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
Acacia was lying her head on Samantha’s lap. Sammy once said she’d would be anything for Acacia. Some days, Sammy was a bodyguard, some nights a Spy, other times she pretended to be a trader, Sammy often wanted to be a lover, and Acacia wanted Sammy’s love. Tonight, Sammy was being a shoulder to cry against. Timon had reminded her of the worst day of her life.
Acacia’s worst day was one that she was forced to become leader, but she had no ability to prevent her from loosing all her power that evening, with the cost of several of her closest allies. That ghostly man held a knife that could have been used to take the life of the woman who died in her hands. She ended up on the run as the sun was setting.
Sammy pulled a tear stained stand of hair from Acacia’s cheek, “I’ve been thinking about the Job that Lady Svetlana Wiess has given you. Miss Camilla Frostmane? Taithin asked me to look for her. Something about saving his life. I have heard of someone with Frostmane name. A Elven family, most of them are of House Weiss. You know that bar maid in Lanta, Azalea Frostmane, she only knows of one. Her Great, Great grandmother, but she’s passed away from old age before Vivian was born.”
Acacia smiled. At least, Sammy was going to help the best she can, even if all she can do eliminate some leads.
“That’s not all I found, but still another dead lead on my end. There was a woman under the employ of your mother soon before she died, about 15 years ago. I managed to get Rachel to let slip that detail before Vivian shut her up. Rachel said that she was an older woman who clearly seemed to have been enjoying the cakes, more than she trained with swords. However, Vivian said that she was no longer with us.”
Acacia sat up and stared at Sammy.
“Well after that, Mayor Lucas soon told me and Tee to stop looking for her. I’ve not told Taithin this, but he told me that there are indeed a few women with the same name. Azalea’s ancestor was one of the few women who actually had that name. As for the one that Rachel met, and the few other women are mostly Lana’s Shadows, using the name as cover. The Camilla Frostmane that you met with Taithin is one Lana’s Crimson Shadows. Lucas had said if I spent too long looking for her, I’d reveal her to people who don’t want her around. Most Shadows don’t live long when people are looking for them,” Sammy explained. While Sammy was speaking Elfish for the most part, however she used Vedran words for Crimson and Shadow. Her meaning was clear, Shadows were spies, and the Crimson Shadows where an assassin that went undetected and often used the same tricks as the Shadows.
Acacia sighed, Acacia had learned from experience that good Shadows usually where only seen when they wanted to be seen.
“Given that she claimed to be Sister of the Emerald Iris, I wasn’t expecting Templar Preistess Alyndra Torralei to mention her by name, when she mentioned who sponsored you. Vivian just told me to check with Mayor Lukas, and not to offer the information freely. But he did say that one of the woman going by Camilla Frostmane was trained under one of their Knights. Lucas did say the Camilla Frostmane who saved Taithin back in Reachal had been trained by a Senior Templar Knight from the Emerald Iris sisterhood.
Sammy continued, “She’ll turn up when she needs your help. I am willing to bet she’ll be looking for you. If you’re looking at the same woman from Reachal’s Port Linea, she’ll be able to find you easily. So is true that she pinned Sharise when she got angry? I couldn’t imagine taking on Sharise’s 7 foot of muscle as she charging.”
Acacia silently laughed, as much as the pain in her throat would let her. She nodded soon after a wave of pain hit her. Sharise was big and tall but the 7 foot height was an exaduation, Sharise was just over 6 foot.
“Good, I’d rather like to see you smiling,” She said as she picked up her bag, before she started to dig in her bag, “It would be annoying to getting a frown when I find the gift I have for you.”
Sammy pulled out a few items from her bag, a set of 4 claws (One for each Limb) to be used in climbing and some fist fights, a Medicine box containing some medicines and poisons. Acacia knew the contents changed regularly, some of was that it was consumed, other lost their effectiveness, she occasionally added stuff based on the next job she was to do. Acacia had expected all these within her, she hardly ever seen Sammy without them being to far from her.
The next item Sammy pulled was not one that Acacia recognised, it was cylindrical crystal about 8 inches long, however Sammy quickly stuffed it back in. Acacia had a sneaking suspicion what it could be, but Sammy wasn’t that type of girl, or least wasn’t the type of girl who would pack one. Acacia had regularly experienced that Sammy was pretty talented without one.
The item Sammy was looking for was in a small cloth bag. In the small bag was a small crystal bracelet. Sammy grabbed Acacia’s right hand and slipped it on. As she gave it a rub, it appeared to tighten slightly.
Sammy “It’s a gift from one of Lana’s friends. She really was insistent that I gave you that one. Apparently she said it’s for Lana’s job. I’m not exactly sure how that works as Lana says that the Job will be done tomorrow morning, but that mage had mentioned that you would take at least a few months to do the job.”
Acacia kissed Sammy on her cheek.
“I was babbling wasn’t I?”
Acacia nodded, her hand slipped over the fastenings on Sammy’s Dress. It only took a practised touch for Acacia to loosen the fastening, causing Sammy’s dress to fall away. Acacia felt that she would take advantage of Sammy’s Love nest she had built.
A loud cough came from outside, causing Acacia and Sammy to jump.
Sammy covered the chest, as Acacia opened the tent to see what appear to be a Vedran boy standing outside her tent.
Sammy squealed, “ASHLEY! What are you doing here? It’s not like you really need help with your girlfriend.”
Ashley sighed, “Lana said that you two would be needed before midnight. You two are going on Lana’s Orders.”
“Shiii… I totally forgot about that. We need to get you dressed now, ” Sammy panicked.
Ashley stared in to Acacia’s face, “Samantha, You may want to clean your property first.”
Touching her left cheek, Words that Tabitha said echoed back in Acacia’s ears: “It’s Colosseum rules, all property of an condemned owner must be marked with an identifying mark. Its written in Dareric, I don’t think you are able to read it if you saw it. As property of Samantha, I’d expect her wanting your assistance in a private matter this evening.”
Acacia closed the tent, and looked at Sammy. “I’d like to keep that mark, but Vivian would insist that we get rid of it. But then we should be able to get some Black body paint later, Tabitha was said to be the best Body paint artist in the Peach Gardens. But then I am pretty decent with a brush as well. Mind you, I don’t think it was all her brush work that made her popular.”
Acacia raised her eyebrow.
“Let’s just say, She took advantage of our shared looks and had one of my Ex-girlfriends for supper. Strip down. I’d like to get rid as much blood as I can. I hope most of this isn’t yours.”
Sammy cloth touched Acacia’s right cheek. It was nice and warm. Sammy spoke as she cleaned Acacia’s body, “I didn’t realise that Ash had picked up Dareric. I thought that my sister and I, outside the Darkwater’s Crew, were the only ones could speak it, or at least read it. I seriously doubt she’s 21 this year. It really doesn’t help she still looks like she’s 12 and not started to fill out properly.”
Acacia had to agree with Sammy’s description of Ashley. Ashley appeared to not have grown in the last 8 years when Acacia first met. Ashley hardly talked about herself, she never bothered to correct people when they mistake her for boy. Acacia only found out that she was a girl after a very drunk Sharise pinned a naked Ashley in Acacia’s bed.
As Sammy cleaned her, she could hear Ashley walk away. It sounded like she was talking to Timon and Trey who were still sat at the fire.
When Sammy was finishing cleaning, Acacia leaned to Sammy’s ear, and whispered a question in to Sammy’s ear, “Lana’s Orders?”
Sammy sighed as she pulled out some underwear for Acacia, “I’d love to tell you, but Lana hasn’t really be telling people more than what they need to know. All I know is to take you to another clearing near here and wait for more orders, and after that I only have bits and pieces on what you’ll be doing.”
As Acacia dressed, gave Sammy a good stare. It took a few seconds before Sammy realised that Acacia wanted more information.
“Lana is like Lukas, she left the details for a few things up to us. Keiya had worked out the plan of getting you out. Lana was busy with Mr Kazuki with getting him out. Lana did tell me what you are going to need,” Sammy said as she passed Acacia set of plain clothes.
The pants and work shirt, appeared to have been recently obtained from the tailors, with new cloth. The cut was a little generous than when Acacia was regularly visiting the tailor, but the actual cut was some of the better ones she had seen. Unlike most of her own clothes, this new outfit lacked any decoration. Almost all of Acacia’s outfits had decoration to reflect her Royal Birthright, either being decorated for the sake of decoration, or to show the symbols of her office. It was to very so plain that only a few people could afford a outfit like this but refused to decorated them would be either for someone who’d be changing office soon, or a member of the temple. Lana did say that Acacia may need to hide her identity for a few of Lana’s jobs.
“Yeah, the next job is better if you don’t state who you are. I’d love to go with you, but very few people would forget a Drow elf in hurry where you’re going,” Sammy explained, with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Sammy climb out of the tent, and grabbed two thick coats. As Acacia climbed out the tent, Sammy put on her coat. Her coat was actually gamberson armor. Sammy’s gamberson had a few signs of wear and tear, as she could see were Sammy had repair in the past, there was even a patch taken from one of Acacia’s old ones, as the lion was used to cover the repair of a cut. Sammy passed the the other coat. It was another gamberson, this one was new and lack any wear and tear.
Acacia slipped on the gamberson, while Acacia wasn’t expecting some one to attack her soon. It offer the secondary defence against the cold of the night.
Sammy smiled, “Come on, we need to grab Mr Kazuki, and get you ready for what Lana has planned.