by M. L. Forman
“There is another matter that we must resolve first,” said Caftan. “Stephan has shown himself to be a traitor and has made an attempt on your life. He has done this in the tent of his lord and brought dishonor on myself and Lord Shelnor.”
“You would be within your rights to claim his life now,” said Shelnor, glancing from Alex to Stephan.
“And you must name the terms for reclaiming our honor,” Caftan added.
“You are honorable men,” said Alex, looking both Caftan and Shelnor in the eyes. “I see you will serve King Rallian well. I have no claim on your honor and hold you both blameless for what Stephan has done.”
“You are most kind, Master Taylor, but the matter of honor is an ancient custom,” insisted Shelnor.
“I understand,” said Alex. “Has Stephan served you long, Lord Caftan?”
“For many years,” said Caftan sadly. “I would not think it possible for him to turn traitor. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it for myself.”
“Stephan,” said Alex, turning to face the attacker, who was still bound by his spell. “What did Lazar promise you for your betrayal? What price did you set on your honor and the honor of your lord?”
“The price was not what you think,” Stephan answered as tears began to run down his face. “I would not sell my honor for silver or gold, or for the promise of lands that were not my own.”
“What, then?” Caftan questioned angrily. “What price did you place on your honor and my own?”
“My family,” said Stephan.
“You . . . you have no family,” said Caftan, a puzzled look on his face. “You have no wife, no children—no one.”
“What you say is true, my lord,” answered Stephan, trying to wipe his face but unable to move because of the binding spell Alex had put on him. “But I have a brother and a sister who both live in Lazar’s kingdom. It was for their lives—and the lives of their children—that I sold myself to Lazar.”
“He speaks the truth, Lord Caftan,” said Alex. “I hear it in his words, and I can feel nothing but sorrow for him.”
“You should have told me of your family. I would have sent for them. I would have brought them to Pent,” said Caftan.
“I should have, but I did not,” said Stephan. “Forgive me; I meant no disrespect. Lazar knew of my fear for my family and ordered me to speak to no one of our bargain. I did only what I had to do.”
“Master Taylor, what do you wish us to do with him?” Shelnor asked.
“Hold him for now,” said Alex. “I will not judge him for what he has done. King Rallian must decide his punishment.”
“Yes,” said Caftan. “He must face the king’s justice. That is what we are really fighting for now.”
“And what price will you ask of us to restore our honor?” Shelnor questioned.
“I have already said that I hold you both blameless,” said Alex, holding up his hand to prevent Caftan or Shelnor from speaking. “I understand this debt of honor, and I know that I must ask a price. I will ask one silver coin for each soldier in your army. How say you, lords of the north?”
“A small price for honor,” answered Caftan.
“And an honorable request in its kindness,” added Shelnor.
“Then it is settled,” said Alex. “Now, we have work to do. We can discuss payment and other details after our work is done.”
Caftan and Shelnor both agreed and ordered that Alex be led to the wall that was being built. Alex left Hathnor in their care, promising to return when his work was finished. The man who had led Alex and the others to the camp now led Alex back to his horse.
“The wall is hard work for the men,” the captain told Alex as they rode away from the tents. “Warriors are not great builders, but we do what we can.”
“How should I address you?” Alex asked in reply.
“I am Talus, captain of Lord Shelnor’s guards,” said the man in a proud voice.
“Well then, Talus, I must ask your forgiveness,” said Alex. “Earlier today, I spoke quickly and without thought. I was worried for my friend Hathnor and troubled by the coming war. I am sorry that I spoke so sharply to you.”
“I will gladly forgive you if you ask it, though I see no reason for it,” said Talus.
“I ask it,” said Alex. “And I thank you for your kindness.”
When they reached the construction site, Alex found several hundred soldiers working by torchlight, trying to finish the wall before Lazar’s army arrived. The gap of Luthan was only about a mile wide, and the wall the soldiers were building covered about half that distance. Alex watched them work for a few minutes, and then he asked Talus to have them stop their work and move away from the wall.
Talus spoke to the man in charge of building the wall, and he called the working soldiers to a halt. When the signal came down the line so that all the men had stepped back, Alex moved forward.
Focusing all of his thoughts on the partially built wall, and the wall he had pictured in his mind, Alex began the spell. A part of his mind reached out, pulling the power of the dragon into his work. He let his thoughts move along the entire length of the wall, looking at the work that had already been finished and checking it for weakness. When his thoughts reached the steep side of the mountain where the wall began, they started back again.
The wall changed as Alex’s mind moved over it. The stone seemed to come alive, and the ground shook under the feet of the watching soldiers. Slowly at first, but with gathering speed, the wall grew like some strange and magical plant. What had been a simple three-foot wall of loose stone changed, becoming four, and, in some places six, feet high. What had been only a foot thick now stretched out and became three feet thick.
Stairways climbed up the wall like stone vines where the wall was highest, and places for men to stand and walk along the north side of the wall grew out of the stairways. It was more a fortress than a wall, a place where men could fight. When Alex’s thoughts returned to him, he finished the spell, binding the wall together as if it were one single enormous piece of stone.
Alex stumbled forward as he finished his magic. He caught himself with his staff, breathing hard and feeling a little dizzy from the work he had just done.
“Amazing,” the man who had been in charge of building the wall said, his eyes wide.
“And is this illusion?” Talus asked. “Is this like what you did in the tent of Lords Caftan and Shelnor?”
“No,” said Alex, a tired smile on his face. “This is real.”
Talus moved forward and pressed his hand against the newly created wall as if thinking it would vanish when he touched it. “How?” he asked.
“Magic,” said Alex. “Good magic, for a good cause.”
“Yes,” said Talus. “I see now that there is both good and evil magic, just as there are good and evil men.”
“You see much,” said Alex. “Now, I need to rest. Even good magic has its price, and I am almost too tired to stand.”
“Yes, of course,” said Talus, a note of concern in his voice. “I will take you to Lord Hathnor’s tent. I’m sure there is room there, and I am sure Hathnor—and everyone else—will want to hear about this wall.”
Chapter Nineteen
Shadows and Mist
Alex slept well that night and woke late the following morning. Creating the wall had taken a lot out of him, but now he was ready for whatever the day would bring. Alex hoped that Cafton and Shelnor’s soldiers would not be afraid of him and his magic when they saw the wall, but afraid or not, they had the wall and the protection it offered.
Alex looked around the tent and saw that Hathnor was not there. Getting up, he made his way out of the tent and found Talus waiting for him.
“Master Taylor,” said Talus. “Lords Caftan, Shelnor, and Hathnor request that you join them for breakfast.”
“As the lords wish,” said Alex.
“They are all impressed by the wall you’ve created,” said Talus as he led Alex toward the main tent. “The soldi
ers that were there last night have told the story, and the whole army knows what you have done for us.”
“How do they feel about my building the wall?” Alex asked.
“They are pleased, of course,” said Talus. “They feel more confident now that you are with us.”
“Do they still believe that Lazar’s army is as large as it appears to be?” Alex asked.
“There are mixed feelings about that,” Talus answered honestly. “Some say that it cannot be so large, while others say that it is. It matters little, however. With the wall in place, the men all feel that we can hold the gap of Luthan until King Rallian and Lord Talbot arrive, even if Lazar’s army is as large as it appears to be.”
Alex was pleased to hear that the soldiers felt confident about holding the gap for Rallian. He still hoped that a battle could be avoided completely, but the wall would be helpful if Lazar’s army insisted on fighting.
“Master Taylor,” said Caftan as Alex entered the tent. “You’ve done a great work for us.”
“Lazar’s army will be stunned by the appearance of the wall,” said Shelnor.
“It is amazing,” said Hathnor. “I think we could hold the gap against almost any foe now.”
“What word do we have of Lazar’s army? Have they started to arrive?” said Alex.
“A few small groups of Lazar’s soldiers have been seen beyond the wall,” said Shelnor. “No doubt scouts sent to see what defenses we have. The main body of the army will not arrive until late this afternoon.”
“And by this evening most of their army will be in place,” Caftan added.
“By this evening, King Rallian and my father will be close,” said Hathnor with a smile. “Once they arrive, Lazar’s army will crumble before us.”
“I hope their commander will not force us to attack them or foolishly order them to attack us,” Alex said.
“It depends on the commander,” said Caftan. “Lazar has several generals, and many of them are devoted to him.”
“If Athron leads, they will yield,” said Shelnor. “Athron will see how hopeless the situation is. He is not one to waste the lives of his men needlessly.”
“True,” agreed Caftan. “And Athron was a general for Rallian’s father. He might be persuaded to fight for Rallian.”
“Yes,” said Shelnor. “No doubt he only serves Lazar because he believes that Rallian is lost, or dead, and his honor holds him to Karmus. If he can see Rallian alive, I believe he will join us.”
“What about the men he commands?” Alex asked.
“That I do not know,” said Caftan. “I know that Lazar’s soldiers do not love him and that he does not treat them well. Lazar’s only true followers are the members of his black guard, and I doubt he would risk them in this battle.”
“Then let us hope that Athron leads the army,” said Alex, taking a seat. “Rallian may be able to win the hearts of the soldiers Lazar has sent, and it would be better to win their hearts than to destroy them.”
“You speak wisely,” said Shelnor, ringing a small gong on the table. “Now, let us eat and prepare for the day. I doubt the army of Lazar will ask for our surrender before midday.”
They all laughed, and several men entered the tent with breakfast trays. Alex was pleased to see Hathnor eating, and he hoped that his friend would not overdo things in his excitement.
After breakfast, Alex insisted that Hathnor return to his tent to rest. Alex could see that Hathnor was still weak, and he knew it would take time for the wound to heal completely. Once Hathnor had gone, Alex rode out to the wall with Caftan and Shelnor to watch Lazar’s army assemble. Already there were large groups of men in the field in front of them, but Alex could tell that most of the men were only shadows created by Magnus.
“You see that Magnus’s shadow army is moving faster than the real army,” said Stonebill as he landed on Alex’s shoulder.
“Yes,” said Alex. “There are few soldiers here. How far behind is the main force?”
“They should start arriving by midday,” Stonebill said.
“Master Taylor, can you speak to this noble bird?” Caftan asked in surprise.
“Yes,” said Alex. “This is my friend Stonebill. He is the one who first recognized Magnus’s illusion. He’s been working to delay Lazar’s army in order to give King Rallian and Lord Talbot time to cross the mountains.”
“A most worthy bird,” said Shelnor.
“How far off are Rallian and Talbot?” Alex asked Stonebill.
“They have moved faster than we thought and will begin to arrive just after dark,” Stonebill answered. “Lazar’s army should all be here before night falls, but most of their supplies have been left behind.”
“Trouble with their carts?” Alex asked with a smile.
“The wheels keep falling off.” Stonebill laughed in his croaking voice. “I think if you conjure your fog at midnight, our friends will be able to move into place without any trouble.”
“Very well,” said Alex, looking out across the fields in front of him. “At midnight I will hide our friends, and at dawn we will see about this illusion that Magnus has created.”
Alex relayed his conversation with the raven to Caftan and Shelnor.
“So by sunrise Lazar’s army will be all but defeated,” said Shelnor. “I am glad that things have worked out so well.”
“So far they have,” said Alex. “There is still a long road to follow before Rallian sits on the throne in Karmus.”
“His first battle seems well in hand,” said Caftan with a satisfied nod. “Once it is won, others kingdoms may choose to support Rallian’s claim.”
“I believe they will,” said Alex. “I have advised Rallian to give all the kingdoms of Nezza the chance to accept him before resorting to battle.”
“A wise course,” said Shelnor.
“With luck, there will be few battles that need to be fought,” added Caftan.
“I hope that none will be needed,” said Alex, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “This land has already lost too many good men in foolish wars.”
Alex was finishing his midday meal with Caftan and Shelnor when Talus appeared with news. The army of Lazar had sent men forward under a flag of truce, and they wished to speak with Caftan and Shelnor. Both Caftan and Shelnor smiled, knowing this probably meant Lazar’s men would ask for their surrender.
“You must act worried,” Alex warned them as they prepared to ride out and meet the captains of Lazar’s army. “They must think you are afraid of them and are considering surrender. They must not suspect that we know Lazar’s army is made up of shadows or that Rallian will soon be here with his army.”
“Do not worry, my friend,” said Caftan. “I can play the part that is needed.”
“And I am afraid,” Shelnor added. “Afraid of what will happen to them tomorrow.”
Standing at the end of the wall he had created, Alex watched as Caftan and Shelnor rode out into the plain. Stonebill sat silently on Alex’s shoulder. The two companies met under the blue-and-white flag of truce. The meeting lasted only a few minutes, and then Caftan and Shelnor were riding back to their camp.
“Athron commands the army,” Caftan called to Alex as they approached the wall.
“And he’s not at all happy about this war,” Shelnor added. “I could see in his face that he would rather not be here.”
“The captains that were with him looked worried as well,” Caftan said. “They have seen this impressive wall, and they aren’t as certain of victory as they once were.”
“What terms did they offer?” Alex asked.
“If we will stand aside and let them pass, they promise not to trouble either of our kingdoms,” said Caftan. “It would seem they only want to fight Lord Talbot. They are saying that Rallian is dead and that Talbot is to blame.”
“So, Lazar is trying to use Rallian’s name to rally his troops,” said Alex. “That is good for us, since Rallian is still very much alive.”
“It seems
obvious that he doesn’t know about Rallian’s rescue,” said Shelnor. “If he knew Rallian was alive and free, he would not try to use him to rally his army.”
“True,” said Alex. “I wonder what story Magnus told him to cover up the fact that Rallian escaped?”
“We asked Athron to give us until morning to consider his offer,” said Shelnor. “One day is the normal time allowed before answering the call for surrender.”
“Tomorrow we will see who surrenders,” said Caftan in a firm voice.
Alex stood at the end of the wall and looked south. Everything was ready, and Talbot’s army would be in place before dawn. All that was left was the waiting. Still, something in the back of Alex’s mind troubled him, and he was worried that he had forgotten something important.
“Things will go badly for Magnus if Lazar finds out Rallian is alive and well,” Stonebill said in Alex’s ear.
“Magnus deserves whatever Lazar does to him,” said Alex. “Yet I don’t think Lazar can do much, and Magnus is safe enough. He only pretends to serve Lazar. I think Magnus is the true power in Karmus, and Lazar is nothing more than a willing fool.”
“Yes, but if Magnus lies to Lazar, and Lazar finds out . . . ”
“He’s been lying to Lazar for years,” said Alex. “I don’t think Lazar even knows what the truth is anymore.”
Alex returned to camp with Caftan and Shelnor. Lazar, he knew, was just a power hungry fool and that Magnus was the real power in Karmus. Lazar might be willing to do whatever he was told, but Magnus was the root of the evil in Nezza.
And Magnus is controlled by the Brotherhood, a small voice said inside Alex’s mind. The Brotherhood, and someone using the name Gaylan.
After the evening meal, Alex returned to the wall with Stonebill. Stonebill was nervous and excited, and he quickly flew off to see where Rallian and Talbot were. The moon was already up when Stonebill returned to Alex’s shoulder, a written message tied to his leg.
“King Rallian asked that I bring this to you,” Stonebill explained.
“Thank you,” said Alex. He unfolded the note and read it quickly.