Sci Fi & Fantasy / Tanith's Destiny

Tanith’s Destiny
Chapter 1
The Warlord’s castle, Geniang, in the country of Abdesta.
Smack! Crack! Smack! The thwack of wood on wood echoed about the warm room.
‘Ouch!’ A girl threw down her staff and sat, sucking on her sore fingers.
‘Pay attention girl! Up, up! Get up!’
A small, slender girl of eight scowled at the tall, wiry man who glared back at her. She finally stood up and began to circle him again. Tall glass windows let the rays cast by the late afternoon sun leave warm golden patches on the spacious walls of the practice room. The wooden floor was sanded and polished to a sheen. No practicing warriors would get splinters here. The girl gasped for breath while the older man wiped some sweat off his balding head. Otherwise, he was as relaxed as could be. The girl was dressed unusually, in a long tunic and leggings—most girls wore frocks and shifts at this age—and her feet were bare.
Tanith yelped again as Caden, brother to the Warlord of Geniang smacked her lightly with his staff. His wife looked on, casually leaning against the wall, eating a packet of dried fruit, chuckling at the girl’s complaints.
‘That hurt, Caden!’ whined the child.
The older man sighed patiently. ‘Tanith, for heaven sake, I’m not even hitting hard. That was gentle compared to what the enemy might give.’
He swung the staff up, around, and Tanith blocked it, cringing. Caden sighed.
‘Aliyane, come here and show her how it’s done.’
Petite, brunette, and pretty, Aliyane Cadenos was fast and sleek with a daintily menacing edge. She had had the best teacher—her husband. Individually Caden and Aliyane were dangerous. Together they inspired fear, terror, and awe.
Tanith watched as Aliyane picked up a staff and twirled it experimentally. A silver pendant shaped like an eight-pointed star with a ruby set at its center, swung from Aliyane’s neck as she whirled. Caden swung unexpectedly—Tanith stifled a scream—in a blur, Aliyane blocked it, and even managed to lightly tap her husband in the ribs.
High, low, middle! Out, down, up! Their staffs were a blur.
Both were breathing a little hard, as Tanith applauded. ‘It’s beautiful!’
‘It’s supposed to be work,’ said Caden gruffly. ‘Not pretty.’
‘Oh Caden, really,’ said Aliyane, laying a hand on his arm. ‘She’s just eight. Goodness.’
‘Let’s get back to work,’ said Caden, blinking away beads of sweat that trickled into his eyes.
Tanith groaned and looked to Aliyane for help. The woman shook her head. ‘Pick up your staff Tanith.’
Tanith gave her a sulky look. ‘Do I have t—’
‘Now Tanith.’ Aliyane’s tone brooked no argument.
With a scowl, Tanith picked it up.
‘Do you want to be as good as us?’ demanded Aliyane, leaning on her staff. ‘Do you want to be able to go to sleep without bruises? The only way you can do that is to practice. Our talent didn’t come to us just like that! We worked for it. It was paid for in sweat and bruises and tears.’
Tanith’s shining eyes told Aliyane that her tactic had worked. Smiling, she watched as Caden circled Tanith and went for a high blow. Tanith expected a middle block and received a tap on the head. She immediately plopped down and began to howl.
Aliyane had a resigned look on her face when Caden glanced at her. A smile twitched at the corner of her lips. Tanith did not see the knowing look that passed between them.
‘Tanith, get up.’ Aliyane’s voice was sharp as she walked briskly over to the girl. ‘This is silly.’
Tanith’s response was to scream louder.
‘Oh for heavens’ sake. You don’t even have a mark on you. Tanith, get up.’
‘It hurts!’ whined Tanith, breaking into a fresh flood of tears.
‘Tanith. For the last time, get up.’
When the girl did not comply, Aliyane reached down and pulled her up. Tanith sagged in her grip but Aliyane held tight.
‘Tanith…’ Caden’s voice held a warning.
‘I’m ashamed of you!’ snapped Aliyane, trying a new idea. She released her grip on Tanith, who immediately slid to the floor, with a loud bump. ‘This is not the behavior of the heir to the Warlord’s title. This is the behavior of a common brat.’
Tanith sat bolt upright. ‘I am not a common brat!’
‘Then stop behaving like one,’ retorted Aliyane. ‘Your father may return in August from battling the Baleesh. God willing, he wants to find a Battlemistress-in-training, not a child.’
‘What?’ Tanith demanded, getting up abruptly. ‘No! If this is what all this training is for—NO! He won’t turn me into a miniature Caryn!’
She stormed from the room in more tears. Tanith hated being the heir to her father’s title.
Aliyane looked helplessly at Caden. She hated the waterworks, which Tanith seemed very prone to. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
‘Leave her,’ said Caden. ‘She’ll be back.’
‘How do you know?’ demanded Aliyane.
‘She admires you too much to leave entirely. Me, well that’s another matter,’ said Caden, picking up staves, drying cloths, guards, and pitchers of water.
Aliyane rolled her eyes. ‘You’re just saying that. Honestly Caden, she’s right you know. You can’t expect a child to be like her parent. MY mother was a proper, respectable noblewoman.’
Caden chuckled. ‘That’s where you get that delicate, ladylike name from I suppose?’
‘Indeed. If I was warrior-born and bred like you, I’d be ‘Ilne’ or something equally hideous.’
‘Are you calling my name hideous?’ asked Caden indignantly.
‘Of course not darling,’ said Aliyane, kissing him on the cheek. ‘I am rather offended though,’ she added seriously, ‘that the Warlord left us home to play nursemaid to his daughter. Us! The gems in his crown! Us!’
‘Ali, you idiot,’ said Caden, stopping his busy rounds of the sunny practice room and looking at her. ‘Tanith is Caryn’s cherished Warrior Rose, the heir to his title. The servants are all smart-mouthed or worse, dolts, and who could he trust to care for his Tanith? We’re obviously the best choices and since these aren’t BIG battles, he doesn’t need us. We’ve planned all his battle strategies beforehand anyway.’
‘It’s still offensive though,’ said Aliyane. ‘I love Tanith, but really Caden! An eight year old girl?’
‘Get over it,’ said Caden. ‘We’re stuck with the assignment. Now help me pick up.’

**
Tanith lay on her bed, staring angrily up at the stark white-washed walls. She was having her own private tantrum, and no one was going to interrupt her. Her sharp ears detected a soft footstep in the hall, and she quickly tumbled off under the bed onto the splintery wood floors, biting back any more cries. Nobody was going to see her like this, nobody. Even an eight-year old had her pride.
Aliyane entered, smoothing back hot, sticky, hair. I need a bath, she thought. ‘Tanith? Come on Tanith, you have a foot sticking out from under the bed. I see you.’
Tanith stuck her head out grumpily. From previous experience she knew Aliyane wouldn’t leave until she responded. She may as well vent while she was at it.
‘I’m never coming out, and stinky old Caden can’t ever, ever make me fight him with heavy stupid swords or staves, and you can’t cajole or bribe me out ever, ever again, and I’m never, ever, EVER talking to Father ever again because he wants to turn me into a female copy of him, and I’m me! So THERE!’
‘Tanith, please,’ said Aliyane, trying to be serious—although it was hard when Tanith went on and on for sentences at a time. ‘You can’t stay down there forever. Be reasonable.’
‘Watch me!’ yelled Tanith and disappeared from view.
‘You know, Caden will have a fit. He might even bodily drag you out from under the bed and march you out in front of the servants. Wouldn’t THAT be fine? The future Battlemistress of Geniang, the Warlord’s stronghold, in cobwebs with dirty tangled hair and sweaty clothes.’ Aliyane folded her arms. Bribery and a sting to her pride always made Tanith mad.
Tanith scrambled out and sat, glaring at Aliyane. ‘Reverse psy-—psychol—psychology does NOT work on me Aliyane. Go away.’
Aliyane was not impressed, nor did she budge. Men with armies of thousands had ordered her to ‘go away’ and she had stood firm. How did a grubby little eight-year old command affect her? It didn’t. Besides, she was rather amused. She doubted Tanith even knew what ‘psychology’ meant. And the girl was being a brat—again.
She folded her arms. ‘I will not. You need to learn manners.’
‘Yes! Go away!’ Tanith screwed up her face. ‘I don’t need manners. Go away! I command you!’
Aliyane rolled her eyes. ‘You don’t command me Mistress, it’s the other way around, I think. Taking that tone with your elders will only get you in more trouble.’
‘Who cares. I hate you and Caden and Father and this stupid place and everything about being a stupid warrior and these stupid rules and stupid practices and stupid lessons and…’
If I don’t cut in now, she’ll go on forever, thought Aliyane. ‘Are you finished throwing your tantrum and being a brat or can I continue?’
Tanith’s face contorted, and then dropped into a sullen expression. She crossed her arms and stared up at Aliyane sulkily.
‘If you have to.’ Tanith’s tone was definitely surly.
Just like her father, thought Aliyane. She does not take criticism well. And she must lose the imperious tone.
‘Now will you come wash your face and change your dress and apologize to Caden for storming out?’ asked Aliyane.
When Tanith did not respond, she added, ‘Or do I have to fight you every inch of the way to make you look presentable? Either way, we will do this.’
Tanith sulkily made her way to the marble washbasin in the corner of the small room and let Aliyane comb the tangles out of her hair. Aliyane wiped the girl’s face, arms and legs, and gave Tanith a dress.
When Tanith threw the old, sweat-soaked, dusty tunic over the changing screen, Aliyane shook her head. They would have to wash it many times over or cut it up for rags. For penance, Tanith could wash her own clothes. The Warlord spoiled his child. Caden and Aliyane washed their clothes. Perhaps it would teach her to not dirty her clothes purposefully.
Tanith emerged from behind the screen, every inch her father’s daughter; for all that she might deny it.
Aliyane picked up the dirty tunic and threw it at Tanith. Out of reflex, Tanith caught it, and then dropped it with a squeal. ‘Eww!’
‘You wash it. Getting your clothes dirty on purpose is NOT considerate to servants, yourself, or the general public.’
Tanith drew herself up as tall as she could (which wasn’t very) and proclaimed, ‘I am Tanith Alyn Caryn, daughter of Caryn the Fearsome and Eldjeni the Beautiful. I do NOT wash clothes.’
‘You can start,’ said Aliyane ruthlessly. ‘I will tell the washerwomen to not wash your things. Our warriors wash their own things as well. When you are ready to learn I will show you. Caden is in his room.’
Tanith shot Aliyane a venomous glance. Aliyane shrugged.
‘Your problem. Don’t blame me in a week if you have nothing clean to wear.’
Tanith stomped off toward Caden’s room.
Tough love, thought Aliyane. Caden’s right. She’ll get over it.
**
Caden listened gravely as Tanith ground out her apology.
‘You were upset,’ he said once she’d finished. ‘Aliyane had no right to tell you what she did. It’s all forgotten from here on. I must have a talk with Ali.’
Tanith stomped her foot. ‘She wants me to wash my own clothes!’
Caden raised his eyebrows. ‘Really? Now that is something I haven’t thought of. I like it.’
‘You agree with her?’ shrieked Tanith.
‘Yes I do young lady,’ said Caden. ‘Being the Warlord’s daughter does not give you that many privileges. Warriors cook and clean for themselves. They provide for themselves. They do the dirty work. Aliyane and I do it for ourselves daily.’
‘I’m not a warrior!’ cried Tanith. ‘Why can’t you understand that?’
‘Your father is a warrior. So you must be as well. He expects it of you.’ Caden sounded like he was quoting from some stuffy book of rules. He made a face at himself inwardly. Had he always been this dry?
‘Forget my father!’ cried Tanith. ‘What about me? I WON’T BE A WARRIOR! You people just can’t—compre—comprehend that!’
She shoved her way past Aliyane as the older woman came in. Caden put an arm around her shoulders and leaned against the doorway as they both watched Tanith run away.
‘Will she ever accept her destiny?’ asked Caden sadly.
Aliyane sighed and laid her head gently on Caden’s shoulder, absentmindedly tracing the star on her necklace.