Chosen by the Berserker Read online

  The words of King Kajo echoed in my skull, bounced like he had spoken them right before me, reverberated under my skin, and left me dizzy, made me cling to my arms even harder and I grit my teeth. I had never experienced such a feeling before. I had never been seasick, not even in the roughest of storms on the Astrida seas. This was some other type of vertigo… I did not like it.

  King Kajo had walked closer to me as he spoke to me telepathically, so that it was not as evident that he was speaking to me, but it was certainly clear, and perhaps even heard by all others present. Prince Axis and his wife Queen Ceritha of the Bristola Empire were present, as were Commander Cartari and my friend Zaya, another Vailstoran, who I was happy to have in my new courts. She seemed just as dizzy as me in the company of telepaths. I had heard she had the gift now, too, but I was unclear as to how she had acquired it… How had she trained it? Why did she bother with this charzbos magic? The five Farians who had fetched me from Astrida and then the three Vailstorans that I had brought with me were the only others in the throne room. I had chosen three of my most trusted advisors from Astrida. That was all. I knew it would be a tough task ahead of me, forging new authority on another planet, but… General Truloy was trusting me. I had had her trust before, in the war just years before. I would be up to the challenge.

  “We are giving you this castle and there is a fleet of ships, all outfit, rigged, and staffed also gifted to your immediate allegiance and loyalty. The trade routes that now exist between Vailstor and Farian are important. Your calasis, important for powering our laser cannons, for our frajili, necessary for powering your mining equipment. Not only will you get hard resources for your mining equipment, we will also give you access to our scientists to teach you how to utilize the frajili in a different manner to make your mining more efficient. We are relying on you to help this flow seamlessly. Whatever else you demand, we shall give you--

  I grabbed the back of the chair nearest me, lifted it up and slammed it down, the four legs hitting the floor so hard they splintered. The sound echoed. “This word, I hate this word give. You Farians have said it to exhaustion. I will earn what’s mine.”

  “We mean no offense, Lord Skarde. You have already earned your place here, that is the only reason you were commanded here by General Truloy, the only reason you were admitted here by King Kajo. If you had not earned your spot with your reputation, action, and former deeds, you would not have been accepted to rule over the lands of Harthen as you have been. You are welcome here and I hope that you make it your home. Whatever help or comforts we can provide you, we will.” Prince Axis stepped forward to say the diplomatic words and I nodded toward him as he finished speaking. I had been briefed on what to expect from all the Farian leadership and so far they had not let me down. I had been warned that Axis would be the one with the biggest heart, though not to be underestimated in battle. That was shown to be true thus far.

  I took a deep breath and waved my hand around at the rather empty throne room. I missed the tapestries of Astrida. I assumed there had been decor, that had represented Duke Fenvitz’s reign. They had done well to remove them before my arrival, though I did wonder what kind of conquests the former tenant might have claimed. The one thing that remained was a blazon of the Duke’s military brand above the throne. It would need repainted with my own brand. I was going to carry through the one I had had in Astrida. No reason not to… I had worked hard for that seal on Vailstor.

  “This is adequate.”

  Kajo nodded his beastly head, the scar across his eye glinting in the sunlight cast in through the stained glass windows high above. Daphne stepped forward and squeezed his hand.

  “We would like to have a feast in your honor tonight, Lord Skarde. Are there any dishes you would like us to prepare?”

  “I am most interested in knowing who shall stay here to help me fortify my defenses.” I tapped my finger on the side of my head, looking pointedly at Kajo. The King nodded. He gestured to the five Farians who had escorted me.

  “Any of the Special Operations unit who escorted you will be well versed in these matters and can help you--”

  “Her.” I pointed to Bravo Ilisa immediately. She had been fingering the hilt of the dagger at her hip and looking at our conversation without too much interest when my gesture jerked her straight to attention.

  “Your highness?” She stepped forward as King Kajo beckoned her near.

  “Bravo Ilisa is certainly one of our most highly trained special forces.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Her response was automatic, but did reveal true deference for her Commander-in-Chief. Her eyes blazed into mine as she stepped close and I recalled the way they had said “how dare you?” so clearly when I had grabbed her jaw just a week before, when we had first met, when she had fetched me to launch into space to bring me to my new life. She had avoided me on the spaceship, though she had also had rather important Captain duties and I had kept rather to myself. I had otherwise been briefed by her second-in-command, Modifi. Her eyes were a piercing, pale brown, with tiny glints of blue and gold in them that I hadn’t seen before. Her hair was a mousy brown, almost pale blonde in some lights and her face was moon-shaped. She had an athletic build and was clearly built for fighting. That was the most gorgeous thing about her.

  “I choose her.”

  “Sir?” Her jaw was clenched, fists tight at her side, clear declarations of protest.

  “I choose Bravo Ilisa to stay here in Harthen to instruct me, to be the liaison I need with your throne and help me in any other needs of higher security.” I looked at Kajo. He was analyzing Ilisa’s reaction, seemingly amused by her tense posture and clear disdain for me. “Will that be a problem, King Kajo?”

  “Of course not. Will it, Bravo?”

  “I serve at the pleasure of the throne, of course, your highness, but I am surely expected back in Commander Cartari’s regiments, now that he is returned from Vailstor…” Ilisa looked pleadingly toward Cartari and Axis where they were listening to the conversation. They shook their heads and gestured that Kajo was the one making the decision here. They could not -- would not -- intercede on an inter-galaxy trade deal.

  I crossed my arms again smugly and grinned at her. She dashed her look away from me with such contempt I was sure her King was going to reprimand her, but he laughed instead, perhaps at some conversation they were holding telepathically. I wondered how she was going to teach me to guard my thoughts.

  “It is final. Bravo Ilisa will suspend her place in the Bristola Special Operations for the moment and stay here to be the Farian liaison for Lord Skarde. You will report to my court weekly. Understood?” She nodded and the King held out his hand. I shook it gruffly. Then the King moved away with a slight salute. “See you for dinner, Lord Skarde. Please let us know if you need anything else to get settled.”

  Bravo Ilisa was also moving away in a huff but I caught her arm. She clenched her fist and jerked away, nearly grabbing for her knife. I pulled her in close.

  “You’re mine, Bravo Ilisa. I choose you to stay here with me in Harthen,” I whispered close to her ear. She pulled her arm away but stepped in even closer, so that I could smell her slight perfume, one of the native flowers and the slight smell of jet fuel.

  “Let’s get one thing straight, Lord Skarde. I may be staying here with you, but no man chooses me. No man controls me. No man owns me. You can view me as a partner here. I will help you and you can listen to me as I help train you so that you aren’t lost in a kingdom that may never fully belong to you. You would be wise to treat me I deserve, because you’re stupider than you look if you don’t even view me as your equal.” She flashed her eyes, even brighter than they had seemed before, turned, saw her King looking at me, forced a smile, then left out a corner door with Commander Cartari.

  Cartari followed her quickly but his chosen one, Zaya from Vailstor, stayed behind and walked up to me. As soon as all the Farians had left, I burst out laughing.

  Zaya paused as she approach
ed, startled by the gusto with which I laughed. “All right, Skarde, what is it now?” I clutched my stomach and heaved a huge breath to slow my guffaws. My ribs hurt, my cheeks ached from the laughter I couldn’t stop. The laughs seemed torn from me without my will. I wondered if they were half from unsteadiness at this new place, as much as from real mirth…

  “Oh, Zaya, you know me… I thrive on chaos…”

  “This is true, and I do know you well enough that I can fear that you will create some chaos just so that you can thrive when no one else will… These are good people… I have seen that well enough just in my short time here. And, I have felt that from my Destin, from my Cartari.”

  “Yes, how is it that you came to be indebted to that charzbos?”

  “He saved me, somehow… After holding me captive, actually. He mind controlled me. When we were imprisoned together on Vailstor. That’s how I am able to access the telepathic controls.”

  “Hmm…” I grunted, wanting more explanation, but also fearing it.

  Zaya was a gorgeous, dark-skinned Vailstor girl, with freckles showing bright from the days in the southern Farian sun. Commander Cartari of Farian was lucky.

  “He is my soul-mate, my fated one, my true love, now. I could do nothing to harm him, and I know I am lucky to have him.” I waved away her words with another grunt and she laughed. “All right, I won’t say any more of that. But, truly, give this place a try. I think it is worth it. Besides, it is for Vailstor. General Truloy is what is best for our planet, and the trade of calasis for frajili will help us all.”

  “Indeed.”

  “I will be in Harthen for another week. I hope to spend more time with you.”

  “I am sure we shall, Zaya.”

  “Good, then.”

  “See you tonight at least?”

  “Yes.”

  Zaya tiptoed away, looking back at me sideways as I stared up at the sparse castle walls. I really would need to get some tapestries. Maybe I could make Bravo Ilisa find some tapestries. For how much she looked down at me, that would be one task she would certainly hate being assigned. I would love telling her she had to do that. Just to mess with her.

  There was something about her… Something that stirred emotions, and desire, deep within me… I would convince her… Conquer her… Have her. She would see… And she would want me, too.

  I was Skarde, the Berserker. I was picky about the things I chose, and those things were always of the greatest worth.

  It wouldn’t take long for her to learn that.

  Three

  Cartari

  Ilisa was gesticulating wildly to Axis in the hallway, her voice rising in timbre as I approached. I paused a moment, but when Zaya didn’t follow me through, I sensed her headed toward Skarde on the other side of the wall and knew that was the right action. Maybe she could soothe her comrade… Convince him this planet was the best place for him to be for a while…

  Axis’s arms were crossed calmly across his chest as he slowed his pacing, turning to face Ilisa. Ceritha kept walking ahead, letting her Prince take control of the situation and calm the strong Bravo he had trained for many years.

  “Ilisa, I understand your concerns--”

  “My Prince, I don’t think you do… Skarde is not one of us. He is disrespectful and shows great disregard for our ways. You should have heard some of the things he was reported to have said to Modifi on the shipward home. I do not think he has any intention of trying to fit in here. He will try to turn Harthen into Astrida, not try to turn himself into a Farian.”

  “Why do you think that is a bad thing?”

  Ilisa was startled by my comment and turned to face me as I approached.

  “That is not our way, Commander. He is not a telepath! He is not gifted as we are with the mental arts. He cannot possibly command the same respect of our soldiers--”

  “You don’t think a warrior can be strong, that a leader can show grace and stalwartness without having those mental arts? You’ve fought in wars on other planets against warriors that don’t have those arts. You’ve seen warriors that can hold their own against us, whose soldiers respect and die for their leaders, even without telekinesis. Lord Skarde is one of those soldiers.” Axis looked at me, one eyebrow raised, waiting for me to intercede, as well.

  “Besides, you’re going to be teaching him, Bravo. You’re going to be helping him learn our mental path. It has been shown that off-worlders can learn. Queen Daphne and her friend Vania of Earth have learned. My Destin, Zaya, from Vailstor, also, has learned.”

  Ilisa scoffed. “Yes, through mental control. You think that Lord Skarde, the Berserker, is going to let me mentally control him?”

  Axis and I remained silent. Ilisa stared at us, stunned. She gulped.

  “Zaya and I will be here another week. Zaya will meet with him and work on talking him into it. It will not be easy, I am sure. He has a lot of pride, clearly. But, it will be the only way, that we are aware of, for a Vailstoran, to access telepathy and kinesis. And he will need it. There is talk of dissent from Fenvitz’s men, and the Duke himself. There may be a rebellion brewing.”

  Ilisa stood up straighter, a true soldier and I was proud of her in that moment. Her personal disdain and dislike for Skarde was forgotten as she sensed a challenge to her mission and a threat to the throne she defended with her life.

  “I hadn’t heard that yet, but I understand why he would be upset. I trust I will be briefed on this?”

  “Absolutely. We can meet tomorrow morning for a full breakdown on the plan moving forward.”

  “Will I be able to keep any of my men and women here with me?”

  “Your four can remain with you, if you choose, but I believe it would behoove you to make allies quickly with those left from Fenvitz’s reign. There are good people here, and you will be needing to form trustworthy bonds as much as Skarde will need to. You are an outsider, too, coming in and being the liaison for King Kajo as he is installing a new leader.” Prince Axis placed his hand on Ilisa’s shoulder and she nodded her head, her body and tight lips relaxing a bit with his gesture of kindness and trust. I mimicked his gesture and touched her other arm.

  “We are trusting you, Ilisa, as one of our bravest and strongest. Skarde has chosen you to remain here, that is true. But that must only be because he knows you are one of our best. Don’t dismiss him so easily. Just because he doesn’t have the mental skills we do. You must train him, trust him, give him a chance.”

  Ilisa grumbled something unintelligible under her breath and I laughed. I squeezed her arm and then let it go. I understood some of her dismay and frustration. The idea of mentally controlling someone was nauseating and daunting. It had not been an easy decision for me in that prison cell to control Zaya, my fellow inmate, though it had led me to my Destin, and I would not regret it for even a moment… But, it was not something we did on Farian. It was why we set up mental blocks so quickly in our youth schools. Having an unblocked mind was a sure weakness. Skarde’s enemies would thwart that quickly. Ilisa had to train him and train him quickly.

  The door behind us opened and Zaya approached us.

  “Come now, let’s all go get ready for the feast. We still need to show Lord Skarde that Farian is a world worth fitting into, not just reaping the rewards of and then fleeing, all right? And you are the sharpest spearhead to show him that truth. All right?”

  Ilisa nodded and followed us reluctantly. I took Zaya’s hand and kissed my Destin lightly on the lips.

  “Skarde was laughing… Just laughing. I am afraid he will make chaos…”

  “Well, my love, we shall be ready to greet chaos with cheer and good wine,” I thought back, smiling at her and stealing another kiss. I tucked her into my chest and followed Axis and Ilisa toward the front of the castle. Kajo had great plans for this connection with Vailstor and I trusted Ilisa would make good on our commands. She was a good soldier for Farian, no doubt. Axis and I had trained her well.

  Four

  Ilis
a

  I flew backward across the training ring as Kala landed a daring blow, a full kick to my chest as she launched off a post in the middle of the ring, meant to provide a more exciting obstacle to work around, sending me sprawling to the mats. I gathered myself quickly, spinning up and dashing to the side before she could hammer down on me with the wooden mace. I dashed away, breathing heavily through the training mask. Modifi was just behind me, swinging a matching mace at my head and I ducked below it, barely in time. Natives of Harthen surrounded the ring, jeering and cheering to see the five Bristolans sparring in the ring. It was four on one, just the leading Bravo against her four trustworthy comrades; and, I was losing.

  A deadly silence filled the ring, just as Dinera’s broadsword clashed down on my shield. I looked up from behind its guard to see Lord Skarde stepping into the ring.

  “Shall I aid you, Bravo Ilisa?” He brandished a training broadsword before him. “Please, don’t hold back. I see you’re practicing without your telekinetic powers right now. I’d prefer you all use them.”

  Dinera pulled back the tension of her sword on my shield, I straightened, the other Bristolans looked at me for command, and I nodded. Without hesitation, Modifi spun his knives into the air and flung them one, two, three, four, five like bullets straight toward the Berserker. Granted, they were all polyurethane training knives, but they could still leave bruises.

  In response, Skarde flicked his broadsword effortlessly, moving it more quickly than I had ever seen one move, tipping the knives away, flicking away three of them and dodging out of the range of the last two with a simple movement to the side. They traced him with Modifi’s flashing telekinetic direction but I lunged up and threw my shield to block them.

  Skarde glanced my direction, nodded thanks, then he was crossing his blade with Kala’s mace and I was returning to my own crossed blade with Dinera and Vesom. Vessom preferred a staff and he kept stabbing at me from a distance while I tried to tuck in close to Dinera. Now that telekinesis was on the table, the tides were turning. One reason we had been practicing without the mental arts was because my troop knew they fared better when they didn’t battle me mentally; I was quite superior.