Xantia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Steady.

Breathe.

She peeked around the pine tree towards the fire. One bloodknight stood guard. The others slept. It had taken her many days to catch up to Emerek's party. She had needed to be careful. Thankfully the river in the ravine masked her horse's approach. She had left it tethered to a tree and had walked the final two hundred paces to reach the campsite.

She scanned the ground: pine needles and twigs. She would have to tread lightly. One small branch covered in needles could be her death. Bloodknights would swing first and ask questions later. She crouched low and nimbly stepped to the next tree. The guarding bloodknight's back was still turned so she darted to the next pine. She waited for her pulse and breathing to steady before checking which way he was looking. Once his back was again completely turned she crawled quickly to the next tree and rested her back against it. Its trunk was thick enough to conceal her. She was close to the circle of sleeping bodies; close enough to hear the metal armour of the guard clank against itself as he turned around. She slid her knife silently from its sheath. Using it like a mirror she held it close to the ground and watched the guard. He was so big that he appeared to have no neck at all. His head rested directly on his shoulders. Xantia watched him for a few minutes to be able to predict his pattern of movements. When she felt confident that she knew it, she waited for him to turn away. She sheathed her knife, silently rose, padded towards the fire, stepped over a sleeping female bloodknight, and sat down in front of the fire with empty hands raised in submission.

He turned back around towards her and cried out in shock. "Who are you!" He raised a cruel looking mace ready to strike.

Steel rang around Xantia as swords and knives were drawn out and pointed at her. Emerek and his bloodknights leapt to their feet.

Steady.

Breathe.

"Noldorae!" spat the female bloodknight behind Xantia. "How did she get here?"

"I... I... I don't know!" the massive man stuttered back. Xantia saw how his eyes darted back and forth in fear to Emerek.

Good. I can use that.

"Maybe it's because you weren't doing your job, idiot!" shouted an older man on her right.

"Noldorae! Did you fall asleep?" Emerek demanded.

"No. I swear I didn't," the huge man blustered.

"Then how did she get past you?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's a sorcerer, like you."

Emerek jabbed a finger towards Noldorae then jerked his hand around into a fist.

"Ahhhh!!!" Noldorae's scream was primal pain, pure and unrestrained. He arched his back and fell heavily to the ground.

Xantia swallowed and forced herself not to recoil from the easy show of power.

Steady.

Breathe.

The screaming lasted only a few seconds before Emerek loosened his fist and the giant of a man slumped whimpering. The echo of his pain bounced through the black night even over the noise of the river.

"She is NOT a sorcerer like me," Emerek said.

"Shall I kill him for his failure?" the older man on her right asked.

"No. We may still need him." Emerek turned to Xantia. "How did you get here?" he demanded.

Xantia had still not moved. Her hands remained raised in the air. "I followed you from the south, left my horse tethered behind me in the forest, snuck up, and walked in," she explained with an impassive face. "It was easy," she added as an afterthought.

"Hmm." Emerek frowned thoughtfully. "I recognise you. You were on the caravan we passed days ago."

"Yes."

"But that is not the first time I have seen you."

"No."

"A year ago you met with our Liege in private."

"Yes," Xantia confirmed.

"Why are you here?"

"To offer my assistance in whatever quest you are on."

"Why did you not join us at the caravan?"

"Fear of you and your power." Her answer seemed to please him. A smirk played on his lips.

"If you fear me then why join me now?" Although he still asked it with menace, Xantia could tell he was relaxing.

"I figured out that when you succeed in your quest and return to our Liege you would tell him about seeing me on the road. He would be angry that I had not offered to help you. It would be worse for me than joining you."

"Ha!" Emerek barked out a short laugh. "What a devious, self-interested woman you are."

Xantia bowed her head slightly, as if accepting a compliment.

"But at least you're honest," he said. "Lower your hands. You look ridiculous."

"Thank you, Emerek."

"You know my name?"

"It was whispered to me once in the palace." Again a smirk played on his lips.

"And what is your name?" he demanded.

"Xantia," she said.

He squinted slightly. "What is your real name?"

She looked him cold in the eyes. "It is Xantia but you are welcome to call me something else if the name disappoints you. I have been called dog, thief, and many less pleasant names, but Xantia is the one I answer to."

He started pacing around her like a cat before a mouse.

"I don't trust you Xantia."

"I don't trust you either," she returned. "But I'm here."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Why should I allow you to join me?"

"Because I am the best assassin you will ever meet," she replied.

Smirks erupted from the bloodknights around her.

"And," she continued, "because I traveled for over thirty days with the two barbarians who have your precious black wooden box."

"What?!" Emerek blurted out.

"And," she concluded. "I alone know their strengths and weaknesses."

***

Nurlan's troops had reached the stream that separated Khashbal and Empa lands. He held up his hand, bringing his warriors to a halt. He walked his horse forward and turned to face them. They moved their horses into a ragged line to be able to better hear him. He looked over them, making eye contact with every one of the hundred men and women in turn. The only ones whose loyalty he had doubts about were some of the young ones - he had not served long enough with them to know their allegiances. In the middle of them was his new wife in armour. Shaleh looked tense as she smiled encouragingly to him.

He took off his helmet and addressed them.

"When we cross this stream we enter Empa land. Our new chief, Chumerra, has ordered us to offer Empa Clan the choice to bow to her rule or die. When we set out a few days ago there are some things I did not tell you.

"First is her plan. What Chumerra intends is that we take control of the entire Endless Plains one clan at a time. Each clan, starting with the smallest ones, and working towards the larger ones, will be given the same option - bow down and add your warriors to our army, or we will kill every man and woman in their clan, as well as talking their children as slaves. Because we will outnumber every clan we meet ,we would, with minimal bloodshed, take control of an ever growing army, and with that army we would control the Plains.

Nurlan began unfastening the armour on his torso.

"Uniting the Clans is a noble ideal, and the only way to ensure the safety of our people. But her goal is not to unite the Clans, it is to dominate and kill. If even one clan refuses to bow to her, and we carry out her orders, we will go from being warriors to murderers. I, for one, refuse to kill unarmed people, even if they are from a rival clan. I also refuse to order you, my warriors, to become murderers."

Nurlan paused long enough for everyone to register that he was about to rebel against their new chief.

"Chumerra is a blood thirsty enchantress with some secret ambition unknown to anyone. All who saw her kill Tolegan know I speak the truth. I do not know what her ultimate goal is, but it is time for me to stand."

He removed his torso armour and rested it on his lap. Doing so exposed the red silk shirt he wore beneath the armour. Despite the shirt being old, with a tear at the collar and an open seam at the shoulder, it still gleamed bright and vibrant in the sun.

"Who among you has seen this shirt before?" He held his arms out wide.

"It was your father's," replied an older warrior. "It was his chieftain's shirt."

"It was once my father's, now it is mine. Too long did I bow my head in submission, knowing that Kirill would kill my father should I refuse. I will do so no more. My father, though he did not want to rule, was the rightful lord of our people. I now claim my spot as his heir at the head of Khashbal.

"Do any among you wish to challenge me?"

After a long moment of silence the same older warrior raised his spear. "Lord, none of us will challenge you. Everyone in Khashbal knows who you are. Why have you waited so long to assert your right?"

"When Kirill kidnapped my father I was a youth, timid and green. I am ashamed to say that I allowed fear for his life to subdue me into silence. After Kirill died and Chumerra killed Tolegan I was alarmed and concerned, but nothing more. The night before we departed Khashbal she killed the great warrior Tugol as if it were nothing. It was then that I glimpsed her viciousness and power. She then ordered this raid on the Empa people. As you have probably guessed, I have a different intention - I will approach the leader of the Empa Clan and ask them to join us in rebelling against her.

"We will unite the people of the Endless Plains, yet it will be against her, not for her."

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-Y. V. Qualls