As the recruits moved in quickly, trying to overwhelm the man, the whole situation seemed to revert to chaos. In a matter of a few seconds, all of the recruits were tossed to the ground, leaving the blindfolded man standing alone. Wynn chuckled a bit to himself as Tiet removed his blindfold and beckoned his students to their feet. Wynn could not hear the instructions given at that point, but soon the recruits disbanded to other exercises in the courtyard.
Tiet raised his blindfold again and replaced it over his eyes. Wynn noticed a flash of light as something caught the sun between Tiet and himself. Something whispered on the wind and kissed the railing of the balcony next to his right hand. Wynn saw a unarmed spicor disc lodged there.
He looked back at Tiet, still blindfolded but curling his index finger in the air toward Wynn. He smiled then stood waiting. Wynn dropped to the courtyard below as Tiet leaped at him. Wynn caught Tiet’s foot and sent a fist to the groin, but Tiet’s other leg had already come up and over to catch Wynn in the side of the head. Wynn stumbled as he let go of Tiet’s foot, but quickly regained his composure. Tiet was standing ready. He liked training with his new mentor.
Wynn smiled back at the younger man and began to think, maybe, he had taught him too well in recent months. They exchanged a quick moment of fists and kicks with neither man landing a blow with advantage. Tiet was still smiling behind his blindfold.
“I’ve come to urge you to speak with the Council,” Wynn said.
Tiet’s smile disappeared. He was never pleased when this subject came up. It often had, since the Council had pressed for leadership in the months following the battle at Baeth Periege.
“We’ve been over this before,” he said. “I am not the man to lead these people, Wynn.”
Wynn could sense that this hardness was not as deep as Tiet was trying to make it appear. They exchanged several more blows with Wynn the more playful now. He noticed that all the commotion on the courtyard had ceased. Nearly all of the recruits in the area were focused on the sparring between the two Barudii.
“You’ve become very powerful in recent months. Far more than when we first met,” Wynn said.
“All thanks to your training, I’m sure.”
“Would you be up to a wager with an old man?” Wynn asked.
Tiet smiled again and raised his blindfold. “Wynn, if you’re trying to get me to-”
“Of course if you doubt your ability to knock me to the ground in hand-to-hand combat, I suppose I understand.”
“And if I do?”
“Then I won’t bother you with the matter again.”
Now Tiet was intrigued. “Do you really mean it, Wynn?”
“I do.”
That was the last word he needed. Tiet launched an intensely fast barrage of fists and feet at Wynn. He managed to block them all, but with difficulty. The younger man had the age advantage and he was powerful. If this kind of attack continued, Tiet might wear him down.
Tiet was younger, but Wynn had decades of specialized training. He deliberately faltered and Tiet took the bait. He landed a strong blow to Wynn’s face. The elder man stumbled and went to one knee. Tiet approached. “Looks like you’re about to lose this one, Wynn,” he boasted.
“That’s too bad. Do you think Orin and Dorian would be proud of your lack of resolve to assume your rightful place?” he asked with mocking tone.
Tiet’s countenance flashed through surprise and then anger. He lunged. The elder man took the opportunity and rose to meet him with a knee to the stomach: three consecutive quick blows that knocked the wind out of him. He followed the ambush with a backhand to the side of the head that sent Tiet to the ground gasping for breath.
He looked up at his mentor, who was smiling at him again. He remembered the old lesson to refrain from anger in battle as it can foil one’s concentration.
“You tricked me,” he coughed out.
“My dear young king, it was only for your own good and ours.”
Wynn offered Tiet a hand, helping him to stand again. The pride and anger were gone, replaced with the knowledge that Wynn would never let the issue die.
“The Council meets tonight at dusk. Don’t be late.”
Wynn smiled and turned away to leave the courtyard and its stunned audience who began to whisper about the outcome. Tiet looked after the elder man. He had been foolish to have been baited so easily. It was so important to Wynn, this matter of the throne. Tiet did not understand why, but a promise was still a promise.
He heard a slow clapping coming from behind him and looked to see its source. Ranul was sitting under the shade of the balcony overhead clapping, sarcastically, with a sly grin on his face.
“Yes, yes-very funny,” Tiet said as he turned to gather up his sparring equipment from the ground.
Ranul got up and walked over to him. The soldiers were renewing their training on the grounds, pairing up as they prepared for the days to come when the Baruk would almost certainly attack.
“Now don’t be mad, young master. After all, Wynn means well. The people do need a leader and you are the natural choice. I’m sure Orin would have agreed.”
Tiet turned to look at him. “Well, I don’t know about that. Orin tended to be very protective of me and a bit critical.”
“Maybe, but he cared a great deal for you. And whether you realize it or not, he was quite proud of you.”
“How do you know that?”
“I knew Orin very well back before the Vorn came. It was written all over him. He treated you like the son he never had. He would have wanted you to take your rightful place as King.”
Tiet looked at him, not sure how to answer. He was rubbing his stomach. Wynn had really laid into him.
“You should get over to the medical complex and have my daughter take a look.”
Tiet smiled. “I’m not really hurt, Ranul. He just knocked the wind out of me.”
“It’s still worth a visit, just to see Mirah. Haven’t you two been talking recently?”
“A little, but…”
“But what? She’s a nice girl, Tiet…”
“I know.”
“And she’s moving up now that she’s completed her medical training. You’re going to have to think about taking a wife someday.”
Tiet looked at the donjarr on his wrist. He had still not removed it after losing Dorian. “You’re a bit direct aren’t you Ranul?”
“I don’t mean to push Tiet, but you have to go on with your life. Dorian is gone and Orin is gone-you have to assume your responsibilities for your own good and the good of those around you.”
“I just don’t want to fail everyone like I failed them.”
“You didn’t fail them. You fought back against those who had enslaved our people and you won. I owe a debt to you I can’t repay in giving me back my daughter. If you hadn’t been set on freeing us from the Vorn, she would have died in that prison cell along with the children they had captive with her. She was able to go on with her residency work and now she’s turning into a fine physician. You haven’t failed.”
Tiet thought about it for a moment. His words were kind, but they cut him to the heart. He felt unsure of himself, yet convicted by the need to serve the people.
“I had better get going, Ranul. I’ve got to get ready for this meeting if I’m going to keep my promise.”
He shook Ranul’s hand and started to walk away from the courtyard.”
“Tiet, don’t forget. If you get a chance, go by and see Mirah. She really would like to see you. You know, she was very complimentary of the man that freed her from prison.”
He laughed under his breath as he continued to walk away. “Subtle, Ranul, very subtle.”
Governor Tal tapped the communication panel to end the transmission to his ship. He was onboard the flagship of the Baruk space fleet. He had assured his wife of his safe arrival. It was time for his meeting with Lord Lucin. He was quite anxious about the meeting. Since their rendezvous with the Baruk battle convoy months ago, he had not been given much information.
The Baruk were far too secretive for his own tastes. After all, the Vorn military and the Baruk were supposed
