The Mist and the Lightning. Part II

"Now you look like him" he said nodding at Nikto. "Just as disfigured."

Orel tensed.

"Yes, I was tired of being the only one ugly among you," Nikto agreed. "I decided that Orel would keep me company."

"I don't doubt," Lis looked at him darkly. "Who's next?"

"Squint-Eye doesn't suit, Tol and Enriki are wounded. So, it's you."

Lis lowered his eyes.

"What will you do to me, if it is not a secret?"

"It's not a secret," Nikto bared his teeth. "I'll cut off your tongue."

Orel laughed.

"Ni-i-ik, but why?"

"Because he talks too much."

"You're shit," Lis said, "I'm not afraid of you."

Nikto walked around Orel's armchair and stood there, leaning with his elbows on its back; his eyes sparkled impishly.

Lis looked at him, smirked. "You think you're cool, huh?"

Nikto leaned to Orel, hugging him around the back of the chair. "Lis, enough, I know you're just jealous of me."

Orel laughed, pressing his cheek to Nikto's. "Lis, is it true?"

"What? Do you believe the bullshit he says?"

"He is jealous and envious," Nikto said. "That's why he is angry."

"Cool!" Orel looked at Lis with interest, waiting for his reaction.

"Envy you?" Lis snorted. "That's something! You're nothing, you just pretend being tough but you really are an empty place!"

"Really?"

Lis laughed. "Exactly. I think you have nothing I should envy."

"And I think I do," Nikto said.

He moved away from Orel and standing behind his back for Orel not to see what he was doing he showed Lis his finger with the royal ring on it.

Lis's face flushed, he got up, turned away. Asa who watched this scene laughed. She was dressed and smoked now leaning against Tol's legs; Tol slept, full of medicines.

"Nikto is an animal," she said. "Lis, come to me, I'll pity you."

"Fuck off!" Lis snapped.

He came up to a little table and grabbed a statuette from it, threw it at the wall. It shattered into small pieces.

Orel clapped his palms. "Well done, Lis! You've amused me!"

"Glad to hear," Lis said through the clenched teeth. He returned to his corner. Asa said something.

"What does she say?" Orel asked.

"She says we behave worse than the Unclean," Nikto said.

"Tell her to shut up!" Orel said and poured more wine. "Why don't you translate?"

"She has learned this phrase."

"Enriki is wounded, Tol is wounded, Asa is wounded, you're wounded," Lis shook his head. "I think we're in trouble."

"It is not so bad. I, Tol and Asa will be okay tomorrow. You, Nik and Squint-Eye are fine."

"Squint-Eye is not here, maybe, something happened to him."

Orel didn't answer looking down.

Asa lay down next to Tol and hugged him closing her eyes. It was quiet in the room. They sat like that for an hour, everyone submerged in their thoughts. At last Lis raised his head.

"It's getting lighter," he said, "we'll need to go to the camp soon. Squint-Eye is not here yet."

Nikto got up. "I need a shot." He took his bag and walked to Orel's bedroom.

"Check how Enriki's doing," Orel said.

"All right."

Nikto left, and just a minute later they heard a soft knock on the door.

"Who's there?" Lis jumped up.

"Lis, it's me, Squint-Eye."

Lis quickly opened the door letting Squint-Eye in. He nearly ran in, his face was anxious.

"Arel, you're here! What happened?"

"What do you think?" Orel asked in an icy voice.

Squint-Eye looked around, saw Tol and Asa sleeping together on the sofa.

"Asa is here, too," he said getting even paler and tensing. "Bey?"

"Where have you been?"

"Arel, I… I was fulfilling the order… in the Upper City, you know…"

"You're losing qualification," Orel said. "For you to spend so much time for one lousy order – don't feed me this shit, Squint-Eye!" Orel's only eye glared.

Nikto returned to the room.

"Enriki is delirious," he said, "but I think he'll survive."

"Did you hear?" Orel said to Squint-Eye. "Pray gods for him to survive!"

"Arel, look, his clothes are all wet," Lis said looking at Squint-Eye. "Did you fall into the river?"

Squint-Eye grabbed his head convulsively as if trying to cover it from their stares. His black hair parted in the middle clung to his cheeks. Lis took his wrist roughly, turned his hand towards Orel.

"Look," he said. There were a few fresh scratches on Squint-Eye's arm.

"I scratched myself by accident," Squint-Eye said in a trembling voice. He looked at Nikto fearfully who met his gaze but said nothing.

"Do you believe him, Arel?" Lis said.

"No," Orel was turning a cigarette pack in his hands.

"Orel, for gods' sake, forgive me! I'll pay!" Squint-Eye was shaking.

"Of course," Orel tossed the pack away. "You let us down and it's your luck I need you now or I'd strangle you with my own hands. And for now, Lis, take him to the dungeon, to the post."

"No!" Squint-Eye screamed. "No!"

Asa woke up with his voice and sat in bed.

"No, not the post! I cannot stay in a locked room! Anything but that!" Squint-Eye fell on the floor. Lis pulled him by his cloak.

"Get up, enough of this comedy."

"No!" submitting to him, Squint-Eye got up. "I don't want back to the cell, to the dungeon!" His face distorted, he was shivering. "I'd better die than go to prison again!" He pushed Lis away trying to take out his knives.

Nikto was faster than him. He rushed to Squint-Eye and quickly twisted his arms back. Squint-Eye screamed. Lis pulled the knives from the sheathes on his belt and tossed them on the table.

"That's better," he punched Squint-Eye in his belly a few times. Squint-Eye bent down wheezing. Nikto didn't let him go. Lis turned to Orel.

"More? Or enough?"

Orel got up, walked up to Squint-Eye, grasped his head in his palms turning Squint-Eye's pale face upwards.

"Stop with your madness. Do you hear me?"

"Don't touch me!" Squint-Eye jerked trying to free his arms but only hurt himself worse. "Make the Unclean let me go!" He tried to turn to Nikto.

Nikto twisted his arms even more; his joints cracked. Squint-Eye shrieked in pain.

"What are you doing, Nik?" Orel asked half-surprised, half-frightened.

"He wants to break his arms off!" Lis laughed. "Go on, don't restrict yourself!"

Nikto pushed Squint-Eye away, letting him go. He cursed in Unclean.

Squint-Eye fell on the floor, his arms didn't obey him. He curled in a ball on the floor not looking at them. Orel knelt next to him. "Bert, where have you been?"

"I fulfilled the order," Squint-Eye sobbed. "Then I decided to take a swim."

"Dressed," Lis added. Squint-Eye looked at him askance, sniffed.

"Do you know that Bey attacked us while you were taking a swim?" Orel said in a calm, icy voice. "We fought without you. Enriki nearly died. Do you know why? Because you were not there to help him. He led both his and your soldiers. And Bey has flair about such things. He understood at once Enriki was alone. He sent Edin Ol to attack. Enriki was unhorsed, he was wounded, horses stomped on him. There was no one to stand by him."

"But I didn't know! Everything was quiet! You stayed in your castle, they went for a routine check, I went to fulfill an order in the Upper City," Squint-Eye swallowed hard. "Who could know Bey would attack!"

"You had to know Bey could attack any moment! You always have to be on guard, wait and be ready! You cannot do anything else," Orel squeezed his shoulders. "You cannot do whatever you want. You cannot go for a swim or wherever you've been. You don't have such a possibility. Do you understand me? You have to be here, with us, do only what I order, and as soon as you do it, you have to come back at once, for another order, and then again and again. You're not free, you're on the team!"

Squint-Eye raised his eyes at Orel.

"Am I a slave?"

"Yes, if you want that, you are a slave. If you like it this way. If you feel like a slave, it's your choice!" Orel turned to Lis. "Lis, do you feel like a slave in our team?"

"Of course, I don't!" Lis snorted looking at Squint-Eye with contempt.

"You see, Bertran Dallen, you're the one to blame in your unenviable position!" Orel continued. "You couldn't make others take you into consideration. There was time when you were one of the best! Everyone loved and respected you! I loved you too! Huh, Bert, do you remember?" Orel talked quietly, almost tenderly. "You were brave and fierce, everyone was afraid of you. And your face wasn't grey like now, your eyes were not red and swollen, always bruised. Your hair," he touched Squint-Eye's dark hair, cut jaggedly, "your hair was long. You were a real warrior. I was proud you were with me."

Squint-Eye covered his face. "Orel, shut up, it was a long time ago! And I don't care! I don't even want to recall it, I became different."

"Why? Bert, why?" Orel moved closer to him, took his scratched hand. Squint-Eye shuddered, yanking his fingers away from Orel convulsively.

"Don't! Don't call me by my name! Everyone knows here my name is Squint-Eye! My name is Squint-Eye! Squint-Eye! Squint-Eye!"

Lis looked at him in disgust.

"Why are you treating him like a child, Arel? Don't you see he became a complete nonentity?"

Squint-Eye glanced at Lis furiously.

"I hate you so much, Lis! I would cut your throat a long time ago, if Orel didn't love you. It's your luck I respect Orel and don't want to hurt his feelings!"

"Ooh, just listen to him!" Lis sat back in his place at the table, shook his head. "How scary! I'm so frightened!"

Orel laughed.

"Really, Bert, you are insane."

"You can never kill me," Lis said smirking, "because I'm much smarter than you. I'm clever and you're a real loser!"

He laughed wickedly showing his teeth filed like a saw jags – horrible, savage teeth that didn't suit his intelligent face. He kicked Squint-Eye's side. Squint-Eye bore it silently, his just lowered his head and his hair hid his face, haggard with illness.

"You're an ass," Lis said, "good for nothing. I wonder how you still manage to fulfill orders."

"I don't want any more," Squint-Eye whispered. "I don't want to fulfill any more orders."

"Of course!" Lis snorted. "It takes effort. It's much easier to inject yourself some shit and then cut yourself."

"Lis, enough," Orel ordered. "Bert – well, Squint-Eye, if it is easier for you… pull yourself together at last. You angered me a lot but I've already calmed down because you're really pathetic. Your fits became too frequent, you become unbearable, you become a burden for all of us."

Squint-Eye raised his gaze at him.

"So, what are you waiting for? Kill me!"

He pushed his short, unruly hair away from his face, raised his head proudly, one of his eyes looked at Orel bravely. His pale lips were compressed stubbornly. He was beautiful at this moment, somehow calm and peaceful. Despite everything, he was a warrior, dark, wicked and strong.

Orel shook his head.

"I can't kill you, we've been together for too long. We were together since the very beginning. You did a lot to restore our square."

"Gods damn your square," Squint-Eye growled, "my whole life went to hell because I had bad luck to be born in your territory! Where is everyone who helped you to assert your power? Where are they? Long rotting in your castle cemetery! I want to join them. If you can't kill me, tell Lis."

"No," Orel shook his head.

"Then him," Squint-Eye pointed at Nikto.

"Maybe, her?" Lis looked at Asa, then at Squint-Eye.

"Fuck you! Do you want to humiliate me even when killing!" Squint-Eye screamed.

"No one is going to kill you," Orel said. "Forget about it and try to pull yourself together. I'll talk to Nik, maybe, he will care to help you, and you'll quit that shit."

"Nik?" Squint-Eye smiled. "What a beautiful name he has now, I would never think Nikto and Nik is the same."

"Shut up," there were steely notes in Orel's voice.

"I don't want him to help me," Squint-Eye said, "I don't want anyone to help me!"

"You will try to get up yourself, right?" Orel asked. "You will try hard."

"No, I don't want to, I don't see any sense in it," Squint-Eye cracked his knuckles nervously. "Do you see any sense in this endless war? Tell me!"

"Sense?" Orel thought for a moment. "I like it, I like fighting. I enjoy it, I can't imagine my life without war, without risk. Why should I look for sense in enjoyment? I entertain myself, so, the rest doesn't matter."

Squint-Eye shook his head.

"No, it's not an answer. I could have accepted such an answer from Tol but not from you. I wouldn't even ask Tol, it is clear about him. But you, Arel, I expected a different answer, I thought you were smarter."

"Do you hear?" Lis asked. "He thinks you're a fool."

"Fine," Orel said in irritation, "don't add fuel to the fire. I would like to punish Squint-Eye but I see it won't change anything – he punishes himself, and cruelly. Bert, promise me you'll stop abusing yourself, stop mutilating your body and raping your mind. It's enough. I beg you, stop killing yourself!"

Squint-Eye didn't answer.

"Fine, if you're tired of everything and you want to die, do it with dignity! Like a warrior! Not like a street wench. Die fighting! For us to bury you with honor." Orel paused. "At night we'll start attacking and you will have a chance to make your wish come true," he said at last, got up and walked away from Squint-Eye.

Squint-Eye stayed sitting on the floor; he leaned against the massive leg of the table tiredly. His hair, cut in an ugly way, hung pathetically framing his pale face; in the front thick black strands reached only to his chin now. He shook his head, touched the remnants of his previously gorgeous long hair.

"You regret your hair," Orel noticed his gesture. "How could you disfigure yourself like that?"

"I'm sick," Squint-Eye said quietly. "Orel, I'm so sick."

"You need to restore yourself, not to destroy," Orel poured some wine. "Go to your room and stay in bed. We're going without you now."

Squint-Eye looked at him frightened.

"Hey, don't look at me like this! Don't try anything stupid, clear?"

"We cannot leave him like that," Lis said. "He'll stay alone and who knows what'll come to his mind. He'll start cutting himself again."

"What do you suggest?" Orel lit another cigarette.

"I think we should tie him to the leg of the table and Asa will look after him until we come back."

Orel smiled. "Hm, why not. Do you have cuffs for him?"

Lis took out the cuffs, tossed them to Orel. Orel came up to Squint-Eye.

"Give me your hands, my friend, and no shit."

Squint-Eye, without looking up, put his arms behind his back and let Orel chain him to the table leg.

Lis leaned to him.

"So, now we won't need to worry about our mad dog."

Squint-Eye turned away.

"Why are you turning your nose away?" Lis laughed. He took Squint-Eye's chin and tried to turn his face towards himself. Squint-Eye backed away from Lis.

"Why are you resisting, look at me! You, shitty suicidal!"

Squint-Eye jerked back sharply trying to get up and move away from Lis but only hit the back of his head against the table. Everyone laughed.

"Lis, stop picking on him," Orel said laughing. "Time to go."

He got up, took his mask from the table and put it on hiding his bandaged face. Lis and Nikto followed his example covering their faces.

"Tell Asa not to hurt our boy," Orel said to Nikto.

Nikto passed his words to Asa. She just cursed in reply, as usual. They left locking the door behind them.

Orel, Nikto and Lis come to the military camp.

Orel has a meeting with commanders. He discusses the present situation with them and plans their further actions.

Since Enriki won't be able to participate in battles in the nearest future, Orel decides to dismiss his detachment that is left without its commander.

But the commoner in command of the detachment, Enriki's right-hand man – Dick Nedwill – convinces him to postpone this decision. He assures Orel that he will manage to command and lead them. Orel gives him a chance.

Orel's troops plan to start the attack. Orel is risking a lot but his soldiers believe in him, they don't doubt their master's strength and power. Mercenaries also believe in the strength and power but not those of the prince – but of the one they think their true master. The all need those rich territories in the southern part of the city.

Tol, Asa and Squint-Eye join them.

Thanks to a clever attack plan made by Lis who took into consideration all the weak points of the enemy's defense and all the characteristics of the location, the vanguard detachment consisting of the best Orel's soldiers and mercenaries make an unprecedented at its bravery dash into Black Bey's rear catching him off guard.

Bey's main forces are located at the borders with Orel's territories. He calls for some troops from the borders to help his weak and scanty detachments in the rear.

It gives Orel the opportunity to break through Bey's impregnable defense at the border and advance. Lis's and Tol's detachments close the ring from the west, the detachments of Squint-Eye and Dick do the same from the east. Bey is surrounded. He flees. His streets are conquered.

Despite his initial wish, Squint-Eye couldn't let his enemies kill him.

They have won.

Chapter 5

In the Garden

They sat in Orel's garden resting and watched the city that spread below. Enriki, very pale, with his arm bandaged and his eyes dim with medicines and pain was sitting in the armchair.

Near to him, hugging each other tenderly, Tol and his faithful Asa were sitting. Tol hadn't removed his sign of mourning for her and the paint was slowly fading by itself. Now a half of his face was dirty grey but it didn't bother him at all. His wounds had practically healed and he was quite perky. The same thing couldn't be said about Asa: she, on the contrary, looked very tired. It was one of the rare cases when she was in a dress – a beautiful black dress with exquisite embroidering. In her hair made into a high hairdo there was a wonderful adornment given to her by Lis. But her face was haggard, her eyes sunken; expensive things made for noble ladies didn't suit her. They just increased the contrast between the luxury of her outfit and her exhausted face with irregular, rough features; it was an attractive face but still a face of a commoner and a half-blood. The sparkling of the jewelry didn't suit her misted eyes; Asa looked ridiculous in this outfit.

Slightly away from the others Squint-Eye sat right on the ground. He leaned with his back against the edge of a broken fountain; his head was hanging over his chest, a forgotten cigarette smoked in his fingers.

Nikto sat on his cloak spread on the ground; his cane he never parted with during last time lay nearby. Lis occupied one of the armchairs. He looked thoughtfully at the twilight covering distant mountain peaks and watchtowers in the east.

Orel walked towards them from the castle.

"So, why are you sitting here as if you're sick?" he said coming up to them. His face painted light grey seemed lifeless in the dusk.

"The weather is good," Lis said, "and the summer is over soon."

Orel sat down on the grass and looked at the city with his good eye.

"My sisters liked to sit here, my mother said," he took out a bottle from the pocket of his jacket, opened it with his teeth and made a few gulps.

"Why don't you order to repair the fountain?" Enriki asked looking at the bulky marble sculpture surrounded by rotting water.

Orel glanced at the fountain.

"When I was little, there were fishes in it," he said.

"Cool!" Tol exclaimed. He almost lay down on the ground and pulled Asa with him.

"So, what about your servants?" Lis yawned.

"Aah, as always – dumb like shit," Orel laughed. "By the way," he turned to Enriki, "your Coal pleasantly surprised me, he is a good warrior and commander, you're lucky to have him. What's his real name?"

"Dick son of Nedwill, Dick Nedwill but everyone calls him Coal."

"Why Coal?"

"He has this name since his childhood. He told me. He was born in the east. One day the Red attacked his village, killed everyone and burned everything. He was just a boy; he managed to hide in the basement and took his little sister with him. Their house was burning but they didn't come out, they just stayed there. When the Black came and started cleaning out the ruins, they found him. They didn't think he'd survive, he was badly burnt, so, they called him Coal."

"And what about his sister?" Tol asked.

"It is even more interesting about her. Three days later he came round and could explain them there was also his sister in the basement. They found her – she was alive and not burnt but her hair was completely grey. Since then they never part. She plays in my sister's theater."

"Is she beautiful?"

"She is pretty, a commoner cannot be beautiful."

"Why didn't we see her before?" Orel asked.

"Did you want to? Are you interested in theater, Orel?"

"Well, I'd like to see her playing."

"Fine, I'll tell Mily."

"I liked her brother, you can't say he was burnt looking at him. He looks good and his hair is long. Why do you let him have such long hair, like a nobleman?"

Enriki shrugged.

"So what, he still is a commoner and he is short."

"Why are all commoners short," Tol asked, "but Lis and Nikto are as tall as you?"

"First of all, they are half-bloods," Orel said. "Besides, Lis's father was not a commoner and Nik doesn't even know who his parents were."

"Anyway, Nikto and Lis are shorter than we are," Enriki added.

"Yes, Lis is the shortest," Tol said.

"I'm not much shorter!" Lis said starting getting nervous.

"Much shorter than me!" Tol said.

"I don't even mention you, you're abnormally tall, like your trees!"

"You are a tree yourself!"

"Fine, don't start! Let's go back to the castle." Orel got up abruptly and grabbed his damaged eye hissing in pain.

"Easy, you fool," Lis laughed.

"You're a fool! Let's go to the castle!"

"What shall we do in your castle?"

"What are you doing here? Watching the mountains?"

"Let us rest."

"Shit, you're crazy," Orel hobbled to the castle.

"Arel, stay with us!" Tol shouted at him.

"Fuck you," Orel didn't even glance back.

"Now he's going to drink himself senseless," Lis said, "and fell from the stairs."

Everyone laughed.

For a while they say silent.

"Fuck, I'm so tired," Squint-Eye said at last. "I'm tired of this shitty castle and its owner."

"We all are tired," Lis said.

"Except Orel," Squint-Eye said. "He is never tired."

Asa asked Lis something in Unclean. He answered.

"What are you talking about?" Tol asked.

"She asked what we said," Lis explained. "I told her we're tired."

Tol looked at Nikto seeking confirmation to Lis's words. Nikto nodded at his questioning stare. Lis smirked but didn't say anything.

"Ask her what she thinks about us," Squint-Eye said.

Lis laughed. "As if she'd say," but translated.

Asa said something.

"She says we're the worst of anyone she's seen, except for Tol, that is."

"Hey, you can't say that about my friends!"

"Come on, Tol, she's right," Squint-Eye said. "At least I won't argue with her."

"But it's bullshit! Don't listen to her! We're the best!"

"Yeah," Squint-Eye drawled and they laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Tol was exasperated a great deal. "Didn't we beat up Bey? A little more and we'll crush him!"

"Yes, Tol, it's cool," Squint-Eye said calmly. "We beat up Bey, we're tough…"

"Aren't we?"

"Yes, Tol, yes, calm down."

"Enriki, aren't we? Why are you silent?" Tol started looking for support.

"I don't have anything to say, Tol. My arm hurts."

At these words of Enriki Nikto turned to him, he seemed to feel like saying something but then changed his mind and turned away.

"What do you want?" Enriki asked.

"I don't like your arm."

"What do you mean?" Enriki got pale. "Explain please, since you have started."

"I'm not sure, I saw it for the last time a long time ago, when you were unconscious. But I don't like what I see now. Your fingers are black, Edin Ol's horse stomped on them so hard that it couldn't be improved, infection will spread from them further. Do you know what I mean?"