The Dark Blooded Duchess. Ep1

‘...the rescue team and aides arrived at camp at,’ I check the watch in the left-hand corner of my hut, counting back roughly twenty minutes. ‘15:20 Hours, approximately. The mission was mostly a success though neither officer Talo nor the victim has yet woken,’ I conclude my live report via holograph to my superior, Greater General Jasper Hollon.

His set square face is stern and otherwise emotionless while his steely grey eyes remain focused and alert, always alert.

‘Anything of concern regarding personal belongings?’ asks the General.

‘Nothing so far,’ I reply ‘Clothes, memorabilia, books, and a few weapons.’

‘Weapons of what nature?’ he frowns.

‘A few smaller blades, and magical weapons of some sort, nothing to suggest that she’s here to make trouble.’

‘Perhaps for self-defense?’ muses the General.

‘I believe that’s all they're meant for' Not that I believed she’d need either weapons or magic with whatever power is lurking in her.

‘Even so, we should find out what we can about her. An unknown stranger could be a greater risk than we realize’

I agree that she could potentially be, but not that she is such a risk.

‘I will keep a close eye’ I say, with a stiff smile.

‘In the meantime, I’m off to attend another meeting at the Cade Capital’

I frown ‘More unrest, sir?’

‘It seems there have been a few more attacks by minoricals’

‘How many more?’

‘Three’ he says ‘nothing too serious but the proximity to the Covenants distresses me’

‘It doesn’t make any sense’ I say.

‘Indeed,’ he agrees ‘Perhaps stronger preventative measures.' he rubs his stubbly chin 'In any event, keep me posted on the stranger, Captain,’ says Hollon with a curt nod.

‘Yes, General’ I say, and salute him in greeting.

The holograph ends and it’s just my own reflection staring back at me in the great big window. The stormy blue eyes are most apparent contrasting with my light-olive skin. I smooth out my ever-neat chestnut brown hair. Then I straighten the grey uniform out of habit.

I wasn’t purposefully tinkering with my appearance at all, in fact, my mind was on the news that General Hollon had just delivered to me.

More unrest? More incidents? What is happening here?

Perhaps I should go investigate myself, and see what’s really going on. But that would mean leaving Heston as Keeper since Talo’s condition remains unknown. And Heston, alone, in charge, Divinity save us. He’d turn them all into slaves if he had his way.

No, that can’t be the only way.

Thoughts and suspicions involving the unrest keep me rooted to the spot until my feet start to protest by sending stinging pains shooting up my ankles, signaling that it’s time to get out of my boots.

I motion for my hut to switch back to light mode, whilst I undo the boots and set them next to my bed where I sit down.

The glass roof turns from dark grey to clear, revealing the intertwined canopies of twisting ancient evergreen branches that stretch to the sky like hoards of hands seeking holiness.

And the light, beams of glorious sunlight that reach through those trees to embrace blessed bits of earth below.

When the wind drifts through the intricate design of branches and light, it’s as though my soul flows with it, worshiping nature with joyful veneration. I close my eyes and savor it, just for a minute.

The harmonic ping of my hut sounds. It’s four a clock, and the hut has sensed my presence, so a melodic voice asks ‘Divine greetings, Captain. Would you like to hear your messages?’

Do I really have to? But I eventually say ‘Sure’

‘Playing two unheard messages from the last 24 hours’

A more high-pitched ping, which sounds sort of like an angry bird squawking, sounds before the message plays.

‘Darling,’ says my mom’s voice ‘about the Andleridge Ball’ I sigh, she never gives up ‘I’ve gotten the four of us tickets, as well as guest tickets for both you and Aria,’ (Oh my twin will love that, I think sarcastically.) ‘I know you said you didn’t want to go. But I just thought it might be a wonderful opportunity to do something together as a family. I do hope you’ll think about it. Be well.’

The next message is from Aria and she just says ‘Mom left me a message about the Ball,’ ‘a wonderful time to spend time together!’ she mimics mum’s raspy, high-pitched tone ‘and what? Brunch isn’t, mother?’ she snorts ‘we gotta talk about how we’re gonna get out of this. Call me. Love you’

Just as the message ends, Heston sticks his head through the open window, ‘Aria?’ he asks, pointing upward to where the virtuals (robot assistants) do all their operating from.

‘Yep,’ I say stiffly.

‘I love me some Aria’ says Heston with a dreamy look that I promise myself I would one day slam right off of his smug face.

‘Your, er, victim’s woken up’ says Heston shoving his thumb in the air in the general direction of the healer’s tent ‘she’s giving the healers hell, I thought you may want to handle it, Ardon’ he says my name like a taunt he knows I cannot answer.

’Why didn’t you handle it, Heston?’ I say, gritting my teeth.

He tucks his long blonde hair behind his ear in an annoyingly dramatic fashion ‘Shift’s over’ he grins, slaps the wall underneath the window, and disappears from my view as quickly as he appeared.

Well yes, technically his shift is over now, but I’m betting it wasn’t when he saw Morgen.

‘I’m really going to enjoy firing him one day’ I mutter to myself as I tie up my boots once again ‘either from his position in the Guard or with a bloody bazooka’