Farindian Summer (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 4)

by Loren K. Jones

  The men and women looked at each other, then bowed as one to Stavin. “As you command, Your Highness.”

  One of the women took a step forward and bowed again. This was the best-dressed woman in group. “Your Highness, you said Trade Town was going to be destroyed. Are we going to be able to keep our homes and shops?”

  “You can thank Warleader Third Karvik Kel’Carin for that,” Stavin said, raising his hand to indicate Karvik’s tall form at his left shoulder. “He talked me out of burning the entire town. But Trade Town no longer exists. Skykon has replaced it.”

  The woman bowed very deeply and backed away from Stavin. Another of the men stepped forward and bowed. “Prince Stavin, who will control Tra—Skykon?”

  “Skykon will be under the control of whoever you choose as your leaders. But it won’t be any of the Guild officials. All of them, and we know who they are, are condemned as traitors for their actions here.” He sighed and shook his head. “We sent an emissary to give the Traders’ Guild a chance to surrender. Warleader Second Darak Kel’Norlan came down to offer the Traders’ Guild a chance to surrender without bloodshed. Instead, the honorless bastards shot him in the back, violating a flag of peace. No Guild official will be allowed to survive. And no one will change my mind about that.” The man gave Stavin a frightened glance, then bowed and backed away.

  Stavin spoke when it didn’t look like there were any more questions. “We will be recruiting Chosen houses to move into these lands to bring some structure to the area. Until then, I’ll expect whoever takes charge of Skykon to establish and maintain order as well as they can. Colonel Zel’Fordal will be leaving a force of five hundred men behind when we move on. Until the proper authorities arrive from Evandia, their officer will be your lord.”

  Gavlin spoke next. “Return to your people and tell them what you’ve learned. We will not tolerate any resistance. Any attack against our force will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly. You may go.” All six people bowed deeply, then filed out of the tent.

  Gavlin let a few moments pass before turning to Stavin and asking, “I’m leaving five hundred men behind?”

  Stavin grinned sheepishly and shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, Gav.”

  “Maybe it is,” Gavlin agreed. “Maybe it is. But who do I leave in charge?”

  “It’ll have to be an officer,” Barvil put in from behind Stavin.

  “A Chosen lord with a good sense of organization,” Dahvin said. “Someone with sufficient rank to earn instant respect from the locals.”

  “We’ll have to promote someone,” Gavlin said as he looked at his brother. “I need all of my officers where they are and none of the pup—I mean young lieutenants will do.”

  Stavin looked at Gavlin and grinned. “Who do you have who is sufficiently senior to deserve a battlefield commission, and that you can do without?”

  “I have an idea, Stave,” Dahvin interrupted, drawing everyone’s attention. “Leave Gav his officers. He needs them. Promote one of the Guardsmen. They are all younger sons of powerful Chosen houses. Some of them are from very influential families. Having one in charge now might encourage others to move up here.”

  “He has a point,” Gavlin said as he nodded to his little brother.

  “So who?” Stavin asked. “You wouldn’t have suggested it if you didn’t have someone in mind.”

  “I think Sergeant Ferdal Zel’Vandis,” Dahvin said as he looked around. “Ferd has been a guardsman for seven years. His family is from the south and they farm several thousand dragons of land north of Zigamarad. He also has a talent for organization, and a—forceful—personality.”

  Stavin looked around the tent. When he saw agreement in everyone’s eyes, he turned back to Dahvin and said, “Bring him in.”

  Dahvin went to the tent flap and returned almost immediately. “Prince Stavin, this is Sergeant Ferdal Merak Dahrvan Zel’Vandis.”

  The sergeant snapped to attention and said, “Sir!”

  “At ease, Lieutenant,” Stavin said and grinned at the puzzled expression on the sergeant’s face. “You are being promoted to Lieutenant of the Royal Guards, Ferd. I want you to stay here in command of five hundred infantry—”

  Gavlin interrupted, “Four hundred infantry, fifty cavalry, fifty staff. You have to have someone who can ride around the area, and someone who can cook as well.”

  Stavin gave Gavlin a curious look, then shrugged and turned back to the lieutenant. “You’ll be in command of whatever force Colonel Zel’Fordal decides to leave behind. I don’t trust the Traders. Expect some resistance to our takeover. You will be the temporary lord of this area. Don’t slaughter the common Traders, but don’t put up with anything from them either.”

  Dahvin spoke next. “Ferd, as a Royal Guard officer you’ll carry crown authority. Just be careful about how you exercise that power. It’s a huge responsibility.”

  Stavin had been whispering with Karvik, and Kar had slipped out of the tent. He returned moments later with a bundle in his hands and a big chipmunk grin on his face. Stavin was grinning just as hard. Karvik moved over beside Dahvin as Stavin turned back to their new lieutenant.

  “Ferdal Merak Dahrvan Zel’Vandis, three years ago Lord General Zel’Kordil presented me with this cape and promoted me to lieutenant in the Evandian Royal Guard. Today, I present this cape to you and promote you to lieutenant.” He nodded, and Karvik and Dahvin placed Stavin’s Royal Guards Officer’s Cape on Ferd’s shoulders. “Congratulations, Lieutenant Zel’Vandis.”

  Ferdal bowed deeply, then came back to attention. “You can count on me, Prince Stavin.”

  “Good,” Stavin replied. “You’re going to have to organize this area, Ferd. We, well, I, killed off the men who ran things before. Use your staff as fully as you can, but get the people organized. You won’t be alone for very long. Magistrates should be arriving within a moon. I hope.”

  Ferdal said, “We’ll deal with whatever comes up, Prince Stavin.”

  Chapter 51

  THE PACIFICATION FORCE MOVED ON THE next morning, headed south toward the old Evandian border. Stavin sighed as he thought of all the changes that had happened since the first time he’d ridden out on this road.

  “Home to Evandia, Stave?” Karvik asked.

  “This is Evandia now, Kar. It’s strange to think of it that way, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. What are your plans now?”

  “I don’t know. There are three small villages along the road, but no more cities. Zel’Mortlan is the closest city along our route, but we’d have to detour to get there. I think we can just go back to Twin Bridges.”

  Gavlin and Dahvin had been listening in and Gavlin said, “That sounds like a good idea to me, Stave. I’d like to return these men to their home commands before winter sets in.”

  “And get home ourselves,” Dahvin said once his brother was through. “This going out for a whole summer while my baby is growing up without me is not my idea of fun.”

  “No, it isn’t. But this is what we,” Stavin indicated Barvil, Karvik and himself, “normally do every summer.”

  “Not anymore,” Barvil said as he shifted in the saddle. “I think this is going to be my last expedition.”

  Stavin and Karvik shared a look, then Stavin chuckled. “Sure it is.”

  Barvil shook his head. “I mean it, Stavin. I’ve been feeling the saddle a little too much lately. Besides, I’m ahead of Charvil by three now.”

  Stavin nodded. “Back to the Elders’ Council for you, then. This is probably the last time I’ll be on an expedition as well. Kalin isn’t going to let me go riding off across the kingdom anymore.”

  Karvik was looking back and forth between his dad and friend and grinning. “Well, don’t count me out yet,” he said. “I’m still going to go on a few more expeditions.” He grinned widely at his father. “I have some catching up to do if I want to be Warmaster of the Academy.”

  Barvil laughed out loud. “You’ve got a long way to go, Kar.
But who knows, you just might make it.”

  Behind them, Dahvin was grinning as well. “We can always use another instructor for the Royal Guard, Barvil.”

  Barvil turned and shook his head. “Sahrena would never give up her house, even to move to the palace. No, we’re going to stay in Kavinston. It’s all we’ve ever known.”

  Stavin nodded. “Kalin discussed this with the Council. Kel’Kavin is going to be a training facility for the Royal Guards.” He smiled at Barvil. “You’re going to be busy.”

  *

  The Pacification Force marched south on the trade road. They took two days to reach a spot that Stavin recognized, and he asked Gavlin to stop a little early. When Gav gave him a curious look, he explained, “This is where our first caravan stopped for the first night on the road. It’s just been five years, but it seems like a lifetime.” Gavlin bowed in the saddle, and gave his orders as Barvil and Karvik joined Stavin.

  “At least we don’t have to fetch water this time,” Karvik said with a broad smile.

  Barvil chuckled. “You two have come so far.”

  Stavin had been guiding them through the meadow and stopped at the edge of the river. It was full this time, with the water just three cubits below the bank. Stavin laughed and said, “It figures.”

  Karvik agreed. “It’s always easier when someone else has to do it.”

  The Pacification Force moved on the next morning, and it took four more days before they reached the first town. It was a small place, with barely three hundred inhabitants in normal times, but it was totally deserted. Not even a stray cat could be found among the buildings.

  Gavlin and Stavin met with their staff. “We should have expected this,” Gavlin said as he shook his head. “Refugees from Trade Town have probably been spreading the story of us sacking and burning it. They’d have no way of knowing that we didn’t.”

  “Lovely,” Stavin muttered. This is what I wanted to avoid.

  Karvik suggested, “Well, so long as we don’t destroy anything, the people will probably return and decide that the refugees were a bunch of liars,” and received nods from the rest. “I’d bet at least half of these people are watching from the hills.”

  Gavlin gave orders that nothing was to be touched as they passed through, and the officers watched their men to ensure that order was obeyed.

  It was the same story in the next town, but the third town was still inhabited. Three men met them in the middle of the road well short of the town. “Prince Stavin?” the leader shouted, and Stavin rode forward with twenty Royal Guardsmen around him.

  “I am Prince Stavin,” he said with a slight bow in his saddle.

  “Prince Stavin, I am Magistrate Kelval Zel’Jassan. These worthy gentlemen are Sheriffs Oscan Zel’Lastel and Wiltan Zel’Saras.” Both men bowed as they were introduced, and Stavin bowed in return.

  “Lords,” Stavin said as he bowed in return.

  “Prince Stavin,” Magistrate Zel’Jassan said as he stepped closer to Stavin’s horse, “we have been hearing distressing rumors from the north.”

  “About Trade Town?” Stavin asked.

  “Yes, Prince Stavin,” the Magistrate said, bowing again. “I mean no disrespect, Prince Stavin, but the rumors are that you put Trade Town to the torch and its inhabitants to the sword.”

  Stavin grimaced. “I threatened to do exactly that, but cooler heads prevailed.” He glanced at Karvik. “Trade Town is no more, but only because the name has been changed to Skykon. Only the traitors in the Traders’ Guild were killed and the Guild Hall burned.”

  The magistrate took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “That is good news, Prince Stavin. For a moment, I thought that we were going to have to arrest you.”

  “What?” Dahvin asked as he kneed his horse forward. “By what authority?”

  “The king’s,” the magistrate answered. “King Kalin ordered that anyone of any rank who committed such an atrocity was to be arrested and returned to Twin Bridges in chains.”

  Stavin looked at Karvik with raised eyebrows and said, “Thanks, Kar.”

  “You’re welcome,” Karvik replied.

  Stavin focused on the magistrate again. “We’ve left mostly good feelings behind us, Magistrate Zel’Jassan, though not all. There are a lot of people who are not happy about the annexation. Perhaps we should meet and confer on what has happened since our last message to Twin Bridges.”

  “That would be a good idea, Prince Stavin. If you’d care to accompany us to—”

  “We’ll meet out here,” Dahvin said, interrupting the magistrate. “I won’t trust any town until these rumors are settled.”

  “By what authority do you make a decision like that?” the magistrate snarled.

  “I am Captain Dahvin Zel’Fordal of the Royal Guard. Prince Stavin is my charge, and I have full authority to make any decision I need to in order to ensure his safety. Is that clear, Magistrate Zel’Jassan?”

  “That’s, that’s, that’s—”

  “And if his authority isn’t enough for you, I am Lord Colonel Gavlin Zel’Fordal,” Gav said from slightly behind Dahvin. “You do not have sufficient rank or authority to defy either of us.”

  Stavin shook his head. “Accept it gracefully, Magistrate Zel’Jassan. Even I can’t get my way when they gang up on me. Come to the command tent in four spans. We should be ready for you by then.” Stavin turned his horse around, leaving the sputtering magistrate in the road. Once they were out of ear-shot, he looked at Gavlin and Dahvin. He was chuckling when he said, “You two enjoyed that way too much.”

  Gavlin chortled. “We know the Zel’Jassan family, Stave. They are a bunch of grasping, greedy, power-hungry, power-mad fools who see their family as supreme and all others, including yours, as inferior. I’ve had several of their family serve under me over the years. They all consider time in the Army to be a burden to be endured, not an honor to be embraced. Fortunately, none of them has ever risen beyond lieutenant. Civil government draws them for some reason once they complete their required service. They serve as minor administrators in most cases. As magistrates, they tend to be among the harshest, most restrictive of the lot.”

  “They love to throw their weight around,” Dahvin continued. “That bit about arresting you wouldn’t have lasted past telling Uncle Kal what happened, but he would have reveled in having arrested a prince.”

  Stavin shook his head slowly. “Some people.”

  The magistrate and sheriffs arrived on schedule, and were led to the command tent. Stavin sat in the center of one side of the table with Gavlin and Dahvin beside him and Barvil and Karvik behind. None of them rose when Magistrate Zel’Jassan entered. The scowl on his face was almost comical.

  “Be seated, gentlemen,” Stavin said without looking up. “What was the last report to Twin Bridges that you were made aware of?”

  “You had just released the Andarian prisoners back to Andaria without proper authority,” Magistrate Zel’Jassan said in a tightly controlled tone.

  “I got tired of feeding them. And I hold full crown authority, Magistrate. That’s all the authority I need.”

  “They should have been held until a negotiated settlement between the kingdoms was achieved. At least you kept their officers.”

  Stavin raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “We gave them back as well.”

  “That’s outrageous!” the magistrate snapped. “You should be brought up on charges.”

  “Magistrate, I’ll remind you that I hold full crown authority. The only people who can even question my actions are King Kalin and Princess Marina.”

  “Lord Minster Zel’Roldan will have something to say about this,” the magistrate hissed.

  “If you speak disrespectfully to Prince Stavin again, I suspect it’s you who he’ll be saying it to,” Dahvin said in a low tone.

  “What?!”

  Dahvin looked him straight in the eye and said, “You will address Prince Stavin with all the respect due to a member of the royal family,
or your sheriffs will be escorting you back to Twin Bridges in chains. Have I made myself clear, Magistrate Zel’Jassan?”

  The magistrate sputtered and ground his teeth in frustration, but retained enough control to not actually say anything. After a moment of that, Stavin continued.

  “We have a list of people who you will be elevating to Chosen status in Zel’Dorvan, and a few others in smaller towns. See to the issuing of titles and deeds first, but ensure that the proper paperwork to elevate these individuals is completed before you move on.”

  The magistrate looked like he was eating something bitter for a moment, then he bowed his head. “We have run into a problem with that, Prince Stavin. Many of the people we’ve encountered have not been able to pay the title fee, and we were unable to issue titles because of that.”

  Stavin locked his eyes on the magistrate. “There are no title fees. I was there when King Kalin issued that decree to the ministers.”

  The magistrate’s jaw took on a stubborn set as he replied, “A fee of two silver crowns is standard for all property titles in Evandia. Land deeds are three crowns. Water rights are also three crowns.”

  Stavin rose partially out of his chair and leaned forward. “Magistrate, let me say this one more time. There. Are. No. Title. Fees. You will return any such fees you’ve collected, and issue titles to everyone for the land they hold.”

  “You don’t have that authority,” the magistrate said.

  “I have full crown authority, and King Kalin already issued that order to Lord Minister Zel’Vorlas. You, magistrate, will obey that order.”

  “I will not,” Magistrate Zel’Jassan said in a stuffy tone and puffed out his chest.

  “Say the word, Colonel,” Sheriff Zel’Saras said, “and I’ll have him chained up and ready to go in a blink.”

  The magistrate rounded on him immediately. “You insolent bastard! Don’t you dare threaten me.”

  Sheriff Zel’Lastel looked at his counterpart and grasped the magistrate by the arms, forcing them behind his back. “Excuse us, Prince Stavin. We’ll be right back.” At Stavin’s nod, they pulled the cursing magistrate from the tent.