Every week, I’ll be posting a chapter from my book series: Solen Masters. This is a Paid Exclusive for a month in certain places until it’s posted here, before I release it to a Selection of Fiction Sharing sites, such as Scribblehub and Royal Road. Most Chapters for each book will at some point be mostly removed from almost all places.
If you spot a typo, please let me know, so I can correct it before the final release.
Also, Chapter 13 will be delayed until further notice. The next monthly news Post will be out before Chapter 13 will be public.
Sargent Galloway suggested that he and Taithin should take their patrol, after leaving Lady Susana in Sargent Galloway’s office. There was some guardsmen outside his office, and by the main gate, who could easily take care of most business. Taithin’s patrol route had them going around the Palace’a outer walls, and visiting each tower. It was long, and some times confusing path that seem to not make sense. Sargent Galloway said it was to make it harder for attackers to get to the King and Queen, and many of the Royal Quarters where also like that as well.
Taithin wasn’t really in the mood for talking as the spent the time travelling through the 3rd tower in silence. Sargent Galloway seemed to also notice: “Something eating at you, Taithin?” Sargent Galloway asked.
“What do you mean?” Taithin said.
Sargent Galloway chuckled, “You don’t get to be Sargent without knowing a few things about people. I take it Lady T’lenta told you a few things.”
“You could say that,” Taithin sighed, “She seems better with her cane than I am with the sword.”
“Ah!” Sargent Galloway smiled, “I don’t think you’re wrong there. I think she used to teach with the sword. I know she fought in the Vedran-Gast War over 15 years ago. She is still training at least once per week, as I’ve seen her in the training yard occasionally at night. I heard that she’s not bad in her preferred style. General Tatiana said she’s tough one to duel against.”
“Sound like she’d be able to give me a tap below the belt before I knew what was happening..” Taithin said.
“Taithin, if she hit you below the belt, you’d not be able to walk it off. But that little duel she beat you is not the real issue, am I right?”
“Yeah, Lady Susana knew that I came from House Eston, but that was not exactly information I was keeping hidden. I mean most Vedrans would know instantly when I say Eston, but most elves wouldn’t know that much about it. But have a strange feeling that more that than a few people in the Palace would know more than previously thought. I mean she knew about the Solanea twins, and that she was told about this story from someone else in the Palace.”
“Sounds like you have idea who told Lady Susana.”
“I’d rather not say who this person was. I’d rather not say and loose my job for saying things that I shouldn’t, especially while we’re on patrol. Sorry, Sarge.” Taithin said.
“I totally understand.. I take it that it’s all related to some other things that you’ve been quiet about.” Galloway said.
“Its not like everyone has secret that could effect the Kingdom if the secret got out..” Taithin sighed..
“I’ve been privy to number of secrets, including one that forced a law to be made after it got out,” Galloway smiled.
Tatithin looked at Sargent Galloway, “Really?”
“Yes, really. Since everyone knows already now, I feel like I can safely share this without the General getting upset about telling you. This was General Tatiana’s secret when she was Major. I was her unit at the time. I kept her secret until it was no point in keeping it secret. If it came out, it could have ended up being a little messy for her.”
“So what was the secret?”
“Ready? General Tatiana is not a man, but a girl.”
“Sarge, I saw her before she left. She seems to be all woman to me..”
“Yes, but back then. There was no women in the Army, and well, she was posing her dead twin brother, Thomas. She actually passed it off quite well. It helped that Thomas had a beard, so when she said he had shaved it off, We believed that she was him. Being an officer gave her alot more privacy than I had the time. She managed to keep lie going for a few years. She even impressed a few of top brass, leading towards a promotion or two,” Sargent Galloway continued.
“So I take it she was found out,” Taithin said.
Sargent Galloway let a little laugh out, “Yes, she was found out. Actually the first person who did was Queen Lily, during a visit to Lufas City.”
“Wait. General Tatiana visited Lufas? The city I was born in?”
“Yes. She did. Actually, she was visiting you. You would have been about two years old at the time. Let’s just say Lady Nina had played her cards well, and was able to convince the palace to donate to your orphanage. One of the terms of the deal is that someone from the palace must make the payment in person, and take news back. So the General ended up taking the payment. What we didn’t know at the time, that the Queen Consort Lily was also attending a conference, with several of the leaders of the Local Vedran houses. Queen Lily was representing her Grandmother, who at the time, was Queen Regnant of Fal’ana’ta. As far as we can tell, Lily spotted her leaving an orphanage, apparently yours. What ever happened after that, I don’t really know, as Tira claims it was a blur. All she will admit to is waking up to naked with Lady Lily and a one year old Lady Acacia sleeping with in the her bed. Well, Miss Daita and Dame Keiya who were also there don’t really add to the story.”
“Really? So how did you know?”
“With not much of her family alive, Tira was often spending her off time with me and my family, Tira as Tom was my best man at my wedding. So it was during one of these visits, she had to tell my wife about the heavy blood moon. You know what I mean..” Galloway said.
“For the last few years, I was the only guy in a house full of women. Tabby and Sammy seemed to get it harder than Laliea. I take it that she had a bigger flood than she could cope with,”
Galloway smiled, “Good. So she was kinda forced to admit it to my wife. So we kept it a secret for a few years. That was until Lady Acacia not realising that Tira as pretending to be a man, unintentionally outed her, in front her father, the King and a few Advisors. It was pretty hard to argue that you’re a man with your pants around your ankles..”
“Ouch!” Taithin chuckled, “so what happened next?”
“Instead of being kicked out. She got promoted and kinda got to make a few new units and allowed women to join up. She’s in charge of Lady Acacia’s Guard, occasionally will speak for Lady Acacia in the role of the Queen of Fal’ana’ta.
“Really?” Taithin asked, “I’d bet there was some resistance,”
Galloway nodded, “Not directly, mostly as it was going against the Kings orders. The first few units she was in charge of were Mercenaries from House T’Lenta. Excellent group, professional. Pissed of a few officers who thought they could get their way.”
Taithin sighed, “Mostly women right? My dorm room was managed by a injured woman from the T’lenta Mercenaries.”
“Yeah, they were. Those girls knew more of the tricks than the Junior officers that wanted to take advantage of them. Not a bad group. We still have a few of T’Lenta’s people still around,”
“Really? So that’s why Lady T’lenta is still here?”
“That’s one reason, but Lady Acacia seems to use her insight about a few things. I think 1st Class Beth T’lenta is looking after a new recruit in the next tower.”
As Taithin stepped though the door, instead of the two guards women in standby, but also Lady Susana T’lenta sitting on of the stools.
“Hello, Mr Taithin,” Susana greeted them, “Are you familiar with a certain Red haired girl that has recently arrived in town?”
“Oh.. By the Four!” Taithin sighed, “What has she done this time?”