by Pirateaba
A second puzzle. Trey slumped over at the table, thinking. Remembering. He knew why they were at war. He had been there the day the Emperor of Sands had sent a gift to Flos, knowing he had awakened. But it hadn’t been a gift. The food Trey had just eaten lurched unpleasantly in his stomach. No, not a gift.
He remembered the moment after Flos had pulled out the head from the box the Courier had delivered. It had been—Trey’s gut lurched—it had been the head of a man called Drevish. Apparently he was…had been…one of the King’s Seven, a group of legendary high-level people who served Flos.
And he had been killed by the Emperor of Sands. His head had been sent to Flos, and the King had declared war. Trey remembered that moment as well.
Flos had declared war. He had drawn his sword and raced through the halls. His voice had been like thunder, and he had shouted that he would not rest until the Emperor of Sands was dead.
Orthenon, Mars, Takahatres, they had all followed Flos, caught up in his fury. Only Gazi had remained, and Trey remembered what she had said to them.
“To victory, children. Victory, and the glory of our King.”
That had sent a chill down his spine. Trey and Teres had stood fixed in place, Flos’ voice still ringing through the castle. They’d run out of the room moments later, mainly because the incredibly scary Lady Gazi had made them. They’d followed Flos and the others by the sound of his shouting voice.
He had strode down the hallways, shouting for his sword, his warhorse, his armies. Trey had seen Flos throw open the doors to the palace—
And stop. He had stopped there, as people ran out of every hallway, holding weapons, shouting, asking what was going on. But their [King] had no answer. And then he’d turned, and walked back towards his throne room.
Not to go back on his word. No, Takahatres had left that very night, promising to strike the first blow against the Emperor of Sands with his tribe. And every day since, Trey and Teres had followed Flos about, witnessing preparations being made. Orthenon, the King’s Steward, had begun the immense task of preparing a kingdom that was on the verge of extinction for war against a huge empire.
There was everything to do, and not enough time to do it. People had been starving. They needed to be fed. The walls needed to be manned, and an actual army built out of the people. So Trey understood the need to wait, to take precautions. He just didn’t expect Flos of all people to wait.
And Teres agreed with him. She thought something had happened too. And in fact, Trey was sure that the other, Orthenon, Mars, and Gazi knew that something was keeping Flos from marching as well. But no one had said anything. Perhaps they could—
“Trey.”
Trey looked up. He had felt it at the same time Teres spoke.
Flos had entered the room. The King was awake and he was here.
The banquet hall wasn’t full, but it was hardly empty. Trey sat up in his seat and saw the other diners, servants and guards mainly, turn their heads towards the door.
A King stood in the doorway. He wore no crown, and he didn’t carry a scepter. The sword at his belt looked plain, and Trey knew it was normal steel. But he was nonetheless, unmistakably, a King.
And you could feel his presence in the air. Trey stood up. Most of the people in the room did as Flos strode towards them. Men and women were already flocking towards him, one carrying a platter with food, another a drink.
“Good morning to you all.”
Flos’ voice was deep and commanding, like a King’s voice should be. Where it differed from Trey’s image of a King was how…normal it sounded. Flos seldom spoke like a posh aristocrat—Trey had never heard him say ‘thee’ or ‘thou’ and he didn’t tend to make grand speeches either. Still, he made Trey’s heart race the instant his eyes fell on the young man.
It was rather like standing next to a power pylon, or so Trey imagined. When Flos was in the room, it was as if your body was filled with a crackling energy. It was impossible to simply lounge about or ignore him. If you were looking at something on the opposite side of the room, your eyes would eventually wander over to him.
“Trey, Teres. Have you eaten?”
If the first words Flos had spoken were for his subjects, it was notable that the second words from his mouth were for the twins. Trey and Teres automatically bowed as one. Teres was wearing trousers, and so curtsying would only make Flos laugh.
“We have, your majesty.”
“Good. Then I shall eat as we walk. I have risen late, but I intend to do as much as possible before resting. With me.”
That was all he needed to say. Trey’s legs started moving. He walked on Flos’ left, with Teres next to him. Flos accepted the steaming food from the platter with a word of thanks for the beaming woman who had served it to him, and took the mug with his other hand.
“My thanks to you all.”
That was all he said to the men and women gathered there. That, and a nod. But it seemed that was all they needed. The people bowed or called out greetings, and then Flos had left the banquet hall and was striding down the hallways of his palace, the twins hurrying to keep up.
That was how it happened. Every day. Somehow, it never occurred to Trey or Teres to object. Flos beckoned, or just walked and they followed. Some days Trey felt like a bit of metal following a magnet.
“Is there anything you have to tell me?”
That was usually the second question Flos asked them each day. He was always curious whether Trey or Teres had remembered some tidbit from their world, or if they had found something objectionable or startling in his absence. Trey had gotten used to the question by now and no longer wracked his brains for a response. Honesty was best with Flos. Actually, it was harder to lie to him than simply tell the truth.
“No, your majesty.”
“And you, Teres?”
“No, sire.”
“Well then, let us find my vassals, if they do not find me first.”
Flos laughed and took a bite from the sandwich in his hands. It wasn’t quite a sandwich, actually. It was more of a collection of bacon adorned with two pieces of dark rye bread added to make holding it more convenient. It didn’t have any brown sauce, which both Trey and Teres considered a capital crime. But Flos seemed happy enough to eat it.
The bacon roll was still steaming, and though Trey had eaten, his stomach rumbled a bit as Flos chewed his meal, making comforted sounds and sipping from his mug.
He was done with his food in less than thirty seconds, despite the bacon sandwich being big enough to have filled Trey’s stomach and half of Teres’. He drained the mug and handed it to a man who was waiting for that very moment. The servant hurried away with it as Flos grinned at the twins.
“Ah, there is nothing better to start the morning with. Eating food while walking. What a wonderful invention. And convenient! I have eaten on the march before, but this—I enjoy this. What did you call it?”
“A bacon roll. Uh, sire.”
There was something criminal about feeding bacon rolls to a King, Trey felt. Though it was a traditional food, it was just—odd. But Flos had insisted on trying it the moment he’d heard about fast food and walking while you ate. He’d enjoyed it so much that bacon rolls and other walk-as-you-eat foods had become a permanent part of the castle’s served foods.
Flos dusted crumbs from his clothing and turned his head. Trey turned to look too, and saw a man he had grown to know quite well walking quickly down the hall towards him.
The tall man wearing dark clothing was named Orthenon. He was Flos’ steward, which meant he was the second most powerful man in the kingdom. He was tall, gaunt, and he was very graceful. Trey felt Teres miss a step next to him. She had a crush on Orthenon, Trey knew. He just admired the man; there was something about him that spoke of flawless competence to Trey.
“Orthenon. Greetings. Have you broken your fast? I have had another one of those bacon rolls. You should have one too.”
Flos greeted Orthenon, and the man fell into
step next to his King without missing a beat.
“I have eaten, my lord. And those sandwiches are not to my taste.”
“A pity. Ah, there you two are!”
Two other people were striding down the hallway towards Flos. On opposite sides of the hallway. Servants were forced to funnel down the middle; they certainly weren’t about to get in the way of the woman wearing brown armor, a two-handed sword strapped to her back, or the other woman, a sword and shield at her side.
“Gazi. Mars.”
Flos called out and the two bowed to him as they took places behind their King. Trey shifted as he saw Mars smile at him and one of Gazi’s four eyes turn to stare at him and Teres.
He didn’t know what to make of these two. One of them, Gazi, wasn’t human. She was obviously not Human. Not that Trey minded non-Humans that much—he had liked Takahatres a lot. But Gazi…no.
If there was anything to keep your back straight, it was having Gazi standing behind you. She made no sound as she walked behind Trey and Teres, although she was wearing her brown scale armor, but they knew she was there.
She was distracting, even with Flos nearby. Where Gazi was unnatural because of her five eyes, her orange-brown skin, four fingers, and disconcerting way of looking through you, Mars was distracting because of how perfect she was.
She had flawless skin, pale as a moonbeam, and red curling locks that ran down her shoulders. She also had huge breasts. Trey tried to avoid looking at those, but they were…
Significant. Mars also moved like a dancer, and as she walked by Flos, her melodic voice did complicated things to Trey’s insides.
“Have you slept well, my King?”
“Blissfully, Mars. It was a shame to wake. But I have slept long enough. Tell me, what news is there?”
The three servants of Flos took turns speaking as Trey and Teres walked silently beside Flos, listening, watching servants get out of the way and people turn to stare at their King.
It was like this every day. That didn’t make it any less incredible to Trey, though. The instant Flos woke up, he was surrounded by people. Yet he dealt with them all as if he were completely used to being at the center of the world. That was what it was like being a [King], Trey supposed.
“Work on the eastern wall is going well. We’re fixing all the temporary gaps one at a time. It could be going faster, but we don’t have enough skilled [Builders] and [Craftsmen], let alone [Stonemasons].”
“How long until we can call all the walls secure?”
“Four days and we could fight off an army of three times our numbers with enough arrows and mages.”
“Good. Orthenon, what news?”
The gaunt man nodded.
“I have located two more of your vassals. Again, they are in mercenary companies, one in Baleros.”
“Far from home.”
Flos sighed. Teres saw Orthenon nod calmly.
“I have had mage [Message] spells sent, but as always, I had to encode my words and send them from another city. It will take time to reach them, if the messages are not intercepted on the way.”
“Why all the cloak and dagger nonsense?”
Mars scowled at Orthenon, her hand on her sword.
“The world will know our lord has awoken soon enough. Why not shout it now and let our allies come to us, rather than play games of secrets like some Terandrian [Lord]?”
“It is prudent. We do not have the forces to resist a combined assault from multiple armies at present. Besides, if word spreads that the King of Destruction has awoken, some of our allies will be attacked by enemies. We must alert them as quickly and as covertly as possible.”
Orthenon turned to look at Mars, unruffled by her ire. The woman shrugged. She was a [Vanguard], Trey knew. A powerful warrior class, and her nickname was Mars the Illusionist. And…that was all he knew about her, really.
“Fine. But it seems strange to me that the world doesn’t know our lord has awoken already.”
“It would be difficult for most to know. Orthenon has kept a lock on word spreading, and it is hardly knowledge most wish the people to know. Most likely all the powerful leaders of nations know, and perhaps groups like the mages of Wistram or traders of Roshal have found out. But the world? No.”
Gazi’s voice was soft, but all heads turned to listen to her when she spoke. Flos nodded, looking pensive.
“Word of my return is a weapon in itself. I fear that my vassals and allies will be attacked regardless of the measures Orthenon takes. But I will leave it to him to decide what is best. Now, Gazi. What of Takahatres?”
The half-Gazer smiled lazily as all eyes turned to her again. Trey felt Teres shudder a bit at Gazi’s lips moved up. It was a smile, but as Teres has pointed out to Trey, there was nothing really nice about it. The only time Gazi ever actually looked affectionate was when she looked at her King. And even then, she was scary.
“He sends word that he has reached his tribe, and they have begun crossing the desert. I believe they will begin striking at the holding of the Emperor of Sands within three days or less.”
“Good.”
Flos looked like he had more to say, but he didn’t say it. Trey saw Mars, Gazi, and Orthenon all glance at their King, and then at each other. He wanted to ask the question in his chest, but he didn’t dare speak. The presence of the people around him was overwhelming.
“Well then, I will visit this wall, and then hear what else ails my people.”
The King nodded to himself as he turned left down a corridor. He looked down towards Trey and Teresa, and they both stiffened.
“Trey, Teres. I believe it would be best if you two learned more about the continent today. Orthenon, please take some time out of your day to teach them. After that…Mars, if you would, find out if either has the aptitude with weapons.”
“At last!”
The armored woman laughed as the twins exchanged a glance. Today was the day? Flos had been hinting—Trey raised his voice because he knew Teres would never dare to speak.
“Are we—are we going to learn how to fight? Your majesty? What will we be doing?”
“I told you on the day I accepted your service that I would have you follow me into battle and across the seas. If you have the aptitude for arms, it is best you learn from Mars how to fight. If not…I will find another teacher for you.”
Flos nodded to Orthenon. The man stepped away from his King, bowing, and then beckoned to Trey and Teres.
“This way, you two. I will instruct you for an hour and then give you over to Mars.”
“Meet me in the training grounds when you’re done! Don’t fear—I won’t break either of you two!”
Mars laughed loudly as Trey and Teres followed Orthenon away. The tall man glanced down at the two, and slowed a bit; both twins’ legs hurt from trying to keep up with Flos’ long stride.
“I noted your confused faces earlier. Ask me your question.”
Trey gulped, but it was Teres who spoke before him. She was quiet and shy around everyone except Flos and Orthenon. Flos, because it was impossible to stay silent when he asked a question and Orthenon because she liked him.
“Will Lord Takahatres be alright, fighting against the Emperor of Sands by himself?”
Trey nodded. As always, Teres had had the same thought as him. Orthenon sighed.
“A complicated question. Come with me.”
He strode down the hallways, briskly talking to the people who hurried up to him, so that there was a steady stream of people moving towards and away from him. That was the thing. Flos might be King, but Orthenon was the one everyone went to for instructions.
“If you need more wood, check in the storerooms near the dungeons. There might be wood there, but be careful to distinguish between the firewood and usable timber. If there is not enough, return to me. See Master Invac for help lifting—he has bodies to spare for an hour or two. Find five people with tracking skills and locate the source of that nest. Exterminate any rats living wit
hin and burn the remains.”
He turned into a room and the twins followed him in. Orthenon stood in front of a large map, adorned with markings for cities and towns, and border lines and the geography of the continent.
“Here we are. Before I answer your questions—a test. Point to me our location, Trey.”
The boy hesitated. He squinted at the map, and pointed. The continent of Chandrar was a rather lumpy rectangle, with elements of oval in his eyes. The kingdom that was the King of Destruction’s home was named Reim, and it was a small dot on the northeast quadrant of the map, closer to the border than it was to the center.
Desert and the dry, faded dust coloring indicating arid land surrounded Reim, as well as the large area around it. That was most of Chandrar, actually. While there were green patches to the southwest and along the coasts, most of Chandrar was one big dry place. With lots of deserts.
The lone bits of color actually came from markings that denoted oases or other bodies of water. They were almost invariably located next to a city, and Reim had its own small flush of green that indicated the deep underground streams from which they drew their water.
Orthenon nodded in approval and Trey felt relieved. It wasn’t that Orthenon was a strict teacher; he was, but it was that he demanded perfect understanding. If you made a mistake, he would go over it again with you in exacting detail, and question you on that very thing the next time you met.
“Very good. We are here. While the Emperor of Sands is—Teresa?”
He also called Teresa by her full name, which she normally hated. But Teres never made a complaint to him. The girl pointed without hesitation to a large section of the map, ostensibly a collection of nations by their borders, almost directly west of their position.
“Correct. This map is outdated of course—but the nations from here to here are where the Emperor of Sands has expanded his empire in the last eight years.”
Orthenon traced his fingers over a vast stretch of land, from the cast to the edge of a massive desert. He pointed that out to the twins.
“The one thing that has stopped his expansion is the desert. Marching an army across the Zeikhal desert is dangerous, and I believe the Emperor of Sands wishes to consolidate his hold over the west before expanding. He may eschew crossing the desert and conquer his way north and south to avoid it.”