The Fifth Star - Chapter 11 (1/1) - A New Mindset

Rhin awoke in a state of disorientation, as he had each night he’d spent in the castle thus far; too many nights of sleeping in tents and unfamiliar barracks had trained his body to be immediately suspicious if he awoke in a place too comfortable. All his newfound status had not yet settled in, and he imagined it would be quite some time before it did, especially seeing as he was about to be on the road again already. A groan borne of the still-unanticipated stiffness of his scarred stomach escaped him as he sat upright, then reached to his bedside table for the ointments Healer Silda had given him. He began applying them, his eyes still blurred with sleep, glancing as he did so to the window for a glimpse at the weather outside. It was with a start he realized it was dark. Did I sleep… all day?

He didn’t remember going to bed, once he gave it a few moments’ thought. He easily recalled his meeting with Lord Harlemont and the Emperor that morning – still in disbelief that he could merit so much of Tibori’s assuredly precious time – but when it came to what followed it, his head felt groggy and slow. He thought back to the meeting itself, figuring the memories would return once he woke up a little more.

The meeting had been to debrief Rhin on his first official assignment, as atypical as it was – to track down Sparrow and Darius, and find some way to return them to the Empire. The pair of them had been surprisingly vague and unconcerned about the details. Rhin had been given no time frame to operate within, no location to take them, and no real plans for the how, the most difficult part of all. Oh, there would be plenty of resources available to him, and they’d covered those quite well, but it seemed the specifics were too unpredictable to plan for, and Rhin would be trusted to utilize those resources and his judgment to formulate one on the fly. For someone far more accustomed to following direct military orders than thinking for himself, it set him on edge. Everything had changed in his life so quickly.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and made to stand, but as he did so, a small weight strung about his neck swayed with his motion, making itself known. Rhin cupped the item in his hand and brought it closer to his face to inspect. It was a silver medallion, simple in design with only an engraving in some foreign language upon the smooth surface, secured to his body with a matching chain. He remembered now, upon seeing it, Tibori fastening it to his neck; what was it the Emperor had said about it again? His mind was working quicker now that he was wakening further, and he recalled the statement the giant man had uttered as he’d done so: “This pendant is irreplaceable. Lose it, and you will lose your head as well. Do you understand me?” After Rhin had gulped nervously and nodded, turning about to face his ruler, Tibori had continued, “When you have found some way to bring them to me, and the wheels have been set in motion to do so… Only then – find a place, quite alone, and recite this with this in your hand…”

Rhin certainly wished to keep his head exactly where it was; he clutched the medallion protectively until he had dressed himself, then tucked it beneath his shirt to keep it concealed, putting it out of his mind. He noted a wooden serving tray, left upon his table, adorned with not one but two entire meals that he had evidently missed whilst he’d slept. I wish the damned servants would have woken me instead, he grumbled inwardly, but he let it go easily as he’d left no instructions to do so. The roasted fowl looked fresher than the long-congealed soup, so he sat and tore into the meat without complaint – he’d eaten much, much worse.

He still didn’t remember getting into bed – he must have been utterly exhausted to have slept away his last daylight hours in Lothan. The expectation was that he would leave at dawn, and he would not disappoint on his first assignment, regardless of how much he wished to see the city a final time at its bustling afternoon peak. Though Lothan was a far different beast at night, Rhin was not fearful of it, and he made the decision to roam the streets now before the opportunity was lost to him.

Rhin stood when he had eaten and eased his window open to test the air. Finding it quite chilled, he added a thick woolen cloak to his chosen ensemble before heading out his chamber door. No guard stood outside it this time, but he no longer required assistance with navigating the castle anyway. He was outdoors a few short minutes later, breathing deep of the fresh air as one of the guards at the main door acknowledged him with a silent nod.

Walking, Rhin had found, was a therapeutic activity for him, a perfect way to clear one’s head or work on a bothersome problem. Maybe, he figured, that was due to all the marching he’d done in the army. It seemed his head had other intentions this night, as while he was more readily able to focus, he found himself suddenly filled with trepidation rather than the calm he had anticipated.

Will I ever return here? He certainly hoped that would be so, for if the answer was no it would mean he had failed in his duty, or he was dead. That end felt terrifyingly likely – he and Sparrow had not parted on the best of terms, and this entire plan hinged on their personal history. Will she be able to hold Darius back when we meet? Will she even try? Even if he found them, even if he survived their initial encounter, how was he possibly going to bring them to justice?

His morals warred with each other. Sparrow had sent him away at the height of their affections, and Rhin had never truly forgiven her for that. Now she had selfishly run from her obligation to be trained. He kicked the dirt angrily; she deserved punishment, one part of him insisted, but a less bitter part of him wasn’t so certain. Though the Emperor had sworn that neither of them would die for their offenses, that required Rhin to trust Tibori’s decision would not change once both of them were within his grasp. Can I take that chance?

I have to, he eventually decided, momentarily pausing to gaze up at the stars, Sparrow brought this upon herself, and I can’t change that. Now that she’s a mage, he thought, lip curling with disgust, she must be accountable to more than her own desires. And besides, I made a vow to the Empire. I will not devalue my honour for a woman who played with my heart, love or no. As soon as his mind was decided, he knew he would not question it again, and he felt immediately better for it. His heart lightened and his gait became almost cheery as he roamed the near-abandoned streets. He hadn’t been paying much attention to where he was going, and looking about now, he found himself close indeed to the pleasure district.

Being here prompted a thought – he recalled his years in the army, what Empire men often partook in the eve before a battle… It was quite common that a few women would follow behind the scores of men when they encroached on a city or town, hoping to warm the bedrolls of the soldiers for a bit of coin. They made a tidy business at that – the men tended to have money with no place to spend it on the road, and fear of imminent death often incited their lust. Rhin remembered with an embarrassed flush how the men used to scoff and tease him for his self-inflicted restraint in this regard. Through the lens of time and recent events, it seemed a misguided ideal at best he’d held; chaste in some bizarre effort to impress Sparrow upon his return, mayhap thinking she would hold him in higher esteem if he didn’t succumb to desire, had stayed true to the idea of their future together.

He stopped at the small gate that separated the pleasure district, conflicted. I’ve sworn no vow of celibacy, he thought, and it seems more likely than not I may lose my life on this mission… The thought of death itself did not disturb him, but doing so having never experienced that exalted act, living his life more fully? – that did, and it made his mind for him. He pushed open the gate after peering down the street to see if anyone was about to watch him, and then sidled inside.

The curtains in each of the brothels were drawn close, but light shone through and cast silhouettes of the occupants upon the windows. Each one felt like eyes fixed upon him, watching as he nervously made his way down the straight road that cut through it all. His next decision, he supposed, would be which brothel to choose. It would most certainly not be the Nest; he had grown up with many of the girls there acting as like mothers to him, and he quite doubted he would be welcomed regardless since Sparrow had been captured. He didn’t even pause to consider the ones closest to the gate, with the lowest prices but the quality of suspect at best. As one progressed down the road, the brothels became more elaborate and in turn more costly, but Rhin was in no way short of coin. He’d earned several months’ worth of wages before the events in Kierton, and had been gifted a handsome sum besides for his selfless act of protecting General Martel. With that in consideration and little else to spend it on, he beelined for the furthest, the ‘crown jewel’ of the district known as the Siren’s Kiss.

**********

Rhin awoke before the sun did, bathed in the comforting glow of flickering candlelight, once again disoriented. Stretching out on the bed he found himself in, he felt weight upon his chest – a glance down revealed a slender arm wrapped around him, a shining head of golden hair resting on his torso. His movement caused the woman who shared his bed to stir, yawning daintily before her eyes were yet open. Despite how he’d thought he’d feel about his actions come morn, Rhin found that no trace of guilt yet weighed upon him and it was in fact quite the opposite. His mood felt lighter, cheerier than it had in many, many moons, as well as understanding the both the flawless reputation and cost associated with this place. Unlike the less expensive brothels, he had not paid to be one of many patrons served by a single girl on a given night, no – his coin had bought him an entire night of her time and gratuitous expertise. His inexperience hadn’t caused so much as a batted eye, and the sex itself… he had nothing to compare it to, but to put it lightly, he’d not forget all she had shown him.

He gazed at her as she woke fully, as her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. She leaned up, greeted him with a wordless smile and a soft kiss upon his lips. Her fingers toyed absently with the smattering of hair on his chest.

Neither of them moved for a time, content in those earliest hours of morning. Rhin wished this could last forever, but duty called, and he had work to do before the sun rose. “Forgive me,” he spoke quietly, hesitant to break the peaceful silence, “I must take my leave.”

“Of course, milord,” she spoke with that wistful lilt in her tone, rising from the bed. She was still naked, and he felt himself grow hard all over again at the sight of her shapely form. She smiled devilishly. “Are you sure you need to go right away?”

The offer was sorely tempting, but he knew he must leave on time for his first assignment to continue making his good impressions on the nobles. “Alas, I have no choice,” he says sadly as he stands from the bed and begins to dress himself. She sauntered over to him and without him asking, helps him to dress himself as the castle’s servants always attempt, only he doesn’t stop her like he does them.

Shortly after he headed back to the castle, just as the sun makes its first impression of light upon the horizon. It left him just enough time to get his belongings and travel gear organized, sending servants scurrying to the kitchens and the armory to fetch provisions and gear for him while he packed his clothes.

When he arrived at the stables, one of the servants had possessed the foresight to request a horse be readied, as one stood waiting in full gear beside the stablemaster, a giant gray brute. It wouldn’t be fast, but it would have the stamina he required, and he nodded his approval at the man as he hauled himself onto the back of the creature.

He is just about to crack the reins and set the horse to leaving, when he hears someone call his name, “Sir Rhinlead!”

Turning in his seat to spy out the speaker, he saw yet another servant headed straight for him. “Yes?” he asked, looking down on the man from the saddle.

The servant held up a long, delicately wrapped package in both hands, head bowed. “From my lord Harlemont, sir.”

Rhin set the reins back on the horse’s neck and relieved the servant of his burden. As he unwrapped it, the shining contents became visible; a broadsword, masterfully crafted, its hilt fashioned in the shape of a gryphon – Tibori’s sigil and the symbol of the Empire. A note fell out of the leather wrappings and he picked it up to read the words upon it:

To remind you of your vows. May your journey be one of good fortune.

Lord Harlemont

Rhin swallowed, the significance not lost upon him. Harlemont doubted Rhin’s loyalty would stay intact once he made contact with Sparrow. It only set his determination more soundly. He would not fail. He looked away from the paper to the servant, but he was already gone. With a shrug, he fastened the blade to his belt, discarding his army-issued weapon on the dirt without so much as a pause. He took up the reins once more, and set off on the start of a mission he never would have thought possible, sworn enemy to his longest and dearest friend and love.