The Queen's Blade Prequel I - Conash: Dead Son (17 page)

“I meant your
dagger.”

“Oh.” Conash's
cheeks grew warm, and he drew one of his daggers and held it out,
hilt first. Eshrin took it and turned it to admire it.

“It is
beautiful.”

He shrugged and
wiped his brow on his sleeve. “It's a dagger.”

“It is still
beautiful.” She handed it back and gazed him again with
disconcerting intensity. “As are you.”

He frowned.
“Men aren't beautiful. That's for girls.”

“You are a
youth, not yet a man, and you are beautiful, Conash. You have a
fascinating face.”

“And you're
very bold.”

“I am, I know.
My father berates me for it often.”

He glanced at
her. “You're butterfly kin, aren't you?”

“How did you
know?”

“They have the
reputation of being empty-headed.”

“You think me
foolish?”

“For admiring
me, yes.”

Eshrin looked
sad, and shook her head. “Butterfly kin are also known for seeing
the good in people. There is much good in you.”

“You're wrong
again.”

“You are filled
with anger. It overflows you. You are Bereft, and cat kin. I feel
sorrow for you.”

“I don't need
it, or want it.”

She nodded. “I
know, but still, I feel it. I want to help you.”

Conash started
when she leant closer and took his hand. He wanted to yank it away,
but allowed her to hold it. Her touch was soft and warm, gentle in
a profound manner that reminded him of his mother. She studied his
hand, caressing it.

“You have
beautiful hands, too, like a woman's. Slim and fine.”

“I'm not a
damned woman.”

“I know, of
course, but still. It is rare to find a man with such nice hands.
Most are big and rough. Have you noticed?”

He shrugged,
wishing his hands were big and rough. “I suppose so. Mine will grow
big and rough too, in time.”

“I do not think
so. You are almost full grown, I think.” Eshrin smiled and stroked
his palm, tracing the scar across it. “Have you killed anyone
yet?”

He glanced at
her, startled. “Why do you ask?”

“I wish to
know.”

“Why?”

“I am
curious.”

Conash tried to
tug his hand free. “It's none of your business.”

“So you
have.”

“I didn't say
that.”

“Nor did you
deny it. If you were innocent, you would have said so.”

He jerked his
hand from her grip. “You should leave.”

“Why?”

“I have work to
do.”

“Dancing with
rocks.”

“Yes.”

“Conash!”
Talon's shout made the boy leap to his feet.

The elder
strode towards him, his brows knotted, his eyes on the girl, who
rose to stand beside Conash. Talon stabbed a rude finger at
her.

“You! Bugger
off!”

“But sir -”

“I said bugger
off, right now!”

Eshrin cast a
sad glance at Conash, then skipped away into the forest. A bright
blue butterfly followed her, dancing on the air. Talon stopped
beside Conash and glared at the girl, his scowl growing fearsome
when she turned and waved before vanishing amongst the trees.
Conash gazed after her with a mixture of regret and relief. Talon
turned to him.

“What in
Damnation do you think you're doing, talking to her kind?”

“What,
butterfly kin?”

“No, you idiot.
She's a seductress!”

“A what?”

Talon ran a
hand over his hair and sighed. “All right, you didn't know.”

“Know
what?”

“She's a damned
whore, you stupid boy.”

Conash shook
his head. “She talks like a gentlewoman.”

“Yes, they do
sometimes. She may well be gently born, but she's still a whore.
Egad, boy, didn't you think she was a bit bold?”

“I suppose so.
She seemed so innocent, though.”

“She's one of
the high-class whores, I'll wager. She probably lives with the
troupe of travelling entertainers that are camping in the woods
over there.”

Conash gazed at
the trees where the girl had vanished, puzzled by Talon's attitude.
“So why did you chase her away? She wasn't doing any harm.”

“Not yet, but
she will, if you let her.” Talon tried to put a hand on the boy's
shoulder, but he stepped back. “Listen to me. She's trouble, so
chase her away next time. She'll be back, mark my words.”

“She seemed to
like me.”

Talon studied
him. “And you found that strange? My God, you're a fool. Of course
she liked you.”

“Why would
she?”

The elder
hesitated, looking pensive. “She's butterfly kin.”

“Right.”

“Come, it's
time to go home.”

The following
day, Eshrin returned when Conash had almost finished his practice,
and settled on the leaves. When he put down the rocks and walked
over, she smiled and patted the ground beside her. He hesitated,
then sat a short distance away, as before. Again she moved closer
and put a hand on his knee. He stared at it, unnerved by her bold
attentions but unsure of what to do about it.

“How are you,
Conash?”

“Well
enough.”

“Your mentor is
rude.”

He shot her a
quick glance. “He says you're a whore.”

She gasped,
snatching her hand away. “I am not! I am the daughter of a
gentleman. Our house is yonder, past the trees.”

“He told me to
chase you away.”

“But you did
not.” She smiled, replacing her hand on his knee. “I am glad. I
hope we can be friends.”

“Assassins
don't have friends.”

“But you are
only an apprentice.”

“Even so...”
The boy glanced around, sensing someone watching him.

“Do you not
want a friend?” she asked. “I enjoy your company.”

“Not really.
I've managed well enough until now.”

“You are a
strange boy. Everyone wants friends.”

The hair on
Conash's nape prickled, and he glanced around again. “Did you bring
someone with you this time?”

“No. Why would
I do that?”

“Someone's
watching us.”

“Nonsense. Who
would do such a thing? Conash...” She shifted her hand to his
chest, distracting him. “You are not paying attention to me. I want
to speak to you.”

“About
what?”

“Many things. I
really like you.”

“You don't know
me.”

She sighed and
pouted. “Why would you reject my friendship so harshly? You must be
lonely, dancing here all alone every day. We could have great fun
together, you and I.”

“Doing
what?”

“Many things.
We could walk in the woods together and hold hands. Would you like
that?”

He shrugged. “I
don't know.”

“How can you
not know? Do you not like girls?”

“Of course I
do.”

She leant
closer. “Would you like to kiss me?” She closed her eyes and
puckered her lips.

Conash
recoiled. “Uh, no, not particularly.”

Her eyes sprang
open and widened. “Why not?”

“I've never...
I don't know how.”

“I can teach
you. Would you like that?”

“Um... no.”

Eshrin gazed at
him, tugging at his sleeve. “You are too shy. Come closer.”

He frowned. “I
don't want to.”

“Why not?”

“I just
don't.”

“But I do. You
will enjoy it, I promise. Come, kiss me.”

Eshrin's hand
crept up his arm to his neck and clasped it as she leant forward,
licking her lips. He turned his face away, fighting an urge to leap
up and run. He did not want to appear a coward, but the thought of
her wet lips touching his revolted him. She gripped his hair with
surprising strength and flung herself down, pulling him with
her.

Surprised, he
was forced to catch himself with a hand on the far side of her to
prevent himself from rolling on top of her. She gripped his hair
and dragged him closer while he was unbalanced, and, before he
could jerk free and leap up, she let out an ear-splitting scream.
Conash leapt away, finding himself on his feet without remembering
how he got there so fast. Eshrin writhed and shrieked, and he
looked around in confusion when two men stepped from the trees.
They ran at him, and he backed away, his hands seeking the daggers
in his belt. Although he had little experience at using them, he
knew enough now, he was certain, to deal with two roughnecks. The
men looked like noblemen, however, their clothes fine and their
faces clean-shaven.

One man helped
the girl to her feet, and she sagged against him, sobbing. The man
who approached Conash stopped, eyeing him.

“What did you
do to her, boy?” he demanded.

“Nothing.”

Eshrin
shrieked, “He tried to ravish me!”

Conash gaped at
her, then scowled. “That's a lie!”

“We saw you on
top of her,” the man said.

“I wasn't...
She wanted me to kiss her!”

“As if I would
do such a thing!” Eshrin cried.

“We will let
the Watch decide,” the man said. “But from what we saw, she is
telling the truth.”

“She's
lying!”

“That is for
the judge to decide... unless...”

“Unless
what?”

“Tell your
master we will not press charges if he pays damages.”

Conash shook
his head. “What damages? I didn't touch her!”

“That is not
what she claims. Rape is a serious charge, son. It would be better
if your master paid the damages. He would not want his apprentice
to go to prison, would he?”

“I doubt he
would care.”

“That's where
you'd be wrong,” a familiar voice said behind Conash.

He swung
around. Talon sauntered out of the forest, scowling. The men looked
uneasy when he stopped beside Conash.

“I also saw
what happened, and he's telling the truth.”

“It's your word
against ours, and there are more of us,” the man said, his high
born speech slipping. “Pay us ten goldens and we go away.”

“I'm not paying
you anything,” Talon retorted. “You're liars and tricksters from
that bunch of travelling charlatans.”

“You can't
prove that. The Watch will believe us.”

“And you can't
prove that he touched her.”

The man smiled.
“Yes we can. Show him.”

Eshrin pushed
up her sleeves and tugged down her bodice, displaying a collection
of fresh, reddish bruises. Conash glanced at Talon, shaking his
head.

The elder said,
“So, you know your tricks well. Doubtless a healer will find other
traces of ravishment.”

The man looked
smug. “Yes, he will. Ten goldens to make it go away, elder.”

“No. You've
wasted your time and efforts, though doubtless you enjoyed them. If
you take the boy to the Watch, you'll be a laughing stock.”

“How so?” The
man eyed Conash.

“Because he can
prove that he didn't touch her.”

“How?”

Talon turned to
Conash, looking sad. “He's incapable of it.”

“He looks like
a strapping lad to me,” the man said.

“Look closer.
Do you see a beard on his cheeks?”

The man
shrugged. “So, he shaves.”

“No, he
doesn't.”

“What are you
saying? Even if he's only fourteen, he's still capable -”

“He's a
eunuch,” Talon snapped.

The man frowned
and Eshrin gasped. Conash glared at the ground, his face burning
with humiliation. He longed to refute Talon's claim, but knew that
if he did he would go to prison unless a healer examined him, and
that would be even more humiliating.

“So say you!”
the man exclaimed.

“You want to
see the proof?” Talon demanded.

Conash shot him
a horrified glance, shaking his head. “I won't -”

“Be quiet,
boy!”

The trickster
looked uncertain, and studied Conash.

“Take him to a
healer if you don't believe me,” Talon recommended. “He'll tell you
that the boy isn't capable of what you accuse him. He's sixteen,
and he doesn't shave. The Cotti captured him at the Rout of
Ashtolon when he was twelve, and castrated him. He spent four years
as their slave, but if you want to make him suffer more -”

The man raised
his hands, shaking his head. “All right. We don't.”

Eshrin
sniffled, gazing at Conash with sad, puzzled eyes. The men led her
away, casting pitying glances at the boy. When the forest had
swallowed them, Talon turned to him.

“I had to tell
them. It was the only way. I told you to chase her away.”

“I didn't know
what was going to happen. Why didn't you tell me?”

“Would you have
believed me?”

Conash glared
at his mentor. “You had no right to tell them! It isn't even
true!”

“It is, and you
know it. Even if it's not, and I hope you're right, it got rid of
them, didn't it?”

“Why did they
believe it?”

Talon sighed.
“Because once it's pointed out, it's obvious even to those who
can't see it straight away. It took me a couple of moons to realise
it, but that's partly because you're so young.”

“How am I
different?”

“Well, the lack
of a beard, for one thing. Your voice, for another, is a little too
high, although that's not a definite sign.” He hesitated. “Your
features are a little too refined. The rest is hard to describe,
and it's not that obvious unless you know.”

Conash shook
his head. “I... When I get older...”

“Listen to me,
Conash. You can use this to your advantage. You can affect a
flawless female disguise, and become an extraordinary assassin. Men
don't suspect women; they're not usually killers. This could be
your greatest asset.”

“I won't dress
like a bloody girl. Ever!”

“All right.
It's just an idea.” Talon gestured. “Come, let's go home. You've
practiced enough for today.”

“Why were you
here?”

“I suspected
what she was planning, and lay in wait. It's a good thing I did,
too, or I'd be down at the Watch office now, telling them your
secret.”