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Anathema, Enemies and Others.	By : Proofreader-1962 Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 1738 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights of the Exlated RPG setting, comics nor novels and make no money from writing this story. Though if well received here I may attempt to convince White Wolf to Publish for profit. In which case this would have to be deleted.

Chapter List
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5 Talon Dawidu Korinsu
“She’s just a child, Melaine!” I whispered, “She exalted less than a season ago! She never trained to be a warrior until two months ago! I’m going to peel a wide strip of skin off someone.   She’s nowhere near ready to be on a battle field—despite her skill with that oversized Daiklaive!” I continued as I strode away from the tents towards Emplacement Two. “She’s not even been raised as a soldier! Her parents are orchard keepers! When she exalted, they gave her money and told her to go to Lookshy! They won’t be paying any ransom for her, because they don’t have the money to do so.”
“I don’t understand, Master,” Melaine said, busting into the middle of my tirade—as she often did, “you said she was a very skilled warrior, that she dispatched almost an entire scale of our troops. She sounds like a formidable warrior to me!”
I stopped to consider what Melaine said and to factor in the new information I had just received form Kari. I looked back to her tent. “She taught herself all of her skill with that Daiklaive in the past two months—that would explain her bizarre fighting style—she invented it by trial and error and practice. My Gods! She’s a prodigy! Melaine, she’s only thirteen years old! She will need nurses to help her through the next few days and a confidant to help her through the next few weeks. See to that, will you? I’ll proceed with the assumption I can find someone who will pay her ransom.”
“And if no one will pay her ransom, Master Sky?” Melaine asked me with that annoying half smile she wears whenever I find a problem that I had not anticipated.
“Go tend to the Baby Dragon, Melain! I need to think!” Melaine’s smile grew as she turned away from me. I lightly swatted her bottom as she left, “Saucy wench!” I whispered at her. She laughed and sauntered away from me. I looked towards the Baby Dragon’s Tent while I chewed the thought at the back of my mind. I saw Melaine grab Laissa’s arm in passing and speak to her briefly before continuing into Kari’s tent before deciding that my thoughts were premature. “See if the City or someone else will pay her ransom, before planning too far ahead. Don’t buy trouble you don’t need!” I thought to myself and changed directions to check on the other Dragon-Blooded captive, “Hopefully, he’ll present fewer problems.”
He was unconscious, which definitely reduced the numbers of problems he presented.   “Let’s see if the collar’s control can reach into the unconscious mind,” I thought.
“Wake up!” Seeing his eyes snap open was instructive. On a hunch I commanded, “Go to sleep!” which he did immediately. “Wake up, be silent, do not move, until I give you leave to do either,” I started the script for the standing orders that I had decided to implement to protect me and mine from the danger that holding hostages of the Dragon-Bloodeds’ power presented.
“Don’t panic and listen to what I’m saying. You’re wearing an artifact slave collar attuned to myself. You cannot disobey any order I give you while you’re wear it. I’m sure you are remembering everything the Immaculate Faith has told you about ‘Anathema.’ Set that aside. I want you to form you own opinion of me based on what you observe of me. For the protection of my troops, engineers and servants, I’m going to give you some standing orders that you will obey as long as you wear that collar,” I pointed to the slim metal band about his throat, “Listen closely and remember these orders:
First, when you speak to me you will always tell me the truth. You will not attempt to deceive me by supplying partial answers or withholding information.
Second, you will take no actions to harm myself, my servants, my soldiers, or my interests.
Third, you will not allow harm to come to myself, my servants, my soldiers or my interests by inaction when you could prevent that harm
Fourth, you will take no actions to end your own life or allow yourself to be killed though inaction, unless you are obeying my direct order.
You may now speak to answer my questions. What is your name?”
“Talon Dawidu Korinsu of Great Forks."
“I am Captain Clear Dusk Sky. ‘Talon?’ you only led a half-Scale of attackers against Emplacement Three. Where were the rest of your troops? “
“I left most of my soldiers in the city. General Tzin thought our raid on your trebuchets had no chance of success, but we had to try, or you’re going to breach our wall in three weeks, four at the most.”
“It will be closer to four than three, now that you’ve destroyed one of my Engines and damaged another. Congratulations, by the way, your attack was well planned, but undermanned. If you had brought your entire Talon on the raid you may have had a complete success. Was it your idea to split a Scale of troops for the assault on the two central Engines?”
“No, the General wouldn’t allow more men on the raid. He insisted that the men would be better held back to defend the walls. Aka Dao and I wanted to bring two Talons, Kari, he and I to assault all four Engines at once.”
“Well, General Tzin’s conservatism cost him a scale of soldiers and you, your freedom.   You’ll be a few days healing up. You caught a several arbalest bolts and lot of crossbow bolts. One was perilously close to your heart. Fortunately, we have some excellent physicians. You’ll live to be ransomed and fight again. And on that subject, who should we contact about your ransom?”
“Captain Sky, I’m able to ransom myself, if you are willing to take gold and gems for a standard Talon’s ransom as payment; otherwise you will need to contact my family in Great Forks,” Talon Dawidu replied.
“I’d prefer Jade, but gold and gems will do. Where will your ransom come from and who do we contact to arrange delivery,” I said.
“Talon Aka Dao, He’s in Oxbow, Sir.”
“Then I only have one question left to ask you Talon Dawidu. Will you give me your oath of parole freely and honor it, if I remove the collar form your neck?” I activated my Caste Mark so he could tell I was one of what most people termed an “Anathema.”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he quickly nodded and replied, “Yes, Sir.”
I released my attunement to the collar and removed it; then said, “I will take your parole now, Talon Dawidu.”
“Will the standard oath do?” I nodded and he continued, ”Then, I, Talon Dawidu Korinsu of Great Forks swear that I will not raise arms against the soldiers of Captain Clear Dusk Sky, nor his servants, nor his allies until my ransom is paid. Nor will I attempt escape from Captain Clear Dusk Sky, nor leave the quarters he supplies me until my ransom be paid.” He smiled as he finished his oath.
“On that subject, you will remain here until you are fully healed. Then you will have leave to wander within the Enginers Camp with Scale Kari.”
“Sir, you captured Scale Kari too?”
“Yes, she’s in better health than you are at the moment and is in her own tent next to mine.”
Talon Dawidu’s smile grew broader, “I’m glad she lived. She is much younger and inexperienced than one might suspect, especially if you judge her by her skill with a Daiklaive!”
“So, You know she’s only thirteen years old?”
Talon Dawidu gasped and blushed, “That young!? I thought she was sixteen, or maybe fifteen. I . . . She really wasn’t ready for . . .” his blush deepened.
“Something I should know about, Talon Dawidu?”
“No, Captain Sky, I don’t think . . . so.”
“Well, then get some sleep. In the morning, think about how you intend to apologize to a thirteen year old girl for whatever you did that I don’t need to know about.”
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Anathema, Enemies and Others.