Haven: Chronicles of Warshard (25 page)

CHAPTER 27

M
ore than a week had passed and their training
continued.

“Lady Haven, you need to use the curve of your blades,” Drakkone would tell
her.

“Defend with your swords like you would a shield,” Aura would chime
in.

“If you want to fight like a southerner, you need to use your emotions, Haven,” Nina added while on her
breaks.

Time and time again they threw new information at her. They taught her how to block, how to press on, and how to swing both blades together in rapid succession. The lot of it was exhausting, but every swing exhilarated her. A crowd always gathered to watch her fight, whether it be against Drakkone, Aura, or one of the other southerners. They all drove her on and on, not allowing her a moment’s rest. It made her limbs weak and her body sore by nightfall, but in the end, her weeks of training were worth it. More than ever, she felt ready to face Kadia, even if her teachers hardly thought her
ready.

“I am using my emotions,” Haven said between blocking one of Drakkone’s blows, and simultaneously stabbing forward at his abdomen. The large man easily turned away, while knocking one of her swords aside and swinging at her in a wide arc. Haven hopped back to avoid the blow, but lost her grip on her
sword.

“Lady Haven, you aren’t using your instincts,” he sighed, pausing their fight for another lesson. Nina scurried over to Haven’s fallen sword and handed it back to
her.

“Thank you,” Haven said. “What am I doing
wrong?”

“You aren’t
angry.”

“Yes I am,” she
argued.

“No, you are
not.”

“Lady Haven,” Aura stepped forward. “The way we fight in tribes, we use our feelings. We put our soul into the way we
fight.”

“You need to use your emotions to focus your strength. Until you do you won’t be embracing our way of fighting,” Drakkone said. “I know you have a lot of anger in you Haven, use
it.”

Haven sighed, raising her swords again. Drakkone did the
same.

Again, they launched into it. Drakkone came at her much like Aura, movements controlled, powerful, and somewhat savage. The difference, she had begun to realize, was this emotional way of fighting they all tried to make her learn. While Aura fought in a rage, using her emotions heavily to her advantage, spitting and hissing like a snake, Drakkone was much more controlled. Only the dark look in his eyes told her of the beast that lay hidden behind his mask of composure. Haven tried to be angry; she tried to think of Kadia, of the former slaves of Seaburn, anything to make her skill improve. It was a difficult task when she also had to concentrate on blocking and dodging. Drakkone and Aura were fast and precise. Their way of fighting was completely unlike that of the six kingdoms. Even after a week, she had a hard time thinking about anything but stopping their barrage of
attacks.

“You aren’t angry,” Drakkone said while he aimed another swing at her
torso.

Haven dodged at the last minute and stabbed back at his side. Drakkone blocked and spun before using his left sword to attack. “I’m trying,” she spat, ducking low and cutting her blade up towards
him.

“You shouldn’t need to try so hard. Just feel it. Think about what has happened to you.” Drakkone swatted her blade with his own, turning from her attack and bringing his blade down on her. Haven rolled away just in time, springing to her feet only a moment before his sword struck
her.

“I can’t think when you move so quickly,” Haven hissed, blocking his blade with her
own.

“Then let me help you,” Drakkone pushed back on her blade, moving her to the edge of the crowd, who parted around them. Drakkone leaped at her and brought his sword down on something wooden, just as Haven leaped out of the way. “Think of what that woman has done to you. Think about
Kadia.”

Haven swung at Drakkone, who blocked and swung back. “I
am.”

“Think about all she’s
done.”

“I am!” Haven growled, dodging and slicing back with more aggression this time. Drakkone’s sword met hers before he spun and swung again. Haven jumped onto a nearby ledge to get out of the way before leaping down on him. Drakkone dodged
easily.

“Think about what she’s done to your kingdoms, to your family.” Drakkone still came at her and as Haven’s blood pressure increased, she fought back harder. Images of her mother beaten and bloody at her feet sprung to mind. “She’s the reason your parents are dead isn’t she? Your brothers
too.”

“She’s the reason for all of this,” Haven
hissed.

“You can’t see your sister, your only remaining blood, because of her, isn’t that
right?”

“Yes,” Haven’s sword collided with Drakkone’s and she pushed hard against
it.

“That’s right, and how does that make you
feel?”

Haven didn’t say a word, only twisted from their locked swords and swung her blade at his abdomen. Drakkone once again dodged, much to her growing
frustration.

“It makes you angry doesn’t it? Not only has she ruined your family, but she’s the reason you came to Seaburn. She’s the reason your kingdoms are lying in ruin.” Haven spun and their swords crashed together. Drakkone pushed hers
away.

“Kadia is the reason you have to fight this hard. Without her influence, you wouldn’t need to fight to stop it from ever happening
again.”

Haven stepped back from Drakkone’s next hit and plunged her sword at his shoulder. Just when she thought she’d land a hit, Drakkone turned and swatted one of her swords from her hand. It clanged to the ground. Using his weight, he pushed the young queen into the mast of the ship. Haven’s body tingled with adrenaline. Her palms were sweaty and she nearly bared her teeth at Drakkone. A torrent was building inside her
chest.

“If that all wasn’t enough, don’t you remember what she did to
you?”

Haven’s breath caught in her throat. She tried not to let the fear come to the surface; she tried not to think about that room, those knives, that water slowly drowning her. Most of all she tried not to remember that look of sick fascination on Kadia’s face as she tortured
her.

“Of course, I remember,” she said, her eyes locking with
his.

Drakkone leaned back, which gave Haven the chance to put a leg in between them and kick him away. While his balance was off Haven took a moment to collect herself and grab her fallen sword. It was probably a foolish move, because she’d barely picked it up when she was rolling away to dodge Drakkone’s blade
again.

“If you remember, then fight like you
do!”

Haven swiped at him, but Drakkone blocked her shot. “I am!” she shouted, frustration boiling inside
her.

“You aren’t. I need you to remember, Haven.” Drakkone slammed the side of her sword with his own, nearly ripping it away again. He pushed on and drove the other blade at her
stomach.

Reacting quickly, Haven moved just out of reach and pulled her swords back. But Drakkone wouldn’t give her time to collect herself again; he came at her in a flurry of
blades.

“What did she do to you?” he snapped. All of her concentration went into blocking, dodging and returning his hits. “She ruined your family, your kingdoms, and then she took you from your friends. She took you and kept you in that room. She strapped you to a table and tortured
you.”

Haven nearly blanched and let one of his blades through her barricade. She blocked just in time and angrily struck back at him. Nina had to have told him. “Be quiet,” Haven hissed. She didn’t want to hear this. She
couldn’t.

“She tortured you Haven. She stuck you with knives, stabbed you, cut you, burned you and even threatened to cut off your limbs,” Drakkone continued. This time Haven swung harder, pushed him back and went on the
offensive.

“Shut
up
!” she snapped, something deep and primal burning inside
her.

“When that wasn’t enough to satisfy her, she let her men drag you across the floor and drown you, just to see if you would live through it.” Haven drove her sword at him again and again. She wanted to scream at him, she wanted to hurt him; she wanted to make him stop. “Not only did she physically torture you, but she kept you in that castle for weeks. She threatened you, your people, your friends, and then stripped you naked and knocked you out. She used her powers on you to predict her own
demise.”

Drakkone pushed back, but Haven’s fury was growing to an all-time high. She wasn’t thinking about his safety anymore and she definitely wasn’t thinking of her
own.

“
Shut
up
!” she screamed at
him.

“If all that wasn’t enough, the worst of it was when she sent that man to impregnate you. She didn’t want you anymore, just your power. She wanted a child of her own.
Your
child to fill the void you would leave. She sent him to rape you, and finally you had to fight
back.”

Haven had had enough. Pushing back harder than she had yet, Haven spun and swung, time and time again, pushing her opponent off balance. Once he was off balance she spun hard in a way Aura had shown her and kicked him straight in the chest. Drakkone toppled to the ground, just as she let out a battle cry and lunged at him. Dropping one of her swords, she took the remaining in both of her hands and leaped on top of
him.

“Haven!” someone
screamed.

It brought her out of her rage. Haven pulled up just in time. Instead of stabbing her sword through his body, she drove it into the deck, inches from his ear. Chest heaving and covered in sweat, Haven stared in shock at Drakkone, who stared back at her, equally surprised. Haven thought about what she had just done. She’d never been so angry in her life. If someone hadn’t interrupted, she might have just killed her friend. Fear gripped her heart in its jagged talons. Her whole body shook. She released her sword and quickly sat back. Silence fell all around them. Haven held her hand to her mouth, disbelief flooding through her in waves. Drakkone had aired her story to everyone. She remembered every word, every moment. Everyone knew what had gone on in Kadia’s castle, and what was worse, it brought out an uncontrolled rage. If she could hone this strength this power her anger gave her, she could truly be
dangerous.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, shakily coming to her
feet.

Those around her finally moved to life. A hand gently touched her elbow, but she ripped her arm
away.

“I’m sorry,” she said again, turning from her opponent and the crowd. Only then did she catch Corrin’s eye. He stood at the stairs by the hall to her chambers. Haven quickly dropped her gaze and hurried passed, trying to forget the look of shock all around
her.

“Lady Haven?” a soft knock echoed from the
door.

Upon returning to her chambers, Haven locked her door and buried herself in the soft silk bedding. At first it had been comforting, but as reality slowly crept in Haven realized she couldn’t hide from herself any more than she could hide from her
friends.

“Yes?” she
sighed.

“May we come
in?”

Haven ecognized the voice of her personal guard, as well as the soft whispers of the others beyond the door. “If you
must.”

There was a short pause, more whispers, and then a click as the door unlocked. Her three guard girls piled inside and carefully shut the door behind them. For the first time they hesitated. They knew only bits and pieces of her ordeal, but because they were present for the fight, they were finally privy to exactly what had happened in Kadia’s castle. Not only that, but in the telling of it she had nearly killed one of their friends in a practice fight. Haven wasn’t sure what she thought of herself anymore, let alone what these girls thought of their
queen.

Lareina sat on the sheets next to her and Haven watched the storm brewing in her closest friend’s eyes. She sat in silence for a moment before she leaned forward and wrapped Haven tightly in her arms. Before Haven could speak, two other sets of arms surrounded her, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. The young queen smiled and held fast to her friends. Even though she felt herself a monster, they still comforted
her.

“We didn’t know it was that bad,” Blythe whispered against her
hair.

Haven smiled and blinked back the forming tears. They all sat back and looked at one another. “We don’t need to talk about it,” Haven
said.

“But do you want to?” Lareina took her hand. “You’ve been holding onto this alone for so
long.”

“You can talk to us about anything,” Malka settled in by the
backboard.

“I know,” Haven looked at each of them in turn. “But I’m not ready to get into the details
yet.”

“We’re here when you’re ready,” Lareina
smiled.

“I know you are.” Haven paused. “I think there’s something I need to
do.”

Her guards exchanged a look with each
other.

“We’ll come with you,” Lareina
said.

“It’s not a bring-your-guards-along kind of thing,” Haven
laughed.

“It doesn’t have to do with Corrin, does it?” Malka raised a knowing
eyebrow.

Haven bit her lip and
shrugged.

“Are you certain?” Blythe
asked.

“You don’t have to talk to him yet. Especially after what’s happened.” Lareina squeezed her
fingers.