The King of Anavrea (Book Two of the Theodoric Saga)

by Rachel Rossano

  His thoughts filled with the passage he had read that morning. A king had lost his throne to his son. The tale caught Ireic unawares because it was so similar to his own predicament. The king held hope in the same way Lirth did. Even now, she clung to the trust she placed in this Kurios, her god.

  Ireic looked up at her. The peace in her features and the ease with which she answered his questions made him wonder. There might be something more to this than he thought. If he placed himself in her position, having lost her sight and then being kidnapped and held captive for years, he wondered how he would have responded. But she knew of the Kurios before the kidnapping.

  “Sire.” Liam fell into step with Ireic. “We detected movement in the woods. Should I go investigate? It could be someone tracking us or it could be something we can eat for dinner.”

  Ireic nodded his consent. Liam slipped out of sight among the trees.

  ~~~~~~

  Hours later, Ireic recognized a fork in the trail. The marker, a hatchet head buried in the knot of a twisted pine, clearly indicated the way. Gradually the land grew familiar, as though he was slowly waking from a nightmare.

  Memories of following the stream during his childhood warmed Ireic’s heart. He marked the rapids and the change in the water’s flow as they passed it. They were only a mile or so from Fuge Aven. However, the reality that he knew nothing of what would greet them tempered Ireic’s joy at being so close to some of his happiest childhood memories.

  A steward oversaw the fortress’ upkeep and defense. Ireic had met him years ago and trusted his wisdom, but the man hadn’t been told to prepare for war.

  They were going to need food, weapons, horses, and men. Ireic tried to remember how many tenants manned the estate, how many men he could count on from his own lands. Too few, he was sure.

  “Your Majesty, look.” Ipore stopped and pointed across the valley before them.

  A colony of green cloth roofs edged in gold crowded the open vista around the fortress. By Ireic’s estimation, roughly a quarter of the Anavrean army spread out across the rise.

  “Are they attacking?” Ipore asked.

  “The gate is open,” Liam observed as he came alongside Ireic. “I see no signs of a battle. I would guess they are here in peace.”

  “But at peace with whom?” Aarint frowned.

  “What is it?” Lirth asked. “I take it that there is something there, but I have not gathered much else.”

  Ireic and Aarint both spoke at once to describe the scene and then stopped. Ireic met his brother-in-law’s gaze before continuing. “There is an army camped outside the walls of Fuge Aven and the gates are open.” He glanced her way to find her watching him with unnerving accuracy.

  “They are probably seeking you,” Ipore said. “I can think of no other reason for them to be here.”

  “The question is whether or not we want to be found.” Ireic pointed out as he continued to count tents. They would have to find a way to find out without declaring their presence.

  “Too late for that.” Liam nodded toward a distantly approaching group of riders. “We have been spotted.”

  “Orders, sire?” Ipore asked.

  Liam readied an arrow.

  Ireic turned to find Ipore had set down his pack and already drawn his blade. Beyond him, Aarint was in the process of doing the same.

  “Do we stand and fight?” Liam studied the approaching horses through narrowed eyes.

  “We don’t know if they are friend or foe,” Ireic reminded the bodyguard. “We will stand. They would catch us regardless.” He caught the reins of the plow horse. “Dismount, Lirth,” he ordered. Sitting up there, she made the perfect target should there be an archer in the welcoming party.

  Within a moment, she stood on the ground. Catching her hand Ireic pulled her behind him, shielding her body with his own. He drew his own weapon with his other hand. Liam and Ipore closed ranks before him. Aarint took a position to cover Lirth should Ireic fall. They arranged themselves while the mounted party drew to a halt.

  “Who goes there?” The leader asked as he steadied his fidgety horse.

  “Who commands this army?” Liam demanded.

  The leader scowled. “Identify yourselves first.”

  “Why should we identify ourselves to you?” Ipore issued the challenge. “This ground is not restricted, and we are free men.”

  “We are the King’s men awaiting his appearance.” One of the party volunteered, a young man on a dappled gray. “He fled Ana City and we gathered to put him back on the throne.”

  “Hush, Kolp,” the leader hissed. “Keep your tongue.”

  “Who leads you?” Ireic demanded. He didn’t recognize the leader, the young man, or the last man.

  “The King’s brother, Prince Trahern.” The leader tightened his grip on his sheathed weapon. He pinned Ireic with a dark gaze.

  Ireic deliberated for only a moment. “Take me to him.”

  The man frowned. Ireic watched the leader weigh his choices. After a long moment, he said, “I will, but you go unarmed.”

  It was a reasonable request. Ireic nodded to Liam. All four of his men set down their weapons.

  “Gather them,” the leader ordered Kolp. The boy dismounted hastily to obey. Ireic noted the wary look in Kolp’s eye as he approached. When none of them moved to intercept him, he focused on his task. Once he had returned to his mount, balancing the unwieldy bundle, the leader turned to the silent man at his left.

  “Go tell Prince Trahern that we have discovered some trespassers who request his attention. We will walk them to the camp. Ask him to meet us outside the main pavilion.”

  Without a word, the man turned his mount and galloped back toward the camp raising up a cloud of dust in his wake.

  “Come,” the leader said. “We don’t want to keep Prince Trahern waiting.”

  ~~~~~~

  Lirth listened with all her might. The measured tramp of marching men, the clang of metal against metal, and the occasional roar of male laughter filled her ears as they walked through camp. Strangely there were no calls of recognition or other indications that anyone knew that their king walked among them. Perhaps the humble attire and the growth of beard Ireic had developed disguised his features more than they had suspected.

  She was thankful for the steady strength of Ireic’s arm around her waist as he led her through it. He seemed more eager than usual to keep her close. She wondered at the uncertainty she sensed from him. Up until now, he had been confident and sure of himself. Something was shaking his poise. It concerned her.

  Kurios, protect us.

  Someone approached them on horseback. He drew his mount to a hasty stop. The animal protested with a snort.

  “Captain Yule.” The rider addressed the man commanding them. “Prince Trahern requests that you bring them to his tent. He is in the midst of the meeting.”

  Ireic tensed slightly. Lirth wasn’t sure if it was surprise or concern. Why now? she asked the Kurios.

  “This way,” the captain ordered and they changed direction.

  Within moments they were ordered to stop. She heard the boy, Kolp, announce their arrival to someone.

  “His Highness, Prince Regent Trahern of Anavrea,” a bass voice proclaimed. With a rustle of fabric, someone stepped out of the tent.

  “Ireic!” Trahern’s voice broke forth in joy. Ireic stepped away from her to be greeted. Suddenly Lirth found herself engulfed in a warm hug. “I am so glad you are both safe,” Trahern said as he drew back. “We feared the worst.”

  “You should know I am more resilient than they give me credit for,” Ireic replied. Trahern stepped away from Lirth, but kept a hand on her arm.

  “Come inside and sit down.” Trahern guided her forward. “You all look exhausted and hungry.”

  ~~~~~~

  Ireic didn’t get a chance to speak with his brother alone until late into the evening. After introductions were made, Trahern escorted them into the house and ordered rooms prepared
for all of them. After the meal, Lirth retired, Ipore took Aarint on a tour of the keep, and Liam disappeared in the direction of the guard barracks. Trahern led Ireic to their late grandfather’s study.

  Firelight created a soft flickering glow on the dark mahogany-lined walls. Ireic paused a few feet into the room and closed his eyes against the onrush of memories. He had only visited his grandfather once, his eleventh summer, but he savored the memories of those three months.

  “Call me Grandfather,” the old man had muttered gruffly. “I will not answer to any other title, boy. Do you understand?”

  “Remembering him?” Trahern asked, breaking into Ireic’s thoughts. He opened his eyes to find his brother watching him carefully.

  “You never met him, did you?” Ireic asked.

  Trahern shook his head. “Father wasn’t about to risk Grandfather messing with my thinking and changing my loyalties. They weren’t exactly on good terms then.”

  Ireic sank gratefully into the large overstuffed chair before the fire and sighed deeply. “When were they ever on good terms?”

  “Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Trahern asked as he crossed to the desk in the shadows to the left. “You have had a grueling week.”

  Ireic leaned his head back against the upholstery and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “I probably should, but I am not going to get any sleep until I know what our situation is.”

  “Fair enough. Where shall I begin?”

  “Begin where you disobeyed my orders and left your pregnant wife.”

  Trahern shook his head as he came to stand before the hearth. “Eve is no longer pregnant. Ian Lucas was born shortly after you left us.”

  “Is all well?”

  “Yes, praise the Kurios! But, I wish the birth announcement came to you under better circumstances. I followed you the moment I got your first message about disbanding the council. I alerted my contacts with the reserves and informed them that you might need reinforcements. We reached just south of Ana City when I intercepted the news of your disappearance.”

  Ireic closed his eyes. “So they are saying that I have disappeared.”

  “No, they said that you were dead. In a flowery language, their messenger ordered me to bring Seth and come to the capitol at once.”

  Ireic opened his eyes in time to watch his brother place another log on the fire. It was as he feared. “They must have opened and read my will. I am not surprised.”

  “Or one of them was wise enough to remember how close we are. Either way, I didn’t believe their claim, especially when I found out that Lirth had disappeared as well. I figured you would run here since this is the only land that you own separate from the crown and the most defendable position. General Tremont met me on the way with five hundred men. I found about three hundred green troops gathered through the efforts of the service. Another hundred have trickled in over the past two days.”

  Trahern sat down. Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, he continued. “Tremont reports that a Lord Yorn and a former councilmember named Siver are keeping an eye on the rebels’ plans and movements. They will provide us with any intelligence that we might need. Overall, I think you are in a sound position, considering the circumstances.”

  “I can’t think clearly about this tonight.” Ireic closed his eyes again. “Do you think that General Tremont would meet with us tomorrow morning to plan our next move?”

  “I will have word sent to him tonight.”

  Ireic nodded.

  “How is Lirth handling all this?”

  “Better than I am.” Ireic sighed at the memory of their last conversation. “She seems to have an inner peace that escapes me. One would think that she would be frightened considering the strange place and her lack of sight. Instead, she takes each new development, good or ill, calmly. She has remarkable reserves of composure and strength that are not apparent on the surface.”

  “I suspected as much.” Trahern leaned forward and stirred the logs, causing a shower of sparks.

  Ireic watched his brother as he stared into the flames. The shadows flickering across Trahern’s features played with Ireic’s memory, tugging at something. Then he realized the connection. Trahern looked like their father.

  “It keeps coming back to me.” Ireic’s voice sounded weary, even to his own ears. “The possibility that I could walk away from all of this keeps whispering in my thoughts. A part of me dreams of peace and quiet, without the burden of running a country.”

  “Why don’t you?” Trahern asked.

  Ireic rolled the question around in his mind. “A larger part of me knows I wouldn’t be able to walk away. Something inside of me would die as I watched those men run Anavrea into chaos.”

  “You have never been one to stand and watch suffering when you could stop it.” Trahern turned his head. His eyes glimmered in the shadows, catching the light and reflecting it back. “You are not alone, Ireic. This castle is surrounded and filled with men who love Anavrea and are willing to die because they believe you should be their king.”

  Ireic knew it was true. Still, he doubted he should be the one to wear the crown. He fell so far short of the best choice.

  “Go to bed,” Trahern suggested. “Go comfort Lirth and rest well. Tomorrow will come soon enough. You will find hope in the morning.”

  Acknowledging the wisdom in his brother’s advice, Ireic pulled himself to his feet and went in search of his wife and his bed. He left Trahern sitting in the chair before the fire, watching the dance of the flames over the logs.

  ~~~~~~

  Lirth struggled for breath. Something bound her hands and her feet, contorting her limbs against a framework. It burned cold against her skin and remained resistant to her tugging.

  “It is rare that I catch the same hare twice.” The voice filled her ears, rasping and low. A freezing liquid poured through her veins. It was the voice of her nightmares, yet this wasn’t her usual dream.

  Something struck the lattice of metal close to her head. Instinctively she turned away from the sound, but her captor grabbed her hair and yanked brutally upward. A cry fell unbidden from her lips as tears of pain sprung to her eyes.

  ~~~~~~

  Ireic woke instantly when the bed shook. It took him only a moment to realize the cause. Lirth’s slender form stood outlined by the moonlight coming from the balcony windows. They overlooked the castle gardens. Her whole body trembled beneath the thin fabric of her nightgown.

  “Lirth,” he whispered as he eased slowly to the edge of the bed. Slipping from the welcome warmth of the bedding, he padded across the cold floor. She didn’t turn at his approach. “Lirth?” He reached out and cautiously laid a hand on her thin shoulder. She continued to shake.

  “No, Kurios, please no…” Her broken plea ended in a shuddering breath that tore at his heart.

  Slowly, so as not to startle her, he gathered her against him. She was frigid and stiff as he drew her gently to him. Burying his face in her hair, he brushed the strands with his lips.

  __________

  Chapter Twelve

  Gradually the dream fell away and grew distant in the glow of Ireic’s presence. Lirth leaned willingly into her husband’s strength. Please don’t let it come to pass, Kurios. It had felt too real… Sharp… Hard. I was like she had witnessed something to come. Let it be a dream. Even as she thought the words, Lirth felt strongly that it had not been only a dream.

  “Come to bed, darling.” Ireic’s breath brushed her ear. “You are freezing and the floor is cold.” His large hands slid up and down her upper arms, warming them slightly.

  Obediently, Lirth let Ireic lead her back to the bed. He gathered her close. Finally, when she snuggled against him, he spoke.

  “Now tell me about your dream. Was it the one about your brothers?”

  “No,” she whispered, pressing close to his warmth and soaking in the smell of his skin. “This one was new.”

  “Tell me,” he urged.

  The words came
haltingly as she fought against the fresh fear that came with the memory.

  “The scariest part was that it felt too real to be just a dream. I think Kurios is warning me about what is to come. I think something bad is going to happen to me, Ireic.”

  Ireic’s arms tightened. “Not if I can prevent it.”

  “If the Kurios wills it, no one can stop it.” Lirth pushed away. “We can only pray for deliverance and trust Him. He works all things out for good, even the trials.”

  Ireic grew still. Lirth closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest. Kurios, please make him to understand. Please give me the words. The dream washed over her again. Please keep me strong. I cannot do this alone.

  Ireic drew Lirth’s face up gently between his hands. “I know that, Lirth. I have read in the Manuscripts about how the Kurios deals with men and kings who oppose him. I have no desire to do that, but I also will not lose you.”

  “I don’t want to leave you,” she assured him.

  Ireic relaxed slightly. “Then there is hope. As of tomorrow, you are never going to be alone. Either Liam or I will be with you at every moment. I hope and pray that the Kurios will spare you. I will do everything to be ready for that opportunity, no matter how small.” His right thumb stroked her cheek gently. “You are precious to me, Lirth.” His voice grew slightly husky. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Ireic.” Lirth reached out to touch his face. From the soft skin over his cheekbone to the roughness of his scruff, she relished the sensation.

  “May I kiss you?” His question was soft and eager.

  Lirth found herself smiling. “I am your wife.” She felt his smile beneath her fingertips the moment before he drew her face closer and kissed her deeply.

  ~~~~~~

  About mid-morning, General Tremont and his staff left the study to carry out the plan and Ireic let out a deep sigh. They were going to be moving out immediately. He had been hoping for a day of rest before they started the trek toward Ana City, but it didn’t make tactical sense to delay.