Taitenschild

2-1 || Blood and Water (Part I)

'Ridiculous! You're a Tyrant. Why didn't you do something?'

The angry outburst punctured the air and made Eliah start as she approached the small wooden hut on the outskirts of the village, by the edge of the forest, that she called home. Pushing back the furs that covered the entranceway, she found her Clan-appointed guardian, Regis Thearrischild, with an expression as dark and angry as a thundercloud on his face. Fortunately, the look was not directed at her, but at his white-haired, one-eyed, one-armed giant of a father, Thearris Ulfredschild, the Tyrant of Soldiers.

'It is done, Regis,' said Thearris, his low, gravelly voice calm in the wake of his son's fury. 'The claim has been made and cannot be revoked.'

'He's only eighteen!'

'The Teachings state – '

'Oh, spare me. You and I both know that the Teachings are dung. If Taiten really was all that the stories make him out to be, then I doubt he'd ever – '

Thearris sighed. 'Regis...'

'Don't you "Regis" me! Why can't any of you use your heads and see that the words that you worship are going to be the death of our Clan?'

'Regis. Enough!' Thearris's eye darted towards Eliah and Regis's gaze followed.

The girl swallowed, resisting the urge to shrink back under the pressure. 'I'm home,' she whispered. Meek as a mouse, she set her bow and quiver aside and began to remove her rabbit-fur boots.

Regis grimaced. 'Welcome back, Eliah.' He scowled at his father. 'Get out. We'll continue this next time.'

Thearris sighed. 'There is nothing to continue,' he said. 'Aramir is a man now and one of the best warrior-trainees we've seen in a long time. He has the right to make his own choice.' He held up a hand for silence as Regis opened his mouth to argue. 'But, if you insist, you can make a request to the Chamber of Counsel. I take my leave.'

He headed for the exit, his one good eye fixed on Eliah as he walked past. She averted her gaze and stepped out of the way.

As soon as his father was gone, Regis heaved a long, heavy sigh. 'Did you know about this nonsense?' he asked Eliah.

She shook her head vigorously.

Regis raised his brow.

The girl pouted. 'Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not lying. I only found out at the Feast, same as you.'

Regis snorted. 'You know that I don't attend the Feast. But that explains why the good Tyrant decided to drop by and tell me about it personally. No doubt the whole Clan knows of it by now. Gods damn that impulsive boy of mine...' He trailed off with a sigh. After a small shake of his head, he forced himself to smile and tapped Eliah on the nose. 'I'm sorry you had to see that. Go scrub that dirt off you so we can meditate and sleep. You have training in the morning.'

The girl pulled a face at the mention of meditation, but headed off to wash nonetheless. She didn't quite understand why Regis always insisted that she be clean when they meditated – or why he was so insistent that they meditate at all. It wasn't part of the warrior-trainee regimen. But after spending all day out scrounging in the forest and stalking a rabbit through the brush, she welcomed the idea of cleanliness.

Their bathing area – if it could be even called that – was simple, although the rest of the Clan would have claimed its very existence extravagant. Most Seren simply went to the nearby lake or one of the rivers to wash, but unfortunately for Eliah, that was not an option. When she was a child, Regis had simply placed a bucket of water and a stool near the door, but some time over the last year or so, he'd seen fit to place some frames fitted with furs around the bucket and stool to give the girl some privacy.