5) The Commander

I sigh happily and stretch. Two days ago I was in the heart of the jungle ad now I am out on the open plains with the sky in clear view. For the first time in days I can see the bright moons and shining stars.

 

A deep laugh pulls my attention away from the heavens. Aim, Bin, and Fin look amused by my obvious relief.

 

“The jungle is lovely,” I say, “but I prefer the open plains.”

 

“We can see that, kit,” Arim says. In the past days we have been together my cat companions have taken to calling me a baby cat. “The birds of the north are much the same.”

 

I smile at the panther as the tigers start setting up tonight's camp. “It was very kind of King Dyson to allow me to travel with you on your way north.”

 

“It was nothing,” Arim says. “The Lord of Beasts wishes me to meet him at Crow's Tower in the north Why not travel with you when we are going in the same direction?”

 

I laugh and take off my cloak and swordbelt. I walk further away from the tree line as I twirl my scythe.

 

“Jungles aren't scythe-friendly,” I say as I work through my exercises. “Not enough room to get a good circle going.”

 

I stop talking and concentrate. I spin, moving forward with each turn, gracefully cutting the air. The last time I had practiced like this had been a week before I left my father's palace. It feels so good to work like this.

 

I start moving slow. As I go deeper into my dance, I move faster. I stop when my muscles start to burn. I turn back to camp and see my Amilas companions watching. As I walk the long distance back I hear them clap and whistle. I feel a blush work it's way up my neck.

 

“Beautiful,” says Bin.

 

“Flawless,” Fin adds.

 

“Remind me,” Arim comments as he puts an arm around my shoulders, “to never make you want to use that on me.”

 

We laugh and settle down for the night.

 

 

 

 

A few days later Wis Island's only port comes into view. Arim says he knows a man in the small town who is the ferry's first mate. He promises that getting on the ship will be no problem at all.

 

I am still worried, though. I insist that we go in the morning, when the town is busy and we can easily blend in. The three agree and we set up camp a few hours walk away from the port town.

 

The next morning we arrive during the bustle of morning errands. My cat company are wearing cloaks that hide their ears and tails. We easily melt into the crowd and make it to the docks without trouble.

 

We also find the first mate without trouble. He comes off the boat and greets Arim with a huge grin.

 

“Arim, how are ya?” he asks. “Where ya off to now?”

 

“I good, Tyler,” Arim answers as he shacks the sailor's hand. “I'm on my way north. Can you help us get a ride?”

 

“No prob.” He shacks hands with the tiger twins and exchanges greetings. He pauses when he gets to me. He tries to look under the cowl of my cloak to see my face. “Whose this? Ya don't normally travel with anyone but the twins and no one of your's would carry a weapon.”

 

I am completely covered by my cloak. I am sure he can't even tell what my gender is. The only defining thing about me is my scythe, which is too big to hide under my cloak. I don't want anyone to know where I'm going.

 

I look up at Arim. I told him this morning before we left that I didn't want anyone to know where I went if I could help it.

 

“You can trust him,” the tall Amilas says with a nod. “He won't let it be known where we are going.”

 

“If ya want, I won't tell a soul,” the sailor assures me.

 

I move my hood back just enough for the sailor to get a look at my face. I offer my empty hand for him to shack. “I am Mirina.”

 

The other Palmen whistles. “That is one pretty lady.” He takes my hand and surprise creeps into his eyes. “And a strong grip. You and me'll get along just fine, milady.”

 

“We will,” I say, “if you don't call me milady.”

 

He laughs. “This trip will be fun.”

 

The cats smile and I slip a few gold coins out of my coin purse. I put them into the sailor's hand and smile.

 

“I can't let you go through the trouble of helping me and not give you anything in return.” I shack my head as he opens his mouth. “I don't need it, so don't look at me that way. When someone does a favor for me I like to give them something for their troubles.”

 

The sailor looks at the cats. Three sets of shoulders shrug at the same time.

 

“She is too kind to let someone do something for her for nothing,” says Bin.

 

“Too honorable to take when she has a way to repay,” adds Fin.

 

“Alright then,” the sailor puts the coins in his own purse. “I don't argue with people on how they wanna waste their own money. We leave in half an hour. We're bound for Verona Island in the north.”

 

My companions and I say thank you and good bye. We are about to get on the ship when we hear shouts coming from the other side of town.

 

“Lets hurry onto the boat,” Arim suggests. “That sounds like Imperial Guardsmen.”

 

We are halfway up the gangplank when I realize what the men are shouting.

 

“Have you seen a woman with a scythe come through here?” one Guard yelled at a group of civilians. Imperial Guardsmen never talk quietly unless ordered to by a high ranking officer.

 

“Have you seen a woman with long, curly red hair?” asks another.

 

I sigh heavily as I stop walking. I thought I would have enough time to get off Wis Island before my father sent out search parties. The cats now know what the guards are yelling and look back at me. I shrug helplessly at them.

 

“Guess I wasn't fast enough getting here,” I say simply.

 

“Why do they look for you?” asks Bin.

 

“The lieutenant commander probably forgot how to count to five,” I say grumpily. “Get on the boat, I'll be there in a minute.”

 

“Maybe if we-” Arim begins, gesturing toward the deck

 

“Hide on the ship? And let them know you three are here?” I ask. I wave my hands, shooing them away. “No way. Go, I'll be right back.”

They reluctantly go, taking my bag with them. I pull my hood back and walk down the gangplank.

 

“What do you brats want?” I yell. “Are you lot so helpless that I can't go on vacation once and a while?”

 

The guards stop yelling and before long I am surrounded by men in gold and red uniforms. One man steps right in front of me and kisses the back of my left hand.

 

“Commander! We thought we would never find you!” Glen, my lieutenant commander, is obviously relieved that he found me. He is a short man, not a good fighter, but very good at organizing things and directing people. He's just too damn needy for my tastes. A lot of the time I almost regret making my second-in-command. Almost. He holds my hand tightly. “We were worried, Commander, when we found your room empty.”

 

I roll my eyes. “You lot are useless. Honestly, truly useless. I left a note on your desk, Glen, saying that I was going on vacation.”

 

“You did?” He asks with a shocked look on his face.

 

“Yes, Glen,” I sigh. “I always do. How many times do I have to tell you to check your desk before you freak out?”

 

Glen looks guilty and says nothing.

 

“I am going on vacation,” I repeat. “I need a break from you lot. You're too damn clingy. You have brains; use them.”

 

“But, milady,” the short man whines.

 

“Glen,” I say sharply.

 

“Yes, Commander?”

 

“What did I tell you about calling me milady?”

 

Glen drops my hand and takes a step back. He does that every time I get snappy with him. He replies uncertainly, “You said to never ever call you that ever?”

 

“Yes, Lieutenant Commander, and I made it a direct order.” I am truly annoyed by him. Not many things piss me off, but Glen always does the trick. It is some kind of superpower.

 

“I'm sorry, Commander,” he says, panicked. “I'll do anything, just don't be angry!”

 

The gears in my brain click and I get that light-bulb-turning-on feeling. “I'll ignore it if you go back to the palace and leave me to my wondering.”

 

Glen nods eagerly. “Yes, Commander. You are currently unavailable, out patrolling the islands. You didn't tell us your destination and it is not our place to ask.”

 

I nod. “That's just fine, Lieutenant. Standard orders, you know them by now.”

 

“And the emperor, Commander?”

 

“What about him?” I shrug. “You don't know where I am so you can't tell him. I let him yell at me when I get back.”

 

“Understood, Commander Mirina.” He salutes me and turns to the guards with him. “We're moving out, men. The commander is going on one of her patrols.”

 

The Guardsmen leave and I go on the boat. Arim, Bin, and Fin stare at me in shock.

 

“What?” I ask. “You're the commander of the Imperial Guard?” Arim asks. He looks like he just got decked.

 

I shrug. “I'm the only one who can keep those needy brats in line.”

 

The cats study me for a moment, then shrug it off. Just because I'm in charge of the most elite fighting group in all Venderas doesn't change who I am.

 

I'm just glad they don't know I'm Emperor Hisdin's daughter. I doubt they could dismiss that little fact so easily considering all the Amilas hunts my father has ordered and led himself.

 

No, I don't think they can handle that.

 

 

 

 

Gray sat and stared at the ocean after he dismissed Mark the finch. The new piece of the puzzle called Mirina confused him.

 

The commander of the Imperial Guards was said to be ruthless, short tempered, and moody. It seemed, however, that outside the palace walls and away from her subordinates she was sweet, honorable, and kind. The contradiction didn't make sense.

 

The crow ran his hands through his thick hair. He knew he was becoming obsessed with the woman. His thoughts wondered to her more often than not and that worried him. He just can't control himself.

 

The only thing that stopped him from sending out Jink to kidnap her was the fat that she was coming here, to Crow's Tower, with Arim. Knowing that she would be here soon was all that kept him from going off the deep end.

 

Thank the skies for that. Grayson didn't think going totally crazy would be a good thing at all considering that he had no heir and a tournament to crown a new Lord of Birds would weaken their defenses.

 

Yes, control was Grayson's main goal.

 

If only it was as easy as it sounded.

Author's Note

Oh, obsession. It is a fermilar thing with me. XD
Enjoy.