Chapter ten

Kiera reacted instantly. She was glad she hadn't sheathed her sword.
A Ga-Vok warrior had been leaning on the inn's front door and was laying shocked on the street in front of her.
She stabbed; he howled, then lay still. She looked up, another Ga-Vok was standing in the middle of the room, weapon drawn. She charged without thinking and cut him down. Above her on the balcony another three were emerging from the door. One darted back into his room, A second charged to the stairway drawing his weapon, and the third crashed to the ground after leaping from the railing at her. She didn't even bother dealing with the last of them, it was very obvious he was dead, but instead ran to chalenge the one on the stairs.
The hair on his spine was raised, she started up the stairs. He pounced at her; throwing himself down the stairs. She threw herself against the wall and kicked him through the railing as he passed, then hopped down and stabbed him. She then went to pursue the remaining warrior.
She reached the door, and flung it open. The warrior had been bracing himself against it and went toppling off the balcony as he tried to recover. No need to worry about him either, the cracking noise and mushy thump told her everything she needed to know about his fate. She was far more interested in the room's other inhabitants.

"Y-you, you saved us."
nearly a hundred beaten and scared looking Nielda sat along the edges of the room.
"Are there any guards here? Healers?"
"No. They killed them all, I think."
"Who's in charge here?"
The whole group looked around, uncertain.
Then one girl raised her hand. She looked to be about fourteen or so.
"Ma'am, Dame Alistari is in charge."
"Is she dead too?"
"Maybe not, I heard them talking. They said that there were some people still holding out in the cellar of her mansion. She might be there."

Kiera's political training took over. She'd spent several years learning how to work crowds. She knelt down next to the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Tressa, Ma'am."
"And how old are you"
It was a rhetorical question, every Nielda knew it. It was the fact that they took the time to ask that was apreciated; it always had been. She could have asked her what her favorite color was(blue), where she was from(not certain but she would guess Tara, to pale to be local), or whether she was scared(remarkably no) and the inteneded result would be the same. It was no secret magic users were able to pick thoughts and memories out of the minds of the unguarded. She hadn't out of courtesy, but that was beside the point, people expected her to either already have the answers or not be a real noble.
Which is why the answer bothered her so much.
"Eleven Ma'am."
She didn't look it, but fortunately she'd already planned to answer it that way.
"Eleven? I'd have guessed you were much older than that."
Tressa muttered quietly, "I know you did."
Kiera pretended not to notice, she knew no one else had. "Well Tressa, I'm going to get you all out of here safely. But you have to promise to do as I tell you."
Tressa nodded, but her eyes were never drawn away from Kiera's. She'd never admit it, but this girl had the kind of creepiness that was usually only found in an older witch.
"Gather up all the food and supplies you can find. Get tractors or trucks and whatever else you can find and pack it up. We're going into the hills to hide out until things are safe again."
The people brightened up considerably. They'd been hoping for something like this to happen.
"I'm going up to the mansion to help the people there. If I don't come back just head due west until you reach the hills. Take any weapons you can, you may need to defend yourselves."
They all rushed out to follow her instructions. Except for Tressa, the little devil was still standing there.
"I can help, I can get you into the mansion."
"No, if you want to help then tell me how many there are."
Tressa sighed, "Nine; two patrolling the second floor with bows, four at a barricade overlooking the cellar, the other three are at the front door. I can take you inside if you'll let me."
"No, I'm not going to take a little girl into a fight. Magic or not, you aren't ready."
"Can you teach me?"
"What?"
"Teach me, to fight that is."

Kiera stopped and thought, this wasn't exactly the sort of thing she had ever really considered. I mean she'd have an heir to train one day, but an apprentince?
"We'll talk about it later. I need to go take care of those Ga-Vok up at the mansion."
"I'll wait for you."

That child chilled her to the marrow, but she had the feeling she'd need all the help she could get.