Darkness and Steel

by Martin Parece

  Meanwhile, Queen Erella’s body still lay in repose inside a reliquary of silver and gold on an altar inside the temple. As was custom when the bells ceased their tolling, acolytes dressed her in the finest trappings of both State and Garod and placed her respectfully within her final resting place. It was really very little more than a pine box, though it was crafted by the best carpenters and lined with the richest of velvets. The outside was adorned with all manners of relief depicting Garod and his paradise in silver and gold. Two gilded steel poles fed through gilded steel loops on either side of the box to allow for strong men to carry it. Of course, the reliquary itself had been crafted immediately upon Erella’s coronation, and once she was arrayed respectfully inside, the acolytes moved it to the temple altar. Citizens from all over Aquis and the other nations of the Shining West came to pay their respects. Upon King Aidan’s coronation, his own massive reliquary would be constructed, and Queen Erella would be interred in the royal catacombs below the temple.

  Immediately after Brenan announced the result of the Convocation’s election, Aidan had palace servants move all of his personal effects from his own quaint suite in the temple to the Royal Suite. It was far larger and more opulent, though he had to direct the removal of a number of its more feminine trappings. He knew that some whispered that he was vile and crass to move so quickly into Erella’s rooms, but he ignored them. He was King of Aquis, even if the official coronation had not yet taken place.

  Aidan stood quietly and alone with his eyes closed, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. The hall should be full of people by now – priests, lords and ladies and however many commoners could manage to squeeze in. He breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly as he opened his eyes, and Aidan started as he saw someone lying on the carpeted floor. Even before he turned his full attention to the prone form, he knew what he would see - Queen Erella murdered, strangled. Her eyes were open wide in fright, and the aged skin of her face was blue from the loss of air. Her neck had been rent open by the brute force of an armored hand, and both she and the carpet were covered in blood, some but not all of which was hers. Aidan closed his eyes and sighed heavily. When he reopened them, she was gone, and the old ruined carpet on which she lain was gone as well. He’d had it replaced immediately with a new one, plush and deep blue.

  The image, apparition, vision, whatever one might call it visited him twice before. The first time was while he supervised the servants moving his effects into the rooms, and he shrugged it off as a mere bad memory. The second time had been two nights later as he fitfully tried to sleep. Aidan did not believe in ghosts, and he was sure that Erella rested peacefully within the arms of Garod. Yet, he now knew that someone, something attempted to convey a message, be it his god or some remaining spirit of the dead queen. What was the meaning?

  He began to perspire slightly, and he was pacing when the Master Acolyte politely knocked and announced that it was time. As Aidan passed through the corridors of the palace, the warm perspiration turned cold on his skin, and the meaning of his visions became clear in his eyes. Queen Erella, Garod embrace her, was too soft, too inconstant in her treatment of the Dahken. She should have slain or imprisoned the boy as a child, as the Dahken were evil and uncontrollable, and she paid the price for her inaction. Aidan would not fail Garod so; no, all of the Dahken would pay for Cor’s crimes.

  As he approached the final vaulted doorway, Aidan could plainly hear the many voices of a huge crowd. They all attempted to whisper, keeping in mind the occasion, but their whispers rose and fell into near shouts and back, rippling through the crowd like waves. They emerged into the palace’s main hall, Brenan leading Aidan solemnly and two other acolytes behind him, and the crowd hushed almost immediately. Aidan did not take his eyes off of Brenan’s back, but in his peripheral vision, he could see an incredible press of people the likes of which he’d never seen in the palace. They climbed the steps of the dais to stand directly before the throne in which Aidan had seen Erella sit many times. Lying upon it were his official trappings of state – Garod’s Scepter, a massive golden and bejeweled crown and a pure white robe covered in heraldic symbols. Aidan hazarded one glance at the assembly and thought there must be at least several thousand crammed into the massive hall. Rederick of Martherus, massive and inscrutable, stood toward the front in plain view, and his cronies attended him just as they had at the Convocation.

  “The loss of Queen Erella,” intoned Brenan, “was a great shock to us all. We have grieved for her and pray that she has found peace with Garod. But today, is a joyous occasion for Garod in His wisdom has sent us a new King to rule Aquis and provide example for all of the peoples of the Shining West.

  “Aidan, Lord of Byrverus, you have been found worthy by the Convocation and Garod to receive this astounding responsibility. Do -,” Brenan halted incredulously as Aidan raised one hand in a call for silence.

  “Good Master Acolyte,” Aidan interrupted as he placed his right hand over his heart, “I humbly and piously ask that we abstain from the pomp for the good of Aquis. My ego is nothing before Garod or the needs of our nation, and I do not need the great ceremonies to show the people that I am King. Allow this to be my first act as King of Aquis, and it will be an act of humility.

  “I swear before Garod, the Convocation and the people of Aquis that I will bear this responsibility,” he said as he sank to his knees, “with the same humility. I swear that I will give my every effort to govern as wisely and beneficently as our Erella had, honoring Garod and the people.”

  Aidan felt Brenan place the heavy crown upon his head as he closed his eyes and lowered his face slightly. He hadn’t planned this with the Master Acolyte, but the man’s sense of timing was perfect. Applause started in the rear of the crowd, where mostly commoners watched, and began to spread throughout the hall. He cracked his eyelids slightly and saw that most of the priests also clapped and cheered. Even Rederick and his lesser applauded, though in a much more constrained manner.

  Aidan had been on the hard floor for perhaps a minute, and it already caused him significant discomfort, his knees seemingly pressed between it and his massive bulk. They were not used to such hardship. Aidan ponderously rose to his feet, focusing on the fluidity of the motion to make it seem as if it were no struggle at all. He turned to the throne as if to accept the robe and scepter, but then appeared to think better of it. He turned back to the crowd and moved to the edge of the dais to stand at the top of the steps.

  “My people, a great evil walks within our land,” Aidan announced to a silent and watchful crowd. “It has been here for years, growing and festering in dark corners just beyond our sight. The evil is called the Dahken, a race of dark warriors borne of a charlatan god. We thought them stamped out ages ago when The Cleansing purified us of evil, but we were wrong.

  “Nearly a score year ago, a Dahken named Cor Pelson was born to commoners near Martherus. Our good Queen Erella, always thinking the best of everyone, believed that this child could be taught to be good against his very nature. She could not have known that another would kidnap the boy, slaughter his parents and awaken the evil nature within him. Cor Pelson learned of blood sorcery and that he gained strength through murder. The two Dahken slaughtered dozens of Aquis’ soldiers and a good priest named Jonn, whom some of you surely knew. Cor then came before our good Queen Erella in this very place, and she, again with her sense of goodness, honored his request for parlay. She allowed him entry into Losz, and he emerged unscathed with dozens of his evil brethren, a fire breathing witch from the east and black armor to match his countenance.

  “My good people, I cannot fathom what happened next. Somehow, this boy, now reunited with the Dahken who slew his parents, somehow convinced Queen Erella to make him the lord of Fort Haldon, a highly strategic point that connects Aquis and Losz through the Spine. In Her wisdom, she sent me to be certain that Cor Pelson paid proper respects to Garod. I found the new lord training his Dahken to commit acts of violence. He refused Queen
Erella’s commands, threatened to murder me and announced his intention to erect all sorts of evil temples to vile gods.” This brought sharp inhalations, frightened gasps and some anger from those before him, and Aidan knew the next part of the story would have them calling for blood.

  “Upon hearing this, our good queen summoned Lord Cor Pelson to answer for his crimes. He came to the palace with two of his Dahken and the witch, and they summarily murdered Queen Erella, her highest advisor and scores of her loyal subjects in their escape.”

  He paused as silent shock turned to red faced anger and hatred. The people in the crowd spoke to one another hurriedly, and Aidan allowed it to build as they fed off each other’s outrage. Then came shouts buried deep within the assembled mass of bodies, shouts that were taken up by many, commoner, lord and priest. They called for vengeance and justice; they called for the death of the Dahken. Aidan allowed it to continue for a few moments longer before holding up his hands, beseeching calm. The crowd began to calm, though they stood poised for action – all except for Rederick. The woman (what was her name?) leaned forward and whispered something into his ear; he nodded almost imperceptibly, and she returned to her place.

  “Good people of Aquis,” Aidan said when all had quieted, “we will not commit an act of cold blooded revenge in the name of Garod or Queen Erella. Such would not be proper in the eyes of Garod, and our good queen would weep as she watched from her place with Him. However, the Dahken have broken our laws time and again, and they have defied Garod at every turn. Their guilt is plain, and they would not dare deny it before us. They will be punished righteously, as they once were when our ancestors undertook The Cleansing. We will have justice and return Aquis back to peace.

  “I call on Garod’s Paladins to join me in three days as we ride for Fort Haldon. We shall Cleanse the Dahken from Aquis, removing the festering sore that they have become. It will not be vengeance. It is justice.”

  Two or three thousand voices rose as one, screaming their supportive fury unintelligibly. Even the priests, the Convocation, fervently shouted their readiness for the blood of Cor Pelson and his Dahken. Aidan retrieved the robe and scepter from the throne and made away from the storm of voices to return to his suite. He hadn’t realized that Brenan followed him until the man spoke.

  “Majesty?” he called, and Aidan turned to face the man. “My duties in this matter are now over, and I will return to the temple.”

  “You have my leave with my thanks.”

  “I do not wish to impose, but may I ask Your Majesty a question?”

  “Certainly Brenan,” Aidan said in what he hoped was a gracious tone.

  “You called for the Paladins. Certainly they no longer exist? In my forty years I have never once met or seen a Paladin. Did they not disband after The Cleansing?” has asked.

  “That is the story, my good Brenan,” Aidan agreed with a nod. “But somehow, our Lord of Martherus makes me think otherwise.”

  * * *

  “Majesty, how may I serve?” asked the kneeling Rederick.

  Even on one knee with a bowed head, the man seemed only slightly shorter than Aidan while standing. Though the Convocation had officially disbanded the previous day, virtually all of the priests had chosen to stay in Byrverus. Rederick and his people were among them, and Aidan sent for the giant immediately upon waking. In two days, he would ride for Fort Haldon, and stewards and servants ran about the palace hurriedly to make preparations. Aidan had preparations of his own to make, and one of them involved the Lord of Martherus. He met the towering priest in what was once Erella’s private office, mere feet from where Cor had slain her.

  “Please stand Lord Rederick,” Aidan said, a jovial smile on his face. “Have you given any thought to my words at my coronation?”

  “They seemed plain enough, Majesty,” Rederick answered, and his blue eyes may well have been made of steel for all they conveyed. “It is true that Your Majesty must deliver justice upon the Dahken Cor Pelson.”

  “Do not eschew my words; you know of what I speak. Please cease your hovering and sit,” Aidan motioned to the open chair that he himself had sat in mere months ago. It creaked as Rederick lighted gingerly.

  “What would you have of me?” Rederick asked again, his face impassive as solid granite.

  “I would have you call forth the Paladins, have them reveal themselves to me. They must ride alongside me to Fort Haldon and crush the Dahken infection, lance it like a boil. Can your King count on your allegiance?”

  Aidan unconsciously held his breath for a long moment as he waited for Rederick’s answer. The man did not move in any way at all; even his eyes remained constant, and Aidan began to sweat under the scrutiny. Never once had he met such a man whom he could neither read nor sway.

  “Majesty, I cannot do what you ask of me,” Rederick said. Aidan began to breathe again, though it was now through clenched teeth. “The Paladins are myth and legend, holy warriors of Garod and that is all. Even if I had the power to make them assemble before you, they formed to help Cleanse the Loszians from the Shining West. The punishment of a noble, no matter the crime, was not their purpose, and they answered only to the will of Garod and none other.”

  “I see,” Aidan responded quietly, and he knew he could not defeat Rederick in the matter. “Lord Rederick, I will speak plainly then. I believe it very possible that you are lying to me now, something that is very out of character for a revered priest of Garod. You are an impressive example of health and manhood, impressive in your giant form. You were a mighty fighting man once, and I doubt those habits and thoughts have vanished. Your sudden abdication and rise through the temple to become the Lord of Martherus is amazing, and implies to me that other forces helped you. Perhaps a secret society, or did you just befriend the right people? However, I now know that you are unmovable on this subject whether you lie or not. Oh certainly, I could have you hauled off to the dungeons until either you submit or I am sure of your honesty, but I don’t think that will solve anything. Do you?”

  “I think not, Majesty.”

  “Very well,” Aidan sighed, and he forced his jovial smile to return to his corpulent face. “When do you plan on returning to Martherus?”

  “I thought that I might see Your Majesty off,” he answered.

  “Indeed. I might ask a favor of you.”

  “Anything within my power, Majesty,” Rederick said with a slight nod.

  “Would you stay in Byrverus, simply watch over her for me while I am away? I do not expect to be gone much more than a month. When I return, I should like to speak with you about the future, perhaps consider moving you to Byrverus permanently.”

  “I will look forward to it, Majesty,” Rederick said, and this time Aidan knew he lied.

  Aidan stood and offered his hand to the priest. “Thank you for seeing me this morning,” he said as their hands clasped. Rederick’s strong hand felt as if it were made of iron in stark contrast to Aidan’s own fleshy palm and chubby fingers. “If I do not see you as I set out for Fort Haldon, I will look for you upon my return.”

  As they broke their grip, Rederick bowed slightly before striding from the room. The man had purpose and strength in everything he did, but he seemed slow to act, as if he did not see the moments that were before him to be seized. Once he left the suite, an armored guard clinked and clanged into the room with a scroll case in hand. He immediately knelt before his king and held the pose until Aidan spoke.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “Your Majesty, a messenger brought an urgent dispatch from Fort Haldon,” the guard said. “It is said to be from Lord Dahken Cor and for you alone.”

  “Leave it, and close the door behind you,” Aidan commanded. The guard rose and set the cylindrical case on the desk before bowing and exiting the room. “See that I am not disturbed for at least an hour,” Aidan called after him.

  He lowered his bulk back into the cushioned chair as a low boom echoed through the chambers – the sound of the doors being sh
ut. The chair was Queen Erella’s of course, and though she likely would have filled only half of its seat, Aidan could barely fit his corpulent self into it. He stared at the dispatch for several minutes, willing himself to open it, but he seemed almost paralyzed by the thing. Finally, Aidan sighed deeply, reached forward and broke the seal. Upending the case revealed a parchment scroll, and the message upon it was written in a very precise and boring script.

  Aidan, King of Aquis, read the long, detailed message and then dropped it onto his desk, atop the discarded scroll case from whence it came. He leaned back in the chair, hearing it creak as he did so, and thought long and hard about what he had just read. He reached for it again and, finding himself unable to reach it, leaned forward to take it in both hands. Placing his elbows on the desktop, he reread Cor’s message two more times, searching for any duplicity or hint of falsehood.

  Aidan had to give the boy credit – it was an excellent contrivance, full of just perfect details to match the story. He had a good story about a wounded scout who’d managed to claw his way back heroically with the help of a compatriot. He included the approximate strength of the invasion force with a fairly detailed description of it. Unfortunately, Cor hadn’t counted on two things. The first was the obvious fact that the Loszians would never dare face the power of Garod again; they may get as far as taking Fort Haldon, but no further. The second plain and obvious flaw was the nonsense of a Dahken using some type of blood magic to heal a Westerner. Apparently, this Dahken Cor thought Aidan simple minded.

  Aidan smiled as pushed Cor’s dispatch aside and began to compose his own message. No doubt, the Dahken had resisted Thom’s attempts to arrest them and likely killed the commander in so doing. King Aidan told Cor that he should reach Fort Haldon within three weeks, and that Cor and his people had been found guilty of crimes against Aquis and Garod. He told Cor that he should prepare his people in whatever way customary, for when he arrived they would be put to death for their crimes.