Soldiers of the Eye and Ear Read online

SOLDIERS OF THE EYE AND EAR

  by

  Shawn O’Toole

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  PUBLISHED BY:

  Cover Art Illustrated by:

  Shawn O’Toole

  Soldiers of the Eye and Ear

  Copyright © Shawn O’Toole 2013

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this story, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Your support and respect for the property of this author is much appreciated.

  This story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

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  SOLDIERS OF THE EYE AND EAR

  *****

  Chapter 1

  “Surprises”

  Elves are a race untouched by age, illness, blemish or imperfection. They are the wisest, most graceful and most beautiful of all sentient flesh. For all their glory, however, they were not without woe or strife. War was their bane, as it was for all races. Neither time, nor plague nor even mishap ever killed an elf. The hands of an enemy, however, could and often did.

  The elves of the Uncanny Court sought to vanquish those of the Blessed Court. Armies arose and slew many. Spies and assassins lurked and crept about, dealing dark and murderous deeds in the name of the righteousness of their cause.

  The greater fays are the paragons of their kind; the leaders and heroes. They tower over all other elves, not only in stature, but in strength, skill and wisdom. Still, though powerful magicians and mighty warriors, they were few in number.

  The adolescent sprites and childlike pixies are the Little People of their race. Though small and weak, they were vast in number. The sprites, the bigger and stronger of the Little People, swelled the ranks of the elfin armies. They were the foot soldiers. Their multitudes were the raw might of whatever cause they served.

  A sprite, whether male or female, is a small, willowy, beautiful creature. Clever though silly, brave though fickle and spry though weak, they are surprisingly formidable. Though only half the weight of a man, they are thrice as nimble. Light on their feet and true when they strike, sprites made for a fine soldiery.

  Her golden hair was pulled back and fastened into a bun. Her slanted eyes were bright green and her skin fair and hairless. She wore a green, snug, sleeveless shirt that covered her crotch but left her long, willowy limbs and firm, shapely buttocks completely bare. She wore a leather corslet over her body shirt and leather boots and bracers. She was armed with a spear-sword: a two-edged short sword; nearly half the length of which was handgrip. This nymph was a high elf, a sprite and a soldier in the Royal Army of the Blessed Court.

  The nymph snapped to attention as her lady and a retinue of sprite witches and wizards approached.

  “Hello, Cathleen,” Lady Nayola smiled. The greater nymph towered head-and-shoulders taller than those with her and the armed guard before her.

  “Milady,” Cathleen, the sentry, gave a nod.

  Lady Nayola continued on, her entourage smiling and some of them waving as they passed.

  Cathleen was again alone, standing watch with no one to see or to talk to. She could hear Eelith and Tammee chattering nearby, but they were too far away to listen to. Cathleen was bored... until seized in a headlock! She felt and heard her neck snap.

  Gledriss the Dark Elf, greater fay and Lady of Assassins, lowered the little guard to the ground. She looked about and listened, hearing only faint chatter. She continued after her quarry: Nayola the Enchantress.

  The tall dark elf watched as the tall high elf and her entourage of littler ones entered an edifice. There was no door here; only an archway. The Lady of Assassins waited as her quarry disappeared into the building. Two sword-girls guarded the entrance... until Gledriss pounced and killed them!

  Entering the edifice, she stopped, looked up and about and listened. She could hear faint voices coming from above. One of them was that of a greater nymph. Gledriss followed it.

  “We shall not accompany our lady to Fay Dendria,” a guard said to the one with her. “The wood elves shall be her protectors.”

  “Good. It is against my will to leave this city to live in the wild.”

  “We shall remain guards of these grounds and a gray elf shall be our lady.”

  “A gray elf?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who?”

  “I do not know.”

  “I hope she is not as strict as gray elves are reputed to be.”

  “Fret not, for our duty is what it is. Nought shall likely change for us.”

  “Hey!” the one glimpsed movement.

  Nearby: A guard heard thumping, grunts and groans... then silence. Going to investigate, she squeaked and cringed as a dark, towering form lunged at her!

 

  Lady Nayola sat with her sprite disciples and told them, “I shall go to Fay Dendria to live with the wood elves, not to visit them. There shall be no books nor houses nor shall any wear clothes. My way shall be the simple way of the wild. Be mindful of this should you choose to join me.”

  “Nayola,” one wondered aloud, “shall you ever return?”

  “I do not know. Take heed: Where I shall go is a secret, holy place to the wood elves. All may join me but none may visit me. Whosoever joins me forsakes the right to leave. All of you, return to me three days hence and tell me your choice. Go now, and peace be with you.”

  Each of the lesser fays hugged and kissed the greater and she hugged and kissed them. “I shall go with you,” some of them chose.

  “No,” she refused them. “You must ponder what is best for you.”

  All but one of them, little Kimberlee, then left the greater fay. The remaining lesser asked, “Why must you live among the wood elves?”

  “As I have told you: the Good Mothers of the wood elves have asked me to do so.”

  “Yes, but why? I know you are troubled: I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. Please tell me why!”

  Nayola cuddled little Kimberlee, kissed her then said, “They see and feel a terrible omen and wish to protect me.”

  “What omen?”

  “Darkness. They see and feel a cold darkness coming for me.”

  “Do they know what it is?”

  “No. None can see in true darkness, but they see the darkness itself. Mother Deep-Root, the greatest of their hamadryads, shall take me to a sacred place where the evil cannot find me.”

  “To her Tree of Communion?”

  “Never ask about that.”

  “The dark elves know about the trees of the hamadryads.”

  “The enemy need not know more than they already do.”

  “I shall not be speaking with dark elves!”

  “The ears of the False Queen are ever listening.”

  “Nayola, if you leave us, you shall miss us.”

  “Yes.”

  Kimberlee sobbed, “I shall surely go with you! Please do not refuse me!” She wept and embraced Lady Nayola.

  “Kimberlee, my love, I want what is best for you.”

  “I want to be with you!”

  Nayola caressed the littler nymph’s cheek and wiped away a tear. “So be it: you shall be with me, then.”

  “Thank you.”

  Nayola giggled, “I am selfishly glad you shall b
e with me.”

  Kimberlee was surprised when Lady Nayola gasped as if startled. The lesser nymph grunted at feeling something sharp punch into her back!

  “Kimberlee!” was Lady Nayola’s last word before Gledriss the Dark Elf, Lady of Assassins, cut her down.

  Twaylee was a foot soldier in the Royal Army of the Blessed Court. She wore a green body shirt, but not the leather corslet, boots nor bracers. She was a scout and meant to travel light. Twaylee ran ahead of her company, unarmed but ready for any ambush that may await them within the forest depths.

  A dryad, a lesser nymph of the woods, was nearby, sitting on her haunches, unarmed but ready to strike. Her long, auburn hair was braided into pigtails. Her naked form was painted in green, black and brown spots and streaks. She watched from behind bushes, awaiting the advance of the outsiders. These lush depths were her home. What nymph of a city could match her in the wild? Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder and a whisper in her ear, “You are dead.”

  Another wood nymph, nearby, heard a giggle. She saw her friend, a fellow dryad, lying on the ground posing as “fallen.” Suddenly she herself felt a tap on her shoulder and heard whispered, “You are dead.” A giggle followed.

  Of the nine high elf scouts sent ahead of their company, eight of them had been tagged as “dead” by the wood elves. As for the nine dryads, all of them had been tagged by Twaylee.“Your reminiscence must be pleasing,” uttered the voice of a greater nymph.

  “Huh?” When a fay rested, she could sleep, as was natural for all flesh, or she could fall into a deep reverie of reminiscence. Twaylee was surprised, for only a moment, to find herself in a bed with a greater nymph. They were alone together in a small cabin aboard a ship... on their way to Fortress Dendria Southeast... in the wild country of Fay Dendria. “Oh,” Twaylee tittered. “I am no longer in the army.”

  “You were remembering your service?”

  Twaylee nodded. “I was in Fay Dendria, where we are going, training to be a scout.”

  Aylith, the greater nymph, chuckled. Twaylee wondered, “What?”

  “You were undoubtedly very cute in your little uniform.”

  “I was dressed for war!”

  “Yes.” Aylith laughed. Twaylee blushed.

  The two friends washed each other, put on their clothes, ate breakfast, then went topside and stared out at the open sea. Twaylee mentioned, “Whenever we were posted overseas, we would hope the crew of our ship was male.”

  “And why is that?” Aylith already knew. Twaylee shrugged and giggled. The tall nymph told the much littler one, “Your hope was in vain.”

  “We knew.”

  Aylith elaborated, “Only female sailors are the crew of a ship that carries female soldiers. Only males are to be with males.”

  Twaylee whined, “Only for sprites. You greater fays mingle in the army and navy. Why are we forbidden to do so?”

  “Because we are not prone to forget our duty.”

  “We want to protect our people as much as you do.”

  “Undoubtedly.” Aylith snuggled little Twaylee and kissed her, but said nothing else. The little nymph sulked. Aylith had not even cared to see her point at all!

  Another day passed before their ship reached the port of the walled, solidly built town that was Fortress Dendria Southeast, present post of the Ninth Legion of the Royal Army. Surrounded by the harbor and ocean on one side and lush, untamed wilderness on the other, it was an island of civilization. Within the walls and beyond the courtyard there were fruitful trees, flower gardens and even an inn, as well as barracks and storehouses. In this remote outpost, all here in Fay Dendria seemed to be Avalon... except the only high elves to be seen were uniformed nymphs. “A room awaits us,” Aylith led Twaylee to the inn.

 

  Gledriss the Dark Elf, Lady of Her Majesty’s Order of Assassins, had returned from her secret quest to Avalon. She knelt and bowed before Morganna, Lady of Her Majesty’s Order of Seductresses. “I bid you not to bow before me.”

  “Yes,” Gledriss smirked, “but you have yet to command it.”

  Vivien, the Lady of Enticement, giggled.

  The three nymphs embraced and kissed. Gledriss declared, “Rejoice, for Her Majesty’s enemy, Nayola the Enchantress, is dead.”

  “Yes,” Morganna already knew, “and by your own hand.”

  “You commanded me to kill her.”

  “You knew what I meant.”

  “I am the best of my assassins. There was no better to send.”

  Vivien rebuked, “Gledriss, you were foolish. If one of your authority was captured, the enemy would learn secrets even the best of their spies could never discover.”

  “If captured, I would prove unworthy to be Her Majesty’s Lady of Assassins. I have fulfilled my quest and returned to tell of it.”

  Morganna told her, “Do not boast of your foolishness.”

  “Forgive me,” Gledriss bowed her head.

  Morganna laughed. “Forgive you for being apologetically unrepentant? Yes, my love, I shall forgive you. Though foolish, you have prospered for us all. Ever the huntress, you yearn for the thrill of the hunt.”

  “Thank you, for your understanding.”

  “You are a fine assassin, my dear Gledriss; perhaps even the best. You are foolhardy, however, and perhaps unworthy of your authority.”

  “I am not unworthy! Our beloved Nicnivin Herself dubs me as Her Vengeance.”

  “Glorious praise of you, indeed. Be mindful not to be Her shameful disappointment.”

 

  Aylith brought Twaylee into their suite at the inn. “It is so quaint and spacious!” the lesser fay approved.

  The greater fay wondered, “You have never entered this inn?”

  “No. This building is usually for dignitaries.”

  “Then may you enjoy something new in a place otherwise familiar to you.”

  Twaylee went out onto the balcony and was delighted by her good view of the bustling fortress and the tall, green wilderness beyond. She pointed, “That was my barrack whenever I was posted here.”

  “Always the same?”

  “Yes.”

  “Perhaps your officers wanted you to have a sense of home while you were here.”

  Twaylee came back inside and toured the suite. She called out from a room, “May we share this bed?”

  “You do not want your own bedroom?”

  “No.”

  “Yes. Twaylee, do you wish to see your friends now?”

  “No. I want to surprise them.”

  “Why could you not surprise them now?”

  “Because they are not all together. I saw some of them strolling outside.”

  “They may already know you are here. I sent word ahead of us to General Nithandra.”

  Twaylee believed, “Nithandra would not share her correspondence with common soldiers. She commands the entire legion.”

  “No, but she may tell your former captain, Dame Judith.”

  Little Twaylee shrugged. “I shall see my comrades tomorrow.”

  “As you wish.”

  The two were soon downstairs for supper, then back to their room. They spoke, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company until finally retiring for the evening.

 

  Fortress Dendria Southeast was the post of six-thousand sprite soldiers and their mere dozen greater fay commanders. “Welcome, Dame Aylith,” the strong and beautiful Dame Nithandra, commanding general of the Ninth Royal Legion, greeted. “Please,” she gestured for Aylith to join her and her officers for lunch.

  Unlike the little nymphs, whose uniform was a skimpy body shirt, these greater nymphs each wore a green blouse and form-fitting trousers.

  “Hello,” the officers smiled. They introduced themselves and asked, “What brings you to this remote outpost?”

  General Nithandra explained, “Her companion was once one of this legion’s little soldiers.”

  “Tway
lee,” an officer knew. “Hello, Aylith. I am Dame Judith. Twaylee was a scout in my regiment.”

  Aylith told her, “She speaks of you– always fondly.”

  “Good. To know that makes me happy. Twaylee was a good little soldier, and a remarkable scout. A dare say she surpassed the wood elves who trained her.”

  “Judith,” an officer chuckled in disbelief.

  Another officer defended, “It is good for us to believe in our little soldiers. If we doubt them then they shall doubt themselves.”

  “Well said,” another concurred.

  While Aylith visited the officers of the Ninth Legion, Twaylee waited in an empty barrack for the First Company, Third Regiment, Ninth Legion to return from patrol. “Twaylee!” the returning nymph soldiers were surprised to see her. Hugs, kisses, questions and chatter followed. “Have you returned to the army?” some asked.

  “No.”

  “Why have you traveled so far from everything?”

  “To see you.”

  “To see us? Eastern Dendria is too remote for a mere visit.”

  “So?”

  Serious Aymee told Twaylee, “You should not have left us.” The soldiers were taking off their bracers, corslets and boots. “You were our best scout.”

  Sweet Hanna added, “And we miss you.”

  Aymee nodded.

  Twaylee told them, “I miss you all. That is why I visit you.”

  Tilda mentioned, “Only when we are posted in Avalon.”

  Twaylee defended, “It is only then when you visit me!”

  “We cannot do otherwise.”

  “I am visiting you elsewhere!”

  Hanna giggled, kissed Twaylee’s cheek and told her, “We are happy to see you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Aymee insisted, “You should return to the army.”

  “Why? We train and patrol but we never fight. Why be in an army without a war?”

  Tilda stated, “The purpose of this army is to prevent a war. Peace itself is our victory.”

  Twaylee snorted. There was no peace. Her friends did not know, but she was very much still a soldier. While they trained and patrolled, she went out on perilous, violent quests. Unbeknownst to her dear friends, Twaylee had left the Ninth Legion of the Royal Army for the Shadow Legion, the Eye and Ear.