Dedicated to Annany for having a face that I like. Also for drawing that adorable chibi Lycin glomping chibi Sianna you'll see in the bottom.

14.

Black Bones

Sianna woke up to Miriam's screams. The sound of glass breaking and silver clattering on the floor followed. Sianna sat up to see the serving girl run out of the room. Though her yells vanished, they had done their harm. Sianna's head felt like a smith's anvil. She blinked. The room was dim, but the promise of sunlight peeked from behind the drawn curtains.

"Too bright," she groaned as she got out of bed.

She made her way to the privy but before she reached it, something caught her eye. There was a pile of charred human bones by one of the marble tables. The skull was broken in two, giving her half a grin. As if summoned, flashes from last night's battle penetrated her head, each image increasing the pounding of it. She remembered Kota's words about Iari, the dark gleam of Reth's sword under her throat as she transformed into Sianna herself.

So it hadn't been a drunken hallucination. She grimaced, recalling something else. I even tried to seduce Reth. No more drinking.

Sianna slipped out of her sleeping garment to find her leathers and armor gone. Panic seized her only to remember Miriam and the other girls had left the room with them after her bath yesterday. She was left to change into the only other clothes she had: her wine stained Guard tunic and simple breeches. She was chewing on some mint leaves she found in a glass box next to the basin when she heard the knock she was expecting. When she opened the door, though, Torm's smiling face surprised her.

"Good morning, Sianna," he said and stepped by her to enter the room.

"Torm?" Sianna followed him.

"Miriam came running to us with an unusual story. I had to come and see for myself," he said, eyes scanning the room.

He went to the window and pulled the curtain open. Sianna blinked her tears away, willing the hammering in her head to stop. When her vision returned, she saw Torm standing before the pile of black bones. Sianna winced when she noticed they were on top of one of the lavish rugs. Torm said nothing about it thought; he stood silent, observing the remains with a frown. She wished he would say something soon. He looked too much like Lycin when he frowned.

"So this was not a Magus?" he asked, facing her.

Sianna blinked. She hadn't thought of that. Maybe she should've asked that to Reth instead of playing the temptress with him.

"Mi'lord?" Miriam's squeak came from the open door. She huddled the frame, carrying folded clothes in her arms.

"Come in, girl," Torm said, "there is nothing to fear anymore. Place Sianna's clothes on her bed."

Miriam did as told but the fear still marked her face. She crossed the room, timid brown eyes locked on the bed.

"Before you leave, I'd like you to bring Piers so he may collect this and bring it to the Silver Hall," he ordered.

The color drained from her but she curtsied nonetheless and muttered a sullen "Yes, mi'lord" before scurrying out of the room.

Torm strolled back to the door, the tails of his lengthy doublet bouncing off his legs. "I will wait for you to change. I doubt you wish to talk to the Captain with wine on your clothes."

"What? I mean...What do you mean my lord?"

 He stopped and smiled at her. "Miriam burst in the room and spilled her fright while my father was having his breakfast with the Captain. They both want to speak to you right away. I suggest you wear something...nice."

Sianna's stomach outlined with frost. Of course.

"Don't worry. My brother won't be there to bother you." He grinned and closed the door.

She stared at the heavy wood before turning to the clothes she was brought. There was a pair of tunics. She chose the lilac one with pearls sewn around the collar and sleeves. It wasn't her taste but it was, as Torm said, nice. The clothes change was quick, but Sianna sat on the bed, staring at the floor. What was she going to say?

The truth of course, but...

A skeleton, a Nayichi, a user, and a Rhokin. All of these magickal beings had been attracted to her. That was too much for it to be a coincidence. It was enough to draw unwanted attention from within the Guard. She sighed. Not even a week as a Leitnant and she was going to lie to her superiors. She wondered if Aldermeck would be disappointed or proud.

Sianna stood and eyed her sword and resisted the urge to buckle it on. Torm said to look nice. A quick brush of her hair and she went out into the hallway to meet with him.

He nodded. "Ready, Sianna?"

"Yes, my lord. Let's go."

She hadn't expected a silent walk to the Silver Hall, wherever that was. She figured Torm would ask her about the bones, but the words he spoke surprised her again.

"You look nice with your hair down," he said.

She frowned and pushed the locks out of her eyes, regretting her decision to leave it down. "You told me to look nice."

"And you do. Lycin will be sad to have not seen you."

"I am fine with that."

"He is in love with you, you know." Torm looked at her from the corner of his eye.

Sianna scoffed out a laugh. "He hardly knows me. We didn't see each other very much and even when we did, it was for only a few days at a time."

"He seemed to have seen enough."

She shook her head. "He has his own relationship with Calera it seems. He can keep that for all I care."

"Relationship?" Torm faced her with confusion.

Sianna looked away and bit her tongue.

"Did he finally decide to see her as woman to love?"

She was the bewildered one now. "Do you know what Lycin does with Calera?"

"It's only natural that he would, eventually. She looks like a woman. Feels like a woman. Can be bedded like a woman. Rhokin are barren and sterile hence there is no risk of having children, so why not? Do you think the Dux to be so noble as to not lay with his own Rhokin too?" He smiled. Even speaking of such matters his smile was warm.

Sianna shrugged. "What they do with their Rhokin is none of my business. What I wish to make clear is that I do not care about Lycin in any way other than as a companion under my supervision."

Torm sighed. "You would break his heart if he heard you say that. His letters always spoke so fondly of you. I am sure it is you he thinks of when he's with Calera."

Sianna gave him a horrified look he laughed at.

"I am sorry," he said through chuckles. "I overstepped myself. It has been too long that I've been able to torment my little brother in some way."

She shook her head. Teasing she could handle but not the thought of sleeping with Lycin. "Even if I did hold something for him, we could not wed. I am of low birth."

"You are a Leitnant in the Guard though. There is honor and recognition in being one of the few hundred out of tens of thousands to have a Rhokin. Lycin is the youngest of three sons to a House that has its eldest son already wed and waiting. There would be no shame if you two should wed."

"But we won't," she snapped. "My lord," she added to lessen the venom of her words.

 He didn't seem to notice. "Father offered him a Leitnant position here in Caister so his possession of a Rhokin would be made legitimate, but he chose to stay behind to be closer to you."

"Your father offered him the position? Wouldn't the Dux be better suited for that?"

The grin he gave her was all Lycin. "It's normal for wealthy Houses to offer assistance to the Guard stationed in their regions, Sianna. Both parties benefit in ways that in the end help the people. More money means better protection and in turn, the Guard can offer a few favors to the House that has helped it."

Sianna rolled her eyes. "Lycin's Rhokin. The only way a Centurio could have one."

Torm nodded. "It is no secret Lycin is father's favorite. After the sea claimed mother and our younger sister, Selene, father swore never to lose any of us. When Lycin decided to join the Guard, father did all in his power to give him a Rhokin to protect him."

And to pleasure him too, apparently.

"Here we are," Torm said as he came to a halt in front of doors that seemed to lead to a room.

Sianna furrowed her eyebrows. "All we did was walk down the hall and take some stairs. I thought the Silver Hall was some grand room."

Torm laughed. "No, it is what father likes to call his personal quarters."

She tensed and he laughed again.

"Don't worry, Sianna, I'll be right there with you," he said and opened the door.

She saw why it was called the Silver Hall. The color was everywhere. Tables, scones, furniture legs, drapes, and even the candles themselves shone with the grey glimmer. The only thing that caught the shine to help ease the eyes was the gigantic purple—Of course—rug underneath it all. Sianna stepped into the room, following Torm, and noticed they were in Lord Gabard's greeting room.

He sat at the head of a silver table. His coat of arms was carved and painted on the middle of it. Black vines emerged from it and curled across the surface and down the table's legs. The remains of his breakfast were set aside, his goblet the only thing in front of him.

Standing next to Lord Gabard was the Captain. This was the first Sianna had in getting a good look at him.  He was dressed in a vest of chainmail with a leather belt around his waist. Studded leather adorned his sleeves and pants. His brown hair was mostly white around his neck and his left ear was only a hole on the side of his head. Curious but stern dark eyes looked at her.

Sianna opened her mouth to talk, but Lord Gabard noticed their entrance and jumped to his feet, surprisingly fast for a man his age.

"Sianna!" He came up to her and placed a powdery kiss on her cheek.

She forced a smile. "My lord."

"You look good in purple, my dear." Lord Gabard smiled and nodded.

Sianna looked down at her tunic. Damn. Purple. 

Another knock came. Someone scuttled from behind the Captain and up to the door. Sianna bit her tongue when she saw it was his girl Rhokin. Her strides were short but quick, eyes set on her target. When she opened the door, a tied brown sack was handed to her in silence. It required both her arms to carry it and it appeared twice her weight. The bones Torm asked to be brought were inside of it, no doubt. The little Rhokin placed the package on the silver table and retreated back to her hiding spot behind Captain Loque.

Lord Gabard walked up to it and pulled on the string. It became undone and the sack opened like a blanket setting on the ground. Bones rolled, cracking in the process, and dark dust swirled in the air, coating the silver table black. The Captain came up next to Lord Gabard, silent eyes observing the bones. Torm went to his father's other side even though he had already seen them.

Sianna wasn't sure what to do as she waited. Her hand went to her sword hilt but hovered over air. The girl Rhokin caught her eyes. They were a clearer silver than Reth's, almost white, but it wasn't any less unsettling. Sianna made a fist. The Rhokin answered with a smile a child would give to her mother.

"Leitnant Sianna Rayoss," said a throaty voice.

She turned to see the Captain addressing her. "Yes, ser."

He walked up to her and extended his hand to her. There was black dust on his fingertips. "I am Captain Dacian Loque of the city of Caister."

Sianna accepted his handshake and nodded at his words. "Ser, may I ask why I was summoned?"

He smiled, revealing clean, white teeth. It took Sianna a moment to realize he had a set of pearl dentures. "I'm sure you know why, Rayoss," he answered.

"The bones," she mumbled.

"Yes. How did they get in your room?"

Quick to the point.

"Ser," she said, "I am unsure—"

"Were you that drunk last night that you don't remember?" He cut through her words.

Sianna felt her cheeks redden. "No, ser."

"Oh, stop being so mean to her, Dacian," Lord Gabard said as he took his seat. He traced a finger through the bone bits on his table. "I'm sure it scared her finding those bones in her room as much as it did poor Miriam."

Sianna sighed, her eyes sweeping the room. She found comfort in Torm's smile. "Ser. My lords," she said, "the bones are from a creature that attacked me last night."

Lord Gabard gasped.

"It was too dark to see what had attacked me, and I do admit my head was swimming with wine, but I did see something attack me. I was weaponless save for the low fire burning in the fireplace. I somehow managed to push the thing into the flames where it quickly caught. It did not scream but it did run around the room, burning. Strangely, though the fires stayed on it and it alone. It burned down to what you see now."

When she finished, Torm lost his smile to a pensive stare, Lord Gabard sat with his mouth open, but Captain Loque approached her.

"You are sure you did not see it?" he asked her.

"No, ser. It was too dark and I was frantic as Lord Gabard said." Sianna's stomach lurched at playing the "hectic woman" card.

His stare scrutinized her but it didn't feel as heavy as the Dux's had. "If I were to ask your Rhokin, will he tell me the same?"

Sianna wasn't sure if she flinched or not, but she kept her face still. "Shall I fetch him, ser?"

"No need." The Captain walked back to his original spot by the table. "I have already sent for him."

On cue, the room door opened and Reth, draped in his usual blue, was escorted in by the Captain's Rhokin. Sianna's eyes narrowed as her sight followed the child walking across the room, her miniature Captain's cloak bouncing with each rushed step. 

When did she leave the room?

The girl brought Reth to stand next to Sianna. He took his place, poised and stoic as ever.

Fuck. Even if I had ordered Reth to lie, he'd tell the truth if asked by a higher ranked Guard member.

"Thank you, Athdra," the Captain spoke to his own Rhokin.

She nodded and returned to stand in his shadow.

He turned his sight to Reth. "What is your name, Rhokin?" he asked.

"Ser, I was named Reth," he answered.

"Are you going to interrogate poor Reth too, Captain?" Lord Gabard sighed. "You are so cruel to my guests."

Captain Loque ignored him, as he had before. It was then Sianna realized Lord Gabard was a nuisance. He was present with the Captain and Dux's meetings and business, voicing opinions that added nothing of importance, but it was also Lord Gabard's food they ate and Lord Gabard's rooms they used. His money and support outweighed his annoyance. Sianna couldn't help but smile.

"Reth, I want you to tell me what you know about these bones," the Captain ordered and pointed at the black pile on the table.

His silver eyes flickered to them and back to the Captain. "Ser," he said, "I know nothing of them."

"Nothing?" Captain Loque didn't hide his surprise.

"No, ser."

"Were you not in Sianna's room last night? She claims to have been attacked. Your room is next to hers. Surely you heard sounds of a struggle."

"Yes, ser. I was in my ser's room last night because of what you said."

"And you saw what left these bones?"

"No, ser. I only saw the bones themselves."

"They were like that when you arrived?"

"Yes, ser." Reth's eyes went back to the bones. "Though they were more intact than they currently are."

Sianna bit her cheek to prevent from laughing. It wasn't that Reth was lying. He hadn't been there when she was fighting the skeleton or when Kota killed it. It also didn't help that the Captain was asking the wrong questions. His Rhokin must work on a different level than Reth when it came to giving information. Sianna glanced at the little girl.

A very different level.

The silence that reigned was broken by Lord Gabard. "So that will be all, Captain? You are due to meet with your Leitnants soon, no?"

Captain Loque tapped his fingers on the edge of the table. "Yes. That is true. That will be all. Rayoss. Reth. You have my leave to go."

They nodded. "Yes, ser."

Torm got to his feet and approached them as they were making their way to the door and escorted them to the hallway.

"Do you need help getting back to your rooms?" he asked as he closed the door.

Sianna shook her head. "No. I can manage."

He smiled. Always smiling. "You and Reth should receive new armor and swords soon along with casual clothes to take with you when you leave to the Citadel. Let me know if you do not get them by this evening."

She nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

"Oh, Sianna. I was hoping to go riding with my brother this afternoon. Would you like to join us?"

"I...no thank you, my lord. I had plans to train with Reth. He still is learning as I am of him," she said.

"Pity. My brother will be saddened. Well, I shall send breakfast to be delivered to your room. I saw how Miriam dropped it on the floor. Is there any other comfort I can send with her as well?"

Sianna pursed her lips. "No, but might I ask you something?"

Intrigue crossed his feature. "Yes."

"In the room you hardly spoke. Do you have no taste for such meetings as your father does?"

Are you like your father that I would have to play the part you want should I be sent back here from the Citadel?

Torm grinned. "I like to observe and listen."

"Of course, my lord."

Torm slipped back into the room, leaving Sianna alone with Reth. She sighed and turned to him.

"Come on, Reth. You and I have a lot to talk about," she said.

"Yes, ser," he said and followed her.

When they arrived in her room, Sianna sat with Reth in silence until Miriam came with her breakfast. She didn't want to risk the girl overhearing what she wanted to tell Reth. When Miriam arrived, there was a man behind her carrying a wooden chest. His shoulders and arms were squared with muscles and his stomach was a hard bulge.

He placed the trunk by the bed and patted it. "This one be fresh outta the fire. Armor. Leather in there too. Your swords will be tomorrow."

Sianna smiled. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."

The smith bellowed a laugh that reminded Sianna of Neil, Jabel's tavern owner.

"Good," he said and took his leave.

"I'm sorry about earlier, ser," Miriam said as she passed by Sianna. Her eyes darted to the area where the bones had been as she placed her carrying tray on a table far away from the spot. She went back to the foot of the bed where the cold, spilled food from earlier still lay and proceeded to clean it up.

"It's okay. I'm sure you weren't expecting to see something like that in a place like this," Sianna said. "I sure wasn't."

"You are too kind, ser." Miriam stood and smiled at her. Her eyes widened when she saw Reth. A ribbon of scarlet wrapped around her cheeks.

"Ser," Miriam said and curtsied to him.

Reth remained still and silent.

Sianna sighed. "At least greet her back, Reth. It's rude not to."

"My lady," Reth said and bowed his head.

Miriam giggled, her blush overtaking her entire face. She cleared her throat when she faced Sianna. "Will you be needing anything else?"

"No, thank you," Sianna said.

She waited until she figured Miriam was further down the hallway before speaking, "Reth, you are not to speak about last night to anyone."

He didn't say anything.

"Reth? Did you hear me?"

He stuck his chin out. "Yes, ser. I heard you. I am not to speak of last night's events to anyone."

"If we're lucky, no one outranking you will ask about it anymore." Sianna sat on the bed, threw herself back, and sighed. She could feel Reth's eyes on her. "What, Reth?"

"Ser, your clothes. They are different."

Sianna placed a hand on the pearls sewn over her breasts. "Yes. I'm not always going to wear armor and Guard uniforms."

"Your hair is different too, ser," he said, head tilting a little.

She laughed. "I'm not a portrait that I don't change, Reth. What? You don't like it?"

"On the contrary, ser. It makes me like your face more."

Sianna blew the hair out of her eyes. "And you ruined it, Reth."

"Ser?"

"Nothing." She sat up on the bed, looking up at her Rhokin. It was bad enough when standing next to him he towered over her, but having him look down at her while she was sitting was daunting. "Sit down, Reth."

He did though she thought she saw him hesitate. Sianna laughed. "Don't worry, Reth. I'm not drunk."

Reth gave her a small smile that left Sianna speechless. She shook her head.

"There's something else you have to tell me. When did your magick first appear, Reth?" she asked.

"The day the Magus attacked Jabel."

Her eyebrows shot up. "That soon?"

He nodded.

"What is it? I saw a spark of something last night, but I'm not sure what it was."

Reth shook his head. "I am afraid I can't tell you, ser, for I am unsure of what it is myself. I feel I am still discovering parts of it. I've yet to know what type of seal I have."

"Seal?"

"Yes. Our magick is not without consequences to ourselves or freely taken, ser. We have seals to open to unleash our magick."

"Seals," Sianna echoed. Her eyes widened. "Like Deneck? I remember Aldermeck telling me about him having a blood seal. I know he has to absorb the blood of his enemies in order to activate his magick. Is that one? What are the others?"

Reth nodded, an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes. Sianna almost found it adorable.

"Yes, ser," he said, "and it is one of the three seals. The blood seal needs blood, as you said. There is a numerus seals as well which limits the times Rhokin may use their magick. The third seal is a pain seal. That one allows Rhokin to access their magick quickly but at the toll of their bodies."

Sianna stared at the pearls swirling around her sleeves as she absorbed his words. "And you don't know your seal yet because your magick is still developing?"

"Yes, ser. It is as so."

She locked eyes with him. She was right. Reth's eyes were darker than the little Rhokin girl's. "From now on, you are to tell me everything about your magick. Any new developments. The discovery of your seal. Everything. Understood?"

He stuck his chin out and nodded. "Yes, ser."

She stood. "Good. Now wait for me outside. I'm going to change into my armor and then we're going to go out and look for Iari. He may still be here in Caister."    

This time when Reth smiled at her, she returned it.