Cal nodded, more to himself than to anyone in particular. “That would explain why the patrols looked more efficient than these.” He to gestured back to the gate.
Further conversation was cut short by the arrival of a large, leather clad, bearded giant. A huge great sword hung from a scabbard strapped across his back. “Who?” Cal’s jaw dropped.
Dorrin couldn’t suppress a smile. “Luda!” He stepped briskly forward and tried to engulf the giant in a bear hug, which failed miserably, although the returned hug enveloped the young officer totally.
Finally released from the embrace Dorrin turned to his two companions. “Farsighter, Cal, may I introduce Luda, son of Marig.”
Farsighter extended his right hand and they grasped each other by the wrist, warrior fashion. Self-consciously Cal stepped forward and extended his own hand. Luda looked at him for a moment before he heard Dorrin speak. “He’s earned the right.”
With a brisk acknowledging nod Luda accepted the offered hand and gripped it. Cal was surprised that his wrist wasn’t crushed, Luda really was that big. Six feet eight at least with long, shaggy dark hair. His heavy eyebrows sat atop almost jet black eyes that studied Cal with an intensity that he found unnerving.
“We may have need of him then.”
“Trouble?”
Luda kept his eyes on Cal as he spoke. “We’ve not heard from two of our patrols. If they’ve run into trouble we might have to start recruiting again.”
Luda returned his attention to Dorrin, waiting for him to speak.
“We need to see your father and a representative of the Masters immediately.” One of the heavy eyebrows rose a fraction. “We are in need of immediate contact with the palace, and I’ll need a detachment of the Guard.”
“A detachment? That’s over a hundred men. I think you’ll need a good reason for my father to give you leave to take a full detachment.”
“Believe me. I have a very good reason.” He got no further with the explanation as another figure came racing into the courtyard. Marig, Lord of Holdur, was a slim man, no more than five feet ten tall, and he was almost lost in the cloak that he wore. A complete contrast to his son. He was also quite old and had lost most of his hair, but where some might have been vain enough to want to wear a wig, he left his head proudly shining.
“Dorrin, you’d better come inside immediately.” The words were spoken hastily and Marig made no secret of the fact that he was checking to see exactly who else could see them in the yard.
“Where’s Torbek?” Marig gave no answer, but led them through the main doors and into the keep.
The small group now found themselves moving through the hallways that led to Marig’s personal chambers at a most unseemly pace. Several of the court hangers on gave them a strange glance as they passed. Dorrin kept at the side of Marig whilst Farsighter and Luda stayed a pace behind. Cal had no idea where they were going, but as no one had told him any different he found himself following.
Marig led them up two flights of stairs as well as through several corridors before they came to a heavy oak door. Now Cal saw a member of the Royal Guard stood by the entrance, rather than one of the militia as he had seen in town. The difference was instantly recognisable. Although the uniforms were similar, the poise that the soldier held himself with was miles away from the slouch that the others used.
The guard snapped to attention as Marig came round the corner leading to the door and opened the door before the party actually reached it. “No visitors Len.” Marig hadn’t even looked at the man.
“Understood my Lord.”
Cal snatched a sideways glance at him as they moved through the entrance, but the man had his eyes firmly on the corridor.
Inside the room Cal was surprised to see that it wasn’t very large. In fact a small writing table, covered with a few documents and writing implements, and several chairs were the only furnishings taking up floor space. He had expected to enter a large chamber with lots of paintings and banners, basically full of the kinds of things that he had heard of in the tales he used to listen to as a youth.
There were a few bookshelves, but they were at head height and therefore didn’t take up any of the space, alongside the lightbrands that illuminated the room. The far wall had a fireplace with a roaring fire going whilst there was a small door in the left hand wall, although Cal had no idea where it led. To be honest, he was a bit disappointed with his first encounter with a Lord’s study.
Marig moved a few things from the chairs and then motioned for them to take a seat. “Please. I’ll just get someone to bring up some wine and then we can start.” He saw the look that Dorrin gave him. “I’m assuming that we are going to spend some time in discussion, and I’m sure that I’d not want to talk for any length without something to drink.”
Dorrin looked on the point of saying something, but decided to defer to Marig for the moment. Farsighter took one of the chairs, whilst Dorrin sat in the one directly opposite where the Lord of Holdur had sat, behind the table. Luda moved to stand just to the right and behind his father, which produced what would have been a comical effect because of the size difference, but due to the circumstance no mention of it was made.
Cal decided that if he was to play the part of valet then he too should stand just behind Dorrin, as if waiting for any command that might be made. Dorrin noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and smiled slightly.
“Whilst I thank you for the thought Cal, I believe that we will be telling my Lord Marig the full facts, so you may stop pretending.” Cal grinned a bit sheepishly and took a seat next to Farsighter, although he noted that Luda made no move to place himself in a chair.
For the next few minutes Cal was surprised to watch Marig and Dorrin engage in small talk as they waited for the servant bringing the wine to arrive. Fortunately it did not take long.
Within seconds of the man leaving the tray on the table and departing Marig spoke.
“Where is Her Highness?” The urgency in his voice told the lie that his calm demeanour had portrayed.
Dorrin’s gaze dropped down for moment before he returned it to the Lord. “She has been taken.” The words were almost a murmur.
“What?” Luda went bright red with rage as he spoke. “What can you possibly mean ‘she’s been taken’?”
Marig leaned forward in his chair and Cal could see that the man exuded power even though he was frail looking to the casual observer. “I will hear all of it Dorrin. And you are right,” he spared a glance for Cal, “I will hear the full facts.”
For the next half hour the three men related exactly what had happened over the last few days, right up to their entrance into the keep. Marig remained silent throughout, though Luda looked as if he was ready to race from the room immediately and begin the pursuit. Dorrin ended by speculating that this might explain why they had two patrols overdue. If they had run into the same force of Shalers that Dorrin had met, then it would have been a close call as to whether any of them could have escaped.
When he finished, the Lord of Holdur got to his feet and began to pace in front of the fireplace. No one spoke as he pondered what he had just been told until he finally broke the silence himself.
“I have already passed word to the Masters that we will need the use of their powers. That was done before you entered. As to the passing of control of an entire detachment of the Royal Guard, that is something that can only be decided by His Majesty himself.
For what it’s worth Dorrin, I can see no fault in this on your part. That there has been a betrayal at some point is obvious, and I thank you for taking the assumption that it was not made at this castle.” He inclined his head slightly.
Dorrin grimaced slightly. “I’m afraid that you are not quite correct in your own assumption Lord Marig. My friend Farsighter here was my insurance against any form of deceit on your own part.” He shrugged apologetically whilst the Lord and his son stared at the oldest of the three men facing them.
“Ma
gron Farsighter, my Lord. Recently of Fallon’s Glen, but previously of His Majesty’s Royal Rangers. As Dorrin has stated, we had an understanding that it anything untoward was found whilst we were in the keep, then I was to either disable the pair of you, or if that was not possible, kill you both.”
Luda looked disbelievingly at the man. Not only was he a good six inches shorter than he, but he also easily gave away three stone in bulk and muscle. Farsighter saw the look.
“Friend Luda. Even in Fallon’s Glen I have heard of your prowess with the sword, but would have to ask you how much room you think you would have had to fight within the confines of the keep itself?”
Suddenly Marig laughed. “Gods Luda, he’s got you there. And we all know how well trained the Rangers are for fighting in small, confined and dirty little spaces. I think that the man tells the truth when he implies that the fight would have been short and decisive.”
Luda did not look happy at his father’s agreement, but there was little he could do about it, until he was finally forced to grin at the smiling Ranger and acknowledge that he may indeed have been in the wrong. Only maybe though, he would not give Farsighter full satisfaction.
Cal looked slightly surprised at the outburst, although he was still shocked at what his companions had revealed. He could have sworn that neither of them had had a chance to speak alone with each other since they had arrived, and the only conclusion that he could draw was that they had planned this whilst still on the road.
Marig stood and moved across to the bookshelf, slowly running his gaze along the line of hard-ridged volumes. Cal was about to speak when he saw Dorrin motion him to remain silent.
Finally Marig pulled the volume that he was looking for from the shelf. “I think that you might want to read this Dorrin.” He placed the book down on the table before his visitor.
Dorrin leant forward to have a look at the title. “A history of Galorn, I’m not sure that I follow what you think I’ll find here?” Even so, he lifted the book and started to flick through the pages. One of the first things that he noticed was that it appeared to be a well preserved copy of an older manuscript.
“Galorn has a long tradition of fending off the Mythraan. You might do well to bear in mind the fact that we have had no experience with them for several hundred years at least.”
Dorrin could see the wisdom of what he was being told and carefully closed the cover and placed the book back on the table. “If I might be permitted to borrow it, I’m sure that I would be able to make time to read it as we head north.”
Marig smiled himself at that statement. “To aid my liege lord I would not think twice about giving you the book Dorrin, let alone lend it to you. You might want to reconsider your course of action though. I think you’ll find that proceeding north will avail you little.”
Luda’s ears pricked up at this. “You mean for them to head east?”
“It would make sense. They have to be taking the Princess to Mythra, and that means cutting either along the southern base of the Eastern Range, avoiding Miri, or through Kal’s Deep and across the J’Dar Desert.
Either way, the quickest route for anyone to try and overtake them would be to head straight east for Saldar and then through the pass to Churek.”
“Kal’s Deep?” Cal could not quite comprehend that some noteworthy landmark would share a name with him. Farsighter’s mouth twitched into the faintest of smiles.
“Named for an old warrior of too many moons ago. It is said that he stood as one with the forest and protected the people of what was then known simply as the Southern Kingdom against the darkest of foes, although no one appears to be quite sure what the foe actually was.
For all we know he might have just set a trap for a particularly vicious bear, you know how country folk like to embellish a good story.”
Cal laughed, for he knew the truth in that statement only too well.
Dorrin on the other hand looked thoughtful for a moment. “You would advise that we head east before trying to pick up the trail? How do you propose that we manage that?”
“That will be the tricky part.” Marig returned to the bookshelf. There was no deliberation this time as he pulled one of several scrolls stacked on the top shelf and returned it to the table.
Rolling it out, Cal could see that it was a map of not just Boraan, but of the surrounding kingdoms as well. He had never seen such a map before and was shocked at just how small their own kingdom looked.
The others stood around the table so that they could all get a clear view. Cal, following suit, took up a position at Farsighter’s right shoulder. Before anyone could speak a light tap at the door interrupted.
Without waiting to be called the door opened and a cloaked figure entered the room. As soon as the door had again been shut the figure lowered the cowl of the cloak and proceeded to walk directly toward the group. Cal gasped aloud.
The woman that approached was positively the most beautiful he had ever seen. Striking red hair, and an almost feline quality to her face. Standing proudly erect as she crossed the room there was an aura about her that told all that saw her that here was someone who was used to having people do exactly what she told them to. But her eyes were something else entirely for they glowed a crisp, bright emerald green.
Cal could not see what her figure was like, but he just knew that it had to be perfect.
“I’m sorry that I’ve taken so long to get here my lord.” She nodded toward Marig. Then she turned to Dorrin and Farsighter. “Master Dorrin.” Once more she inclined her head. “Nephew of His Majesty, Guild Master and Adept of Joorat, Lieutenant in the Royal Guard. Beside whom stands Magron Farsighter, late of Fallon’s Glen and a Ranger before that.” Whilst Farsighter and Dorrin stood in mute amazement she turned her attention to Cal.
“And you must be Calmagyr Ironsson, the man of mystery.” Cal’s jaw dropped open, his discomfort made all the worse by the slight smile that played on the woman’s lips. “Holder of the Lighter bow but most surprising of all, a man who has the inner strength to use it in the old ways. Curious.” With that final cryptic statement she returned her gaze to Marig.
For a moment Marig struggled to control himself, but founds the act to be impossible. He burst out laughing, followed almost instantly by his son. Both men continued for a few minutes under the baleful gaze of Dorrin and Farsighter on the one hand, and the amused smile of the cloaked lady on the other.
Finally they managed to contain themselves long enough for Marig to speak. “My friend Dorrin, my apologies for that most unseemly outburst, but it would appear that the good Lady here has been scrying again.” Cal started, that could only mean that she was a magic user the same as he knew Dorrin to be. “Although from the description she gave of your young friend there I would say that it was not as successful as she had hoped it would be.” He received a scowl for his troubles at mentioning that fact. “May I introduce you to the Lady Tamala of Holdur, my grand-daughter. She’s my daughters youngest, though why she insists on staying with her grandfather instead of with her parents in Bor’a I’ll never know.”
“Tamala, little Tamala!” Dorrin openly stared at her. “But the last time that I saw you, damn! Has it really been that long since I paid you a social visit?”
Marig’s smile was rueful but friendly. “You have been busy for a few years Dorrin.”
Dorrin stood and moved toward Tamala. “I’m sorry for not recognising you Tama’, but it’s been a while and the effects of the scrying didn’t help.”
“I’ll let you off this once.” She laughed as Dorrin embraced her.
Cal suddenly spoke. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by ‘the effects of the scrying’?”
Dorrin looked at the young man before replying. “Using power requires that you give something at the same time. Most people believe that we just throw magic around as we see fit, but it’s not quite that easy.
We give part of our life essence, and that has the effect of aging us.” Ca
l opened his mouth to ask the next obvious question but Dorrin knew what was coming. “The effect is temporary, given a few hours we return to our normal appearance.
That’s the reason that I didn’t recognise Tamala straight away. She may look to be in her mid-twenties, but she’s really only eighteen.” By now Cal had given up looking stunned and just opted for the blank expression of someone that knew they were way out of their depth.
Marig coughed politely to let the standing pair know that they should return their attention to the task at hand before continuing. “As I have said, you should consider heading east if you wish to overtake them. That should also keep you clear of any Shalers that might loiter along the route north.
I would also say something else although it could sound treasonous to say it. Don’t tell the King.”
The silence that fell over the group for the next few seconds was one of the most unnerving moments of Cal’s young life. Farsighter was the one that finally broke it, although he sounded troubled as he spoke.
“Do you think that the treachery reaches that far?”
Marig was thoughtful for a moment before replying. “Obviously not to His Majesty, but what of his advisors, or mine come to that.” He looked up at his ever standing son. “I will apologise to you before I say what I will say next, please understand. Even stood here I have my own son whom I have no reason to believe to be any more innocent than any other, accept for the ties of his blood to my own.
It is a hard thing for any father to contemplate, but for His Majesty’s sake I must.”
Luda looked at his father long and hard. “I do not realise how lucky I am to have you as my sire, but I cannot fault your honour to your liege Lord. I could not honestly say if I would be able to do the same were the positions reversed.”
Fall of a Kingdom Page 6