moment’s consideration. "Let's just hope that she wins so you can go about your life and not be doomed to execution for backing the losing side."

Cara shrugged. 

“Do you trust her?" The Countess asked abruptly, jerking her head in Cheska’s direction. The monk looked over, eyebrows raised at the bluntness of the question. 

"We're hardly plunging the depths of each other's minds, but would I believe her to be trustworthy? Yes." Cara said frankly. 

"Good." Bree snapped her fingers, and the shadow-filled rat from before ran out from the folds of her clothes, shadow streaking behind it like wisps of cotton clinging weakly to a snagging nail. "For better or worse, we need to do what we can to see Petra succeed, which puts you at a disadvantage due to your dragon's age." She gestured towards the short creature climbing up the bookshelves against the back wall. 

"That being said, we can still contact people to see if there's another way out of this." Bree reached up, tapping the top of the rat's head. "Smak here can take a message anywhere you need it to go, given enough time and enough of my power each morning." 

Nearby, Cheska clicked her tongue in interest, taking a step closer to the creature on Bree's shoulder. "I've always wanted to learn the Ataran methods of breeding creatures with their magic." She said, leaning closer to look at the rat. 

A metal clicking sound came from the door as its handle turned, admitting Petra and Ahnn into the Library tower. "What a fascinating talent!" The Princess remarked, stepping towards them. "Ahnn heard all about it on the way in, and I must say that could be useful." Bree glanced at Cara, a small light of understanding in her eyes before she addressed Petra.

"Good morning, Your Highness." Bree said, almond eyes narrowing slightly as she spoke. "Did you happen to come to share your plan for all of this with us?" Ahnn glanced over at her mistress before shutting the door behind them and taking a step forward to be perfectly at her side, but one step behind her. Petra slowly glanced across the three faces in front of her before lightly exhaling and giving a small shrug. "It's about time someone asked." The Princess said, looking at the door. 

“I have asked!” Cara shot out, indignant.

"It'll be easier to explain if we go to my rooms. That’s where most of the maps are at." Petra said, ignoring the protest. At those words, Ahnn walked back over to the door she had just closed and undid her work, holding it open so that Petra could leave, followed by the rest of those assembled. 

Once they had climbed the winding crystal encased stairs to the third floor of the tower, Cara and the rest of the group followed Petra through a pair of white birch doors. They were beautifully fashioned into a map of Netis, with bumps and whorls in the wood whittled down to represent different elevations in the landscape. Within the doors was a large, white receiving chamber, dotted through with vibrantly green furniture, most of which was covered in papers and scrolls, haphazardly piled into distinct areas. Atop the table intended for tea were several large maps with notes and courses plotted across their surfaces, gem markers weighing down several corners.

"When looking at those with the best success for winning the crown." Petra began pulling out a piece of paper with three columns of names neatly listed. "We've broken it up like this so far. There are few people that can stand against King rank dragons, and I'm one of two in the contention." A tint of pride leaked through Petra's voice. "There will be some violence, but I'm sure that my siblings will eventually capitulate to my claim being the strongest." 

"So will the siblings of the other King dragon." Cheska tossed out, looking up. "So who's the third column and that bit at the bottom?" The monk flicked a finger towards the piece of paper. Leaning forward, Cara could see that there was indeed a scrawled note at the bottom of the report, listing only one underlined name beneath it. 

For merely a hint of a second, Cara saw Petra's lips flatten with displeasure before she opened her mouth to speak. ”The note would be my older half-brother Adoni, a Church Zealot. He’ll be annoying to deal with, but no one actually expects him to win anything. The Church will support his claim, and I’ll crush them on my way to victory." 

"The other problem, however, would be Irena." The princess said, looking down in displeasure at the third column on the paper. "It would seem." Ahnn's flat voice cut in, "That some kind of deal has been cut for the Kastae heirs to surrender to Irena." 

Cara exhaled, shaking her head. "Why even do this? Isn't the succession just a Garner at this point?" The look in Petra's eyes told her she was wrong about something, but Cara was unsure of what. "There are... benefits besides violence to forcing the format to a game." The princess said carefully, lightly trailing her fingertips atop the table as she glanced over at Ahnn meaningfully. 

Taking a moment to think, something Petra had said earlier stood out in Cara's mind. "What makes you think other nations wouldn't get involved?" The Princess had asked her, and Cara now looked up at Petra, the question flying off her lips. 

"What are the rules on supporting forces for the succession matches?" Cara asked. 

"You fight with those individually pledged to you, any opponents who have ceded their claim to yours and…." Petra glanced over at Ahnn. "Any outside support you can muster within the year." 

"Why don't we just storm Cebrene now, then?" Bree asked, looking between them. "Give me the name of your contact within Kitisal, and we can summon their forces and end this." Cheska shifted slightly where she stood, placing a hand down on the table and tapping the southern continent shown on the world map. 

"If Kitisal rallies for Petra, then Farca will send support for the Kalatis boy." The monk said. 

Petra's pale eyebrows shot up as she nodded her agreement. "I'd love to know how you know that, but yes. The Lady Kalatis is the sister of a Nomarcha, and their bloodline is rich in Farcan nobility if you trace it back." Petra clicked her tongue, looking down at the paper below her. "Lady Manlis has spent every summer touring Ataran court since she was a child, so the only logical move to give us an advantage would be Cetna." 

Moving her slim hand up to the top of the map, Petra tapped the large northern expanse of the Central continent. Flat, enormous cliffs covered the topography, with deep cracks and crags carving canyons into the ground. 

"My mother knows Baron Veshmi." Bree remarked, taking a step closer.

"She and the Baron's spouse were close friends at the Royal Academy of Excellence as children." The prestigious Academy had a reputation outside Ataran of being a nightmare to attend, but none had denied that the children who graduated its halls went on to find success.

"While possibly useful in the future," Petra remarked, waving Ahnn over.

"We've received intelligence that Irene burned Baron Parson in a recent negotiation for trade rights, so she's putting out word looking to back anyone but the Manlis heirs." 

Bree let out a small laugh, shaking her head from side to side as she did. "The same Baron whose home Lady Manlis visits each year? I think not." Whisking away from the table, Bree strode over to the door and opened it. 

"Where are you going?" Cara asked, rising to join her.

"I need to go write to my mother. If the alternative is that or flying into a trap, I'll spend the energy getting us a connection in Cetna that's safe." Without further ado, the Countess marched out, leaving the door open behind her and her hammer still on the table.