Shanna hoped she wasn't getting them killed.
The Elven soldier led them further into the city, down winding streets between stone buildings. There was little chance that he was trying to confuse them as to their destination, or trying to get them lost. All one need do was look up at the mountain side looming up behind the city to locate North, and yourself. Put that to your back, and you could just keep running until you hit the harbor. Or a cliff.
Shanna tried to remember what she knew about Elves. Not much. The Poles themselves did not seem to know much, at least so it had seemed to her and James. That was, so they surmised, due to the two only recently coming to share a border. Plague, apparently, had devastated a race west of the humans, forcing all to migrate. The Poles had moved into some of the land, although they themselves were still recovering from a plague: the city of Nowy Kiev, at the time of the Elven war, had half the pre-plague population, with some of those having moved out into the farms and villages to avoid death. As for the rest of the newly empty land, the Elven Kingdom had quickly filled it.
An uncertain border, new neighbors... tensions had just built. Then...
Shanna wondered how much the King's stupidity had caused the war. The diary of the late young Prince, their only source of information, was sketchy in the extreme. How much was even true was in doubt. How could a secret affair with the Elven Queen be confirmed, when the King and all in the Royal Chambers were dead? Certainly, Shanna did not think she'd be asking these Elves. That would be a sure way to insure non-peaceful interaction.
The Elf led them around another corner. It was a dead end. To be more exact, the Poles found themselves in a courtyard, a three story stone structure wrapping around the end of the road. It looked... disused. The stone did not exude life the way buildings had closer to the harbor. Did this city, too, only have a fraction of the population it once did? Well, if it had changed hands many times before coming under the sway of the Frogs, that would not be surprising. And, coming herself from a city which had lost half its population over a half century, she knew there need not be anything mysterious about such things.
The Elf did not go to the main entrance. He moved to a stairway cut into the ground before an eastern wall. Shanna held her people at the top as the green skinned soldier knocked on a dark wooden door. She motioned Bogdi close, the others leaning in to hear.
"Stay sharp," she said softly. "Do not draw first, or assume the worst of an action, but be ready if we are betrayed."
"Yes, Lady." Bogdi looked over at the unarmed Kikker woman with them. Without a word, he took a dagger from his belt, offering it. Adanya took the hilt, examining the weapon. Nodding to him, she slipped it into the rope netting which made up her skirt, the blade slipping between and around the ropes. The point, Shanna was glad to see, ended up on the outside.
The cellar door opened, faint light spilling out around a second Elf. He, too, wore armor, of similar design. He was also just as ugly. Shanna would have picked "goblin", perhaps, to name the race. Elves of high fantasy these were not. Piotr, with his amazing hair and oh so fuckable body, was closer to Legolas than these creatures.
Unintelligible words were exchanged. The door guard moved back into the building, their guide turning to Shanna. He motioned for them to follow.
Taking, then releasing, a deep breath, Shanna started down the stairs.
****
An Elven woman.
The creature stood at the far end of a candle lit stone room, yellow flickers doing nothing to change the unreality of what Shanna saw. She understood. Understood why a King had strayed, had thought nothing of risking his kingdom for the lust for a woman.
This was a goddess.
The Elf was young. Not a girl, but not long a teen, if indeed they aged on a human scale. Her features were human, soft, yet perfect like a doll. While the male soldiers she had seen, and now saw standing on either side of this girl, had skin the green of pines, hers was the light green of new grass on a spring day. A white dress did not so much cover, as reveal, baring shoulders, throat, falling loosely not even to her knees. Hair, as red as a sunrise, fell down her back. The eyes... Shanna could not help but stare into those eyes. Black. On the soldiers, Shanna had felt they reflected the blackness of their souls. On this one, though...
Shanna, more unsure than ever, moved farther into the room. The others filed in from the hall, taking their place behind her. The door to the room closed.
Several emotions seemed to cross the Elven stranger. Disgust. Resignation. Surprise. The last still on her face, she leaned forward a bit, eyes fully on Shanna.
"You are not a Polock."
Shanna heard Anelie growl. The others, too, let their anger at this insult flow through them. She sensed the shift in their stances, hands closer to their weapons. The four Elven guards in the room reacted as well, she saw. They moved forward a step.
This was going well. Shanna took a deep breath. She smiled, a smile friends and foes had learned to fear over the years. Her voice was calm, friendly as she spoke.
"Oh, I'm a fucking Polock. Who the hell are you?"
The Elf blinked, straightened. Uncertainty flowed over her young face. Royalty, Shanna thought. This one is Royalty. Or at least a noble. The same vibe she had gotten from the better class of Pole flowed from her. Not the Queen, no. Probably not. A Princess, then. Maybe the one mentioned in the diary. She looked young enough to be mentioned as a future mate to a ten year old...
"I am Catty."
No title. No further description. So, it was to be like that. Shanna renewed her smile, taking a step forward, bowing her head oh so slightly.
"I am Shanna, Dark Hussar, leader of the 1st Cavalry. How may we be of assistance?"
"I wish to travel to the large island east of here."
"Ha!" Bogdi's bark of laughter seemed to break the tension in the room. The Elves glanced at each other uncertainly as the humans relaxed, chuckling. Shanna gave her friend a half rebuking glance. He shrugged, axe loose in his hands. Shaking her head, she looked back at the mystery Elf.
"I apologize, Lady Catty. As you can tell, that may be a problem. The island is currently occupied by Humans, and friendly and noble Kikker." Shanna turned to give a larger bow to Adanya. She returned it, amphibian eyes amused. "And, as you may have heard, Elves and Humans are not on the best of terms at the moment."
"Which is why we have waited here, instead of simply booking passage. We require an escort. I must get to the island."
"Why?"
The Elf glanced at her guards, then to a door to her left.
"It is important."
Shanna let out a disgusted snort.
"So is my time. Your men disturbed me in the middle of a good fuck with my man. I don't take kindly to that. So, you will tell me why the hell you want to go to the heart of the new Polish Kingdom, or we go back to our hotel so I can see if I can get one more fuck out of Piotr."
"I'm good for it," her lover said, voice amused. A disgusted snort seemed to come from the direction of Anelie. Shanna ignored it.
"So. I'll ask again. Why should I bring you, and I assume your armed escort, to Nowy Warsaw, and risk the people rising up to demand the King publicly hang you for what happened to their homeland?"
"Sneak us in," Catty told her, eyes looking for the first time like those of a young teen. "Please. I... I know it will be hard. I know what I'm asking. But we must go there. I must meet the King..." She frowned. "Although, Spirits know, I do not want to meet..."
Uncertainty passed over her face. Catty glanced at one of her men, but spoke to Shanna.
"You have a NEW King, right? One of the Princes? Or is it still King Lawenza? There are so many rumors..."
Shanna's eyes widened.
The Elf didn't know.
That could be good, or bad. Probably bad, knowing the way the universe worked.
"Why do you wish to meet King James the 1st?"
"King James..." The Elf swung her full attention back to her, black eyes wide. Shanna could clearly see the small white circles in the middle of those dark orbs. "Not the young Prince? Or the elder?"
"Dead," Shanna said. "King. Queen. Princes. Dead, on the eve of the war."
The teen seemed to shake. Her eyes went to the ground, but they stared at nothing.
"Oh. So, that... Mother, how could..."
"We blame the Elves, naturally," Shanna went on. "You understand why. So, again..."
The loud crack of wood being smashed jolted her. She whirled. The door to the basement hallway stood closed, intact. Another crack came, her mind, now focused, placing it somewhere beyond the door. She heard yelling. Fighting. Shanna drew her sword, the sound of her friends and companions doing likewise filling the room.
The door burst open.
It was the uniforms which saved the Elf woman's life. The armor. Elven soldiers poured into the room, red chain mail cladding their chests. On the hallway floor behind them, Shanna could make out a dead elf, clad in leather armor identical to that worn by the four guards around Catty. So, the humans had not been betrayed. This had nothing to do with them. The soldiers wanted the woman.
Well. That was not going to happen.
"Push them back!" Bogdi roared. He charged forward, battle axe swinging. Shanna found herself near the wall as her men spread out. There was too much room. Not knowing how many of the blasted Elves there were, it was possible the humans could be surrounded. They had to gain control of the door, fight them as they tried to enter.
Then they had to get the hell out of there.
A soldier came at her, shield raised. Shanna's own shield was back home, doing her a hell of a lot of good. As the green creature's sword came down at her, she shot in close, hand raising up to grab his wrist. Even as his shield pushed forward to knock her back, her own sword swung low, under it. She felt steel hit leg. The soldier let go a grunt of pain, leg buckling. Unthinking, the training of months driving her every move, she struck again, keeping her sword under and behind his shield even as her left hand and arm struggled to keep hold of his stronger sword arm.
Another hit, where she had no idea. His legs buckled, sword falling from his hand. Stepping forward, her blade shot into his head as it hit the ground.
She had killed someone.
No time. No time for that now. No time to consider the death she had dealt, the life ended by her blade. Shanna kept her eyes up as she pulled her blade loose. Kept her gaze on the still living enemy. Her men were pushing back the Elves. Four other bodies lay on the ground, all green. Taking a moment, Shanna knelt, grabbing the fallen Elf's shield. She tested the weight. Good enough. With a roar of her own, she jumped forward, pushing the battle line closer to the door.
****
Helmut was dead.
Her friend and companion lay on the cold stone floor, one human among a sea of green monsters. Shanna had not seen him fall. Did not even know of his loss until a horn somewhere else in the building called the Elves into retreat.
She had killed.
She had lost a friend.
Jacek pulled a final Elven body into the room, out of the doorway. Lewy shut the door, its latch now broken, slamming down the wooden locking bar which had not been used before. His gaze fell on Shanna.
"We need to get out of here, Lady."
"Agreed." Shanna took a deep breath, grip on her new shield tightening even as she sheathed her sword. Home. She needed to get them home.
"Sit still!"
Shanna looked over at Anelie, kneeling beside her brother as he leaned against the far wall. His shirt sleeve was ripped open, a red gash on his upper left arm bleeding. The medic kit Shanna had insisted every soldier carry was on the ground beside her. Shanna watched as the girl opened a pouch, squeezing honey onto the wound as Bogdi took a swig of something alcoholic with his remaining arm. Adanya knelt with them, white bandages in her webbed hands ready to be applied.
"How are you, Bogdi?" Shanna asked. He swallowed, lowering the canteen.
"I'll live. I've had worse."
"Good." Taking another deep breath, Shanna turned to the remaining Elves.
The girl had not moved during the fight. Her four guards stayed arrayed in front of her, swords and shields still at the ready. Shanna walked towards them.
"OK. Enough bullshit. Civil war, whatever, don't care. I need to know two things. One, how do we get out of this building and into the streets, where we have room to run and get the attention of city guards. Two, why you need to see the King. One without the other does you no good."
The woman said nothing. Shanna let out a disgusted snort.
"Fine. Jacek! Strip the bodies. Find something to wrap Helmut. As soon as Bogdi can stand, we fight our way out!"
"Wait!"
The Elf Catty almost ran forward, slipping between two of her men. Shanna stood her ground as the girl came before her. Again, the sheer beauty of this creature radiated at her. Shanna was damned glad she had no lesbian tendencies, or there'd be no resisting the girl. Shanna raised her eyebrows at her.
"Well?"
The girl, a half head shorter than Shanna's five and a half feet, looked up at her. Her black eyes were wide.
"My sister."
****
Shanna followed the girl into the next room. It was small, with no other doorway. This idiot had hid herself and her sister in rooms with one entrance. Sure, it was secure, but only too easy to blockade. Was there no experienced officer among her companions? On the opposite side of the room lay a cot. On it...
The Elven woman was more beautiful than the sister. Older, with blue hair spilling over the thin mattress. A thin blanket covered her sleeping form. Shanna stood by the doorway as Catty walked to the woman's side, a slim hand touching her sister's forehead.
"She's hurt. I can not cure her. I do not know the spells. We could not find the spell book. Jaka... Jaka said we had to go to the island. We were going there when she was hurt. I do not know why, just that we have to." She turned to Shanna. "Please. Take us. We can not go home. Those four, wonderful guards are all who are still loyal. Please. Save my sister."
"Where is the Elf Queen?"
"Mother is dead." Catty's eyes closed. "My sister is Queen. If she dies, I will be Queen. Queen of four soldiers."
"Your guards will be disarmed as soon as we get to a ship. Agreed?"
"Yes." Catty's eyes met hers. "You have my word. We will do all that you say." She paused. A sad, wry smile touched her lips. "Within reason."
"And with that addition," Shanna said, "I believe you." She turned, walking back into the other room. Her soldiers came to a casual, proud attention.
"OK, men, here's the deal. We're taking them with us. There's an injured woman back there, and the Elves can carry her, and poor Helmut, when we break out."
"What's the plan for that?" Piotr asked. "We don't know how far they pulled back."
"I will find out." Catty came up behind Shanna. She smiled slightly. "I have magic, but it is limited. And tiring."
"Do it."
"Open the door," the Elf told Lewy, "and stand back."
He gave Shanna a questioning glance. She nodded. Lewy nodded back, turning to the door and raising the bar.
"Ready?"
Shanna saw Bogdi struggling to his feet, Anelie and Adanya half supporting him. The four Elven guards entered, two carrying the ends of the Queen's cot while the others moved past Shanna. Without a word, they picked up the now blanket covered body of Helmut. Catty raised her hands before her.
"Open it."
Lewy swung the door open, jumping back. The girl's hands made intricate movements before her, soft unintelligible whispers coming from her mouth. A light appeared in the air. Faint, not quite a sphere. It was all Shanna could do to stand her ground next to her. Magic. Real magic. Elves and frogs were one thing, but this! Catty's hands pushed forward. The ball of light shot towards the door. As it entered the hallway beyond, it split, going both left and right.
There was a pause.
A scream.
"That was from the exit," Jacek said. Shanna nodded.
"Lead the way!"
****
Two limp forms lay in the open doorway leading outside. One was the guard who had let the humans in. The other was one of the attackers. His eyes were open. He could be dead, or stunned. As they ran past and up the stairs, the tips of a few swords found purchase in his skin. Petty, but Shanna said nothing. She just stomped on his wrist.
A half dozen Elves in red chain mail stood in the center of the courtyard, dazed. The spell obviously had run out of steam, perhaps as it expanded in the open air. The humans fell on the soldiers, swiftly cutting them down. Piotr dropped down next to one, hands searching.
"This one's an officer." He stood a moment later. "No message pouch." He looked at Shanna. "Let's go."
****
Nobody stopped them as they made their way through deserted streets. This did not comfort Shanna. She liked guards. Security. What kind of city allowed armed bands to roam its streets? One, she considered, which had decided so long as things stayed quiet, there was no point making a fuss. Battle in the streets? Yes, crack down on that. Murder in a home? Well, if only foreigners are involved, let it go.
Either that, or they were just lucky that night.
They stopped at the inn, settled their debts, collected the few things left behind in haste. Shanna liked the place. Hoped to return, some day. A proper holiday.
****
The fishing vessel was in the process of casting off from the dock as they approached. Shanna could not help but chuckle.
"See, Piotr? If we had stopped for a piss break, the ship would have been gone!"
"Well, I can't wait any longer." Turning, the teen faced the side of the dock, away from everyone, undoing his fly. Shanna shook her head.
"And I love you, why?"
"Because I'm great," he replied.
"Right. You keep thinking that." Shanna watched as Helmut, and the unconscious Queen, were carried onto the ship. Kikker sailors, wary eyes on the Elves, took their burdens. She turned to Catty.
"OK. Last chance. I promise nothing, not even your safety, once you board this ship."
"I know."
"OK, then. Let's go.”