{"id":72,"date":"2017-08-22T16:54:35","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T16:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/?p=72"},"modified":"2017-08-23T00:03:36","modified_gmt":"2017-08-23T00:03:36","slug":"sixteen-the-arrow-pulled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/08\/22\/sixteen-the-arrow-pulled\/","title":{"rendered":"Sixteen: the Arrow Pulled"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Tzarin and his people wanted to leave slow and late the next day, so Raizel and the Diamond\u00a0Raven left them behind, not without some relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Raven was quiet as they walked, which suited Raizel. \u00a0It was early, the sun was low and rising lazily, and she wanted to make good time while the weather was clear and cool.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he started humming, she tried to ignore it, but the tune was catching, the sort of thing that spiraled its way into your ear and took up residence there. \u00a0She found herself humming along.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was only when she caught him glancing at her sidelong, smirking, that she stopped the humming, flustered. \u00a0\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sing very nicely. \u00a0and you handled those idiots quite well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you?\u201d \u00a0She frowned at him. \u00a0\u201cWere you expecting them to bother me? \u00a0They\u2019re flower petals, all stink and no substance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but the right flower petal in a tincture can kill someone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to soak them in enough alcohol for that, then? \u00a0Or boil them down like a tea? \u00a0They wanted to hurt their Prince. \u00a0I think that\u2019s stupid. \u00a0More than stupid – it\u2019s folly.\u201d She wrinkled her nose. \u00a0\u201cHe will learn – has already learned – they are not to be trusted, and if he is a Prince like a Tzarin is a Tzarin, he will always have power, even if he never becomes the Tzar. \u00a0So they have alienated someone that they could have been friends with who has more power than they will ever have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but if they manage to convince him that he is worth nothing, that only they care for him and can take care of him -\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven then.\u201d \u00a0She wrinkled her nose again at the Raven. \u00a0\u201cDo you think I don\u2019t know what people are like? \u00a0Even in the high mountains, we have people who are cruel or unkind or manipulative. \u00a0I know what that looks like. \u00a0And they hadn\u2019t broken their Prince.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey had gotten close, I think. \u00a0Until you reminded him not to be broken.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that what I did?\u201d \u00a0Raizel considered her actions. \u00a0\u201cI did what they asked me to do. \u00a0I sang to him. \u00a0I sang a song I thought might hurt,\u201d she admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEver have an arrow removed?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d \u00a0She studied the Diamond Raven. \u00a0He looked like he knew what he was talking about. \u00a0She hadn\u2019t expected that. \u00a0\u201cHave you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwice. \u00a0Some day, when you take this rope off of me, I\u2019ll show you the scars. \u00a0But the thing is, it hurts. \u00a0You usually have to cut it open wider just to get the arrow out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She winced. \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s – like a bad splinter. \u00a0The sort that slides under the skin. \u00a0Only much worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d \u00a0He nodded approvingly. \u00a0She found she didn\u2019t mind so much the approval as she did the other condescensions. \u201cSo you might have cut him a little, but I think you bled out some poison. \u00a0That is, if you\u2019ll forgive the mixed metaphors. \u00a0And I don\u2019t think that his courtiers will be able to hurt him as much anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She ran her finger over the ring. \u00a0\u201cI should put this away.\u201d \u00a0It was a pretty ring, the sort of thing a courtier or a Tzarin wore, not the sort of thing for a trades-person, even if she was gods-brushed and pixie-cursed. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s just asking for trouble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should wear it with pride,\u201d he countered. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s showing how you handle situations, that you have the favor of a Tzarin. \u00a0Combine that with the glaze of the pixie dust that anyone with a touch of site can see, and you\u2019re in a fairly safe position.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m on the road with a wizard who doesn\u2019t want to be here, travelling to the capitol, with the questions to a ghost hanging over my head, the quests from not one but two god-touched weighing on me, and I\u2019m still not to the train station.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou could let me go,\u201d he pointed out. \u00a0\u201cThat would give you one less thing to worry about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf all the things I have to worry about, I\u2019m sorry, but you concern me the least.\u201d \u00a0She smiled crookedly at the wizard. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have magic powers, you know!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you were going to use them against me, you\u2019d have used them when you were trying to stay back at the temple. Since you haven\u2019t, well, I can imagine – \u201c She stopped. \u201cThe whore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry?\u201d \u00a0She thought he actually sounded offended. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe boy whore! \u00a0I forgot him!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWas he supposed to come along, too? \u00a0You\u2019re going to need a wagon soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no. \u00a0He wanted me to make him a scented fox. \u00a0I don\u2019t suppose you know-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She trailed off, because the Diamond Raven was obviously trying not to laugh out loud at her. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Tzarin and his people wanted to leave slow and late the next day, so Raizel and the Diamond\u00a0Raven left them behind, not without some relief. The Raven was quiet as they walked, which suited Raizel. \u00a0It was early, the sun was low and rising lazily, and she wanted to make good time while the… Continue reading Sixteen: the Arrow Pulled<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Side Quest Chapter Sixteen: the Arrow Pulled \r\nAre they actually GETTING somewhere?","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Tn4Q-1a","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/25\/eleven-the-diamond-raven\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":0},"title":"Eleven: The Diamond Raven","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Esteronzerai was the biggest town Raizel had been in yet, and it was where the carriage\u2019s route diverged from Raizel\u2019s, whether or not she had been stopping to lasso a wizard. \u00a0She bowed to the driver and, her grandfather\u2019s words in her mind, tipped him, although she had not been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":117,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/01\/05\/twenty-seven-the-train\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":1},"title":"Twenty-Seven: The Train","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"January 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cAm I really here?\u201d Raizel muttered to the Diamond Raven. \u00a0It felt unlikely. \u00a0She had been trying for this for what seemed like months, even if it had only been days, and here they were, on the platform, buying two tickets for the train. \u00a0 That she had the Diamond\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":110,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/31\/twenty-six-the-price\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":2},"title":"Twenty-Six: The Price","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"October 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel shared a look with the Raven. \u00a0He looked at her, then at the two attendant, at the woman, and back at her. She cleared her throat. \u201cYour husband is a sword?\u201d \u201cMy husband is The Blessed Sword. \u00a0It was given to him by the gods. \u00a0To become the sword\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 6 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 6 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/31\/twenty-six-the-price\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":95,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/11\/twenty-two-lost-and-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":3},"title":"Twenty-Two: Lost and Found","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"October 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cWhy her?\u201d The Diamond Raven shifted so he was standing almost between Raizel and the Left Hand. \u00a0\u201cWhy this stranger on the street?\u201d \u201cBecause she\u2019s not a stranger, is she? \u00a0She\u2019s the one that everyone\u2019s been muttering about. \u00a0She\u2019s got you, which is interesting in and of itself. \u00a0She\u2019s made\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 3 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 3 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/11\/twenty-two-lost-and-found\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/09\/22\/nineteen-evil-and-escape\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":4},"title":"Nineteen: Evil and Escape","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"September 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cFor people who know about this thing\u2014\u201d the Diamond Raven warned. \u201cFor people to know about it is truth! \u00a0Is all of us who rotted for the Tzar laid to rest! \u00a0Is everything that went wrong put better!\u201d \u00a0The deserter was foaming at the mouth. \u00a0Raizel took a step back.\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 4 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 4 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/09\/22\/nineteen-evil-and-escape\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":121,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/01\/16\/twenty-eight-the-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":5},"title":"Twenty-Eight: The People","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"January 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Raven had done something, she was sure of it. \u00a0She had expected to be in the part of the train where people crowded onto benches or sat in the aisles. \u00a0That was cheap part, the part where most people like her rode. Instead, she and the Raven and six\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions\/75"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}