by Tracy Falbe
~
Thank you for taking the time to read Union of Renegades. I hope that I was able to entertain you. If you enjoyed this novel please let your friends know about it and leave a rating or review online.
Sincerely, Tracy Falbe
The Rys Chronicles continue in
Book II
The Goddess Queen
available at https://falbepublishing.com/braveluck/2016/01/03/the-goddess-queen-the-rys-chronicles-book-ii/
Excerpt from The Goddess Queen
When the marvelous evening began winding down, Taischek went to the fire behind him and lit his pipe. Xander, Shan and Dreibrand joined him. They held a pleasant conversation mostly about the Dubelai. Kalek and his brothers moved off to visit with their friends at another table.
“So, Dreibrand, I have been hearing a lot of good things about you from Xander,” the King said.
“I am not surprised. Dreibrand has been working very hard,” Shan added.
Dreibrand glanced at the rys. The more he was near him tonight, the more he felt the urge to ask him about the Atrophane.
“I work hard because I want victory as much as anyone else,” Dreibrand said.
“And I like what you have been doing,” Taischek said. “I want Temu warriors to start training with your Yentay. The more warriors that benefit from your teaching, the stronger we will be.”
“Talking business at a party, Taischek. That is not like you,” Shan scolded with good nature.
“Yes, my friend, I know. But I have had a lot on my mind,” Taischek explained. He paused to tap the ashes out of his pipe. When he had a fresh pipe lit, he offered Shan some.
“No thank you. Not until Onja is ashes may I be so frivolous,” Shan declared.
“I am sure you know best,” Taischek said and handed the pipe to Dreibrand.
Shan said, “Since you brought it up, I agree that Dreibrand should assist in the mobilization of the entire Temu Army. Such things are done every year in his homeland, and his knowledge will benefit us all. And I think Dreibrand wants to share what he knows.”
“He has already made that clear to me,” Xander grumbled good naturedly.
“Forgive me if I was pushy, General. When I think of Jingten, I know only that we must do everything we can,” Dreibrand said.
“Yes, good, thinking of Jingten,” Taischek agreed. “But I have been thinking about the Sabuto as well. And I have been thinking about what you said, Dreibrand. I want to conquer them. Not just defeat their invasion force.”
“Taischek, we must not get bogged down with the Sabuto,” Shan reminded. “The Zenglawa cannot be ignored, nor can Onja.”
“I have not forgotten. But I want to take full advantage of this rebellion. You will take Onja’s throne, but I want to claim the power over the human tribes that will be gone when she is gone,” Taischek stated.
“That is not what this war is for,” Shan snapped.
“And why not?” Taischek argued. “It is a natural thing for the strongest tribe to do. I want to be like Dreibrand’s Atrophane. They rule the other peoples around them.”
Shan whirled on Dreibrand and demanded, “Did you put him up to this?”
“No. I have only described what things are like in the east. Nothing more,” Dreibrand answered but Shan’s anger made him feel guilty.
“But it could be done here. The Temu could have an empire,” Taischek insisted, looking to Dreibrand for support.
Dreibrand spoke carefully, wanting to please the King but mindful of Shan’s obvious disapproval. “Such a thing is possible, King Taischek. But it does not happen overnight. When I said we could crush the Sabuto, I was talking about the invasion force. We can defeat them and drive them back, but I was not talking about conquest.”
“But why not? We might as well, while we are at it,” Taischek reasoned.
“No!” Shan said sharply. “I will help you drive back the Sabuto to protect the Temu Domain, but I will not use my power to help you conquer them. And how can you think of the Sabuto so much when Jingten is what is important? Do you think possessing the Sabuto Domain will matter if Onja is still Queen? Do you forget Jingten so quickly once the rysmavda are gone?”
Taischek frowned at Shan’s lecture and looked hopefully to Dreibrand.
Because Dreibrand seemed to have inspired this ambition in the King, he felt a responsibility to keep Taischek on track. “King Taischek, the Temu Army is strong, but do not overestimate your military. We will spoil the Sabuto invasion and punish them, but defense and conquest are different. In my assessment, you do not have enough warriors to conquer the Sabuto, leave a large force behind to occupy the territory, and still deal with the Zenglawa,” Dreibrand cautioned.
“There, would you listen to that, Taischek,” Shan said. “The Sabuto must wait for another time, and then it will be none of my affair.”
“Yes, King Taischek, it would be best to give such an ambitious plan more time,” Dreibrand said. “You have others things to consider in a conquest besides the military. If you truly want to build an empire and rule foreign peoples, you need institutions ready to place in their society that will strengthen your authority. Like temples, courts, schools, money, whatever works. With the rysmavda gone, you do not have a state religion around here, so I do not know what you would use.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to bring the likes of them back. I don’t miss the priests,” Taischek declared.
“Dreibrand, stop talking about it,” Shan ordered.
“Yes, Shan, but if I may, I would tell King Taischek that now is not the time to talk of such things. Openly seeking conquest of the Sabuto might make your allies reconsider their loyalty if they fear they are next. I have heard that the Hirqua are nervous that the Temu might do such a thing,” Dreibrand said.
A big grin split Taischek’s face. “Oh, you speak well, Dreibrand. I should seek all of your counsel before I go jumping to conclusions. And Shan, forgive me if I upset you. I see now that I want too much too fast.”
“The upset has already passed, Taischek. And to defend the Temu Domain, I assure you I will see that you have much of your revenge on the Sabuto,” Shan promised.
“Yes, we will teach them they can’t invade the Temu Domain,” Taischek agreed.
Shan set his wine cup on the wide hearth and said, “But I am not used to this serious talk at your banquets, Taischek. I think I will mingle and praise the performers for a job well done and thank them for the nice play.”
Dreibrand followed Shan with his eyes. He wanted to speak with the rys, but he needed to do it in private.
“Are you going to run off with him?” Taischek asked.
Dreibrand snapped his attention back to his host. “No, King Taischek.”
“Good, because we have more to talk about.” Taischek waved to a servant, who promptly filled the cups of the three men.
Taischek continued, “I am serious about what I said about the Sabuto. You know, after Shan is King in Jingten, he probably won’t have much need for you. But I will. I want you to stay here because I like you, and because I don’t want you working for anybody else.” He laughed.
“You honor me, King Taischek,” Dreibrand said. He looked at Xander for his reaction, uncertain that the Temu General would be as enthusiastic about keeping him around.
Taischek read Dreibrand’s mind and said, “General Xander is not opposed. We have discussed this. He wants the Temu Army to be the strongest. He will still be the General of course, but you will be nearly equal to him. You will have respect, authority, and wealth. There will be plenty for everybody.”
Xander nodded and Dreibrand believed that the General was sincere. Part of Dreibrand’s ambition recoiled from the necessity of deferring to Xander’s position, but he pushed it from his mind. This offer was everything he had been hoping for and working for. The problem with Kalek entered his mind, but Dreibrand could not discuss that with the King and perhaps there was hope in that situation. Dreibrand reasoned that
once he conquered more territory he would simply live far away from the Prince, and like Shan had said, Kalek was young and there was time for things to change.
Now that the King had made such a generous offer, Dreibrand was surprised by his lack of excitement. In the west, success was coming much easier and quicker than back home, but if conquering for his own people had left him feeling empty, would this be any different?
Bothered by Dreibrand’s silence, Taischek asked, “Or are you thinking of going home after you get your treasure from Jingten?”
“No, King Taischek,” Dreibrand answered. “I have come too far to go back, and you make things so good for me, why would I want to? Ah, but I was thinking that I will need land, lots of it. A legacy for the family I hope to have.”
Taischek brightened. “Of course, Dreibrand. You shall have your share of conquered territory. Of course. So we are agreed?”
Dreibrand did not want to hesitate and offend the King. His mind raced over his options that were very limited. Going home was problematic. What of the Kezanada? He did not trust them, and if things did not work out with the Temu, they would still be there.
“Yes, King Taischek. I will serve you and no other human king,” Dreibrand decided.
“Excellent! Now we must toast the agreement,” Taischek said.
The cups of Taischek, Xander, and Dreibrand clinked together and the men drank to their future.
Sighing as the wine warmed his stomach, Taischek said, “Of course, we will make this more formal when the time comes. For now you are still Shan’s general and you will serve him as you have been doing. As you and Shan made clear, Onja must go first.”
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Appendix A~ A Brief History of the Kezanada ~
The Kezanada have been a force within western society since the time of the Great War between Jingten and Nufal. The society perhaps originated in an even earlier period but the history of the Kezanada, as recorded by Urlen, began with the Great War. Commanding fear and respect, the society of mercenaries actively worked to organize all mercenaries so as to control the soldier for hire market. Among the ceaselessly warring tribes of the west work was always easy to find.
In the early years of the society, some accounts stated that the Kezanada performed a formal role providing security at negotiations between warring tribes. Both tribes, when they deemed it necessary to negotiate, would pay Kezanada to arrange a safe meeting. One story indicated that initially, the Kezanada were associated with Vu, an ancient God of Contests, but this religious role was dropped after the Kezanada became the agents of Onja, the Goddess Queen.
For over two thousand years during the reign of Queen Onja, the Kezanada acted as her swords among the human tribes. The services of the Kezanada exceeded the selling of soldier services. Kidnapping, assassinating, and spying came to be the pillars of Kezanada power and livelihood. The Kezanada have often been accused, and justly so, of purposefully sowing strife through assassination, abduction, and various subtle intrigues in order to foster more war and thereby increase business. Many have also suspected Onja’s hand in these activities because wars among the humans amused her.
Of the many notable Overlords through the ages, arguably the most notorious was Depponemmer, who spent fifteen years hunting down and killing all the followers of the prophet Lin Fal after Onja burned the prophet alive with her magic.
The most famous Overlord was the first recorded Overlord of the society. He was Amar, who served Onja before and during her ascent to the rys throne. Amar was a mighty warrior who fought faithfully for the rys in the Great War. Armed with enchanted weapons gifted to him by Onja, he was the bane of his enemies and set the standard for excellence in the martial arts for all Kezanada after him.