Cass had chosen five out of the ones that had volunteered for the royal guard. Three of those were elves, as well as a vathari, and an alienear which looked almost human, except the bright blue eyes that seemed to spark and the light blue aura that surrounded their bodies. It was Bren’s first time seeing one of their race, though he had head a little about them from Sae-Thae on his visits to the palace.
Each morning they would all meet to train, though what the army and the guards did was slightly different. The guard practiced fighting techniques that were designed to keep Bren in the center and out of harm’s way, while the army focused more on the battle strategies.
It didn’t take long for Halona to have uniforms made up for everyone. She had done it so fast, Bren was sure that she had most of the work done before they had even requested it. At the same time, Crusher had already created a mold for swords and shields and had already outfitted half the troops. The armor was another problem, one that needed another artisan, as Bren didn’t want metal, but armor much like Farlan used. Strong leather with small metal plates that would allow protection, but still keep from hampering the soldier’s movements. Until the armor was finished, most the soldiers wore whatever they could find. It was a little mismatched but it was better than nothing.
It was one such morning as they practiced that the large wagon train pulled in front of the inn. Bren, Cass and the others of the royal guard sat down their weapons to greet the new comers. “Sorry, this is no longer an inn,” Bren said loudly, to the people riding the wagons.
“We are not looking for an inn,” an elven lady said, with a bright smile. “We are looking for lord Farlane.”
“You have found him then,” Bren said hesitantly. “Is there some why that I can help you?”
The young elf jumped from the wagon and fell to her knees, placing her forehead against the ground. “Lord Farlane, I am Lillian and have been sent along with the others here to be your personal staff by lady Salina.”
“Please stand,” Bren begged as the others began to take notice of the young elven maiden.
“I don’t ask that anyone prostrate themselves for me, in fact I would greatly appreciate it if you never did so again,” Bren said, offering his hand to help the young maiden to her feet.
She took his offered hand and gave him a bright smile, her light silver hair bouncing on her shoulders. It was her eyes that grabbed him though, they looked like molten gold, and seemed to stare right though him. “You look so much like your father,” Lillian said happily.
“You knew my father?” Bren asked surprised.
“Yes, I met him when I was but a small child. I was so afraid when I first met him that I still remember trembling in fear, but he was so nice and kind. We were truly lucky to have him as a master, even though he didn’t spend much time within the Elven Isle.”
“If you are here at my request, then I should show you inside. We should have plenty of rooms available for use,” Bren said smiling.
“I will take care of that Bren,” Faye said from the doorway of the inn. While her words were soft and inviting, Bren saw the edge of her lip twitch the way it did when she as mad about something. Bren wasn’t sure what had her upset, but he knew that he was responsible in some way. He always seemed to be, even when it didn’t make any sense. He had learned that it was just best to agree with her and she would get over it much faster.
Lillian gave him a deep bow and smiled. “I will return shortly to see to any needs you might have lord Farlane.”
The way Lillian spoke sent shivers through Bren’s body and made the heat rise to his face. Unable to think of anything to say, Bren simply nodded his head and turned back toward his guards.
“This is bound to be interesting,” Cass said laughing. “I thought that Faye was getting a tad boring, this should liven her up a bit.”
“What do you mean?” Bren asked, slightly confused.
“You know, you have to be one of the brightest idiots I have ever met,” Cass said, shaking his head. “I don’t think it would be fair to tell you, not to mention it wouldn’t be half as fun to watch if you knew,” Cass added with a deep laugh that was quickly joined in by the other members of the guard.
Not wanting to feel completely left out, Bren gave a shallow laugh before returning to his practice.
After their morning practice, Bren and his guards returned to the inn while Flynn and his men broke from breakfast. As he watched Flynn, he was glad that he didn’t have to work with the man. He did a good job, but Bren thought that he was pushing the men too far, too fast.
As they entered the inn, they found a large feast prepared for them. “Lord Farlane, I figured that you would be hungry after your morning exercise,” Lillian said, pulling out the chair at the head of the table for him.
“This look great,” Bren said as he looked at the large assortment of food that had been prepared.
“I am sure that the cooks will be overjoyed to hear that my lord,” Lillian said, handing him a small silver goblet filled with a dark red liquid.
“Isn’t it a bit too early to be drinking?” Faye asked, coming up behind them.
“There is nothing to worry about my lord, this is just a grape juice that has been sweetened with honey and spices. It is good for rejuvenation after hard labor,” Lillian said with a smile.
“Sounds great,” Bren said, taking the offered goblet. Bren tried to fix his own plate, but Lilian insisted that she would do it for him. When she put some of the greens on his plate, he protested.
“My lord part of my job is to make sure that you are healthy,” She said, stacking twice as much on his plate. “If it would make it easier, I could feed it to you.”
“He can feed himself,” Faye said, her eyes nearly burning red with anger.
“I don’t see why you are so upset lady Faye,” Lillian said with an innocent smile. “I am just trying to do my job.”
“Job…” Faye said through greeted teeth. “What kind of job is it where you simply throw yourself at a man without regard for yourself?”
“I am not throwing myself at lord Farlane. I am not a noble, so it is not as if I could wed him. I am just doing my job as a personal servant, and that includes taking care of any needs that he might have,” Lillian said, emphasizing the word any, leaving little doubt, even to Bren, as to what she meant.
“Bren if you so much as lay a finger on her I’ll…I’ll,” Faye said, her face turning so red Bren thought it might burst into flames.
“I wouldn’t,” Bren replied, his own face starting to turn bright red as the whole table began to burst into laughter. Burying his face in his plate, Bren began to eat his food at a rapid pace, wanting nothing more than to be able to disappear the way that Faye could.
“Lord Farlane, I have had a bath prepared for you in your chambers for after you have eaten,” Lillian said as soon as he swallowed his last bite of food, causing him to cough as the food caught in his throat. “If you wish, I could help wash your back.”
A loud bang could be heard throughout the common room as Faye slammed both her fists down on the table so hard, Bren was surprised that the wood didn’t splinter and snap.” I think that I am more than capable of washing my own body,” Bren said, his face turning a deep scarlet as he ran from the table to the sound of laughter.
“Women,” Bren mumbled to himself once he was safely hidden away in his room. As he readied for his bath, he remembered what Sae-Thae had said about women. “It is easier to predict the path of a leaf in a windstorm, than the mind of a woman.”
As the hot water rushed around him, Bren felt a great deal of the stress that had built up throughout the day started to fade away. Bren was so immersed in his bath, he didn’t hear the sound of his door creek open, nor the soft footsteps as they moved across the wooden floor.
“Bren, do you want me to wash your back?” A soft and nervous voice said from behind him.
“Faye?” Bren stuttered, his face beaming bright red as he quickly turned his back to her. “I ca
n wash my back myself.”
“Faye didn’t seem to listen to his words as she picked up a small rag that hung on the side of the tub and dipped it in the water. “You haven’t talked to me much sense we reached the Tower,” Faye said as she started rubbing the soap against the rag, building up a thick lather.
“It has been really busy, and you have different methods of study than I do,” Bren said, his voice still shaky and nervous.
“I thought we were friends,” Faye said, her voice sounding slightly hurt. She remained quiet for a few moments as she pressed the rag against his back and began scrubbing. Bren had to admit that it felt good, though it tickled slightly. “Is it true that you can only marry a noble?” Faye asked, her words coming out rushed.
“Not really, Farlan never had such a rule,” Bren replied causally. “For the past hundred years or so, the nobles didn’t even get married. I think my mother was the first queen in three generations to have a husband. Not to mention, I don’t really matter as far as Farlan goes, unless my mother want to marry me off for political reasons. She has talked about it in the past, but now that I am the king of my own country, no matter how small, it gives me a little more freedom to choose.”
“Have you give it much thought yet?” Faye asked softly.
“No, I have a lot of other things that come first. I am sure that when the time comes, I will be able to find a suitable bride,” Bren replied, almost lazily.
Faye didn’t respond, but the strokes on his back got harder suddenly, leaving deep red marks where the cloth passed. “Ow…. I think it’s clean. Anymore, and my skin will come off.”
“Sorry,” Faye said, laying the cloth down back on the edge of the bath. “When it comes time to look, it might be easier than you think to find a good wife,” Faye said before rushing out of the door.
“What was that all about?” Bren asked himself as he looked to the door of his room as Faye closed it behind her.
I would be careful, that girl is hunting and you seem to be her target. Nothing is more devious, cunning, and dangerous than a female on the hunt. I would suggest that you keep your distance if you want to keep your sanity.
“Thuraman you hardly ever make any sense. You act like females are nothing more than beasts looking for their next meal,” Bren replied almost laughing. “I don’t see why Faye would harm me. She is just trying to be a friend.”
You are more blind than you wish to admit. They are beasts. The one you call Faye feels threated by the new female. She is after her prey, and it seems that her prey is oblivious, even after being warned.
Thuraman’s words didn’t reach deaf ears, but he didn’t think that Faye was really like that. She just wanted Bren to know that she was his friend. There might be some feelings there, but he doubted that they were anything like what his staff was making them out to be. His mother always told of how she was straightforward with his father and let him know without a doubt that he had no other choice than marry her. Thinking back, Thuraman might be comparing all women to his mother. She could be very narrow sighted when there was something she wanted.
After washing off the rest of his body, Bren exited the bath and dried off. There was still plenty of things left to do for the day. Now that the gold had arrived from the Elven Isle, he had plenty of bills that were long overdue for payment.
Just as he was pulling on his trousers, a loud booming voice echoed from outside of the inn. “Bren Farlane, you are under arrest for crimes against the Tower! Present yourself outside, unarmed, so that you may be presented to the council for judgment.”
“Looks like things are starting to get interesting,” Humanius said, sitting down beside Thad.
“This is only the start,” Thad replied, almost bored. “The interesting part will come depending on how my son answers their challenge,” Thad replied.
“You are as dense as your son,” Humanius said, laughing. “There are always small wars and fights going on…they do not interest me. What does interest me, is the two young ladies that have set their sights on your son. I always find it amusing too see how the females attack. I think Lillian is a little bold and will push Faye to act rashly.”
“Is that how you spend your time in this space between worlds?” Thad asked, surprised. “You watch the reactions between men and women as if it is some play put on for your amusement.”
“I have always found it fascinating,” Humanius said, smiling. I often try to predict how the female and male will react.”
“Do you normally get the right answer?” Thad asked, slightly intrigued.
“I can almost always pinpoint exactly how the male will react. The females on the other hand still amaze me. I think they will be happy and they get mad. I think they will get mad and they start crying.”
“So, not even you have figured out how women think?” Thad asked, nearly laughing.
“I might be a god, but there are some things in this world that are not meant to be known,” Humanius said, turning back to the small window showing Bren as he talked to his friend.
“I am just as confused by you as women,” Thad said after a few moments. “One moment you wish for my son’s death, and the next you are watching him and wishing for his success.”
“I do not wish for your son’s death,” Humanius said, his voice turning dark. “It is something that needs to happen, but it is not my personal wish. My task is to protect the balance. Sometimes, that means doing things that I do not like. You have had duties that have asked such of you and yet you still do not understand.”
CHAPTER XVIII
“My Lord, there are over a dozen tower guards outside, along with a handful of mages,” Cass said, rushing into the room as Bren strapped on his sword.
“We knew that this was coming, though honestly, I thought it would have happened days ago. The council is a lot slower than they should be.”
“You have to understand that they don’t have a single individual making decisions,” Cass said with a smile. “They must talk and discuss everything before coming to a decision on how to handle a situation.”
“Sounds tedious to me,” Bren said as he walked into the common room where the rest of his guards and friends were waiting.
“What do you plan to do My Lord?” Cass asked, once everyone was gathered.
“I plan to arrest the dissenters,” Bren said with a sad smile. With Phena and Faye standing next to him and his six guards surrounding them, Bren walked out of the inn.
Outside, Bren found that Flynn was already in position with his near thirty men standing around the tower soldiers. No weapons had been drawn, but the atmosphere was tense and Bren could tell that everyone was ready to fight within a moment’s notice.
“Bren Farlane, tell your men to stand aside and place their weapons on the ground. Otherwise, we will be forced to resort to violence,” an older mage with a deep red robe yelled, his voice booming loudly with the aid of magic.
“I offer you the same choice,” Bren said loudly, though he didn’t force himself to yell. “I hereby place you all under arrest for sedition.”
As soon as the last word left Bren’s lips, every one of his guards as well as his soldiers drew their weapons.
The mage who had ordered Bren to surrender raised his hand. Bren was sure that he was getting ready to cast, but his skill with magic was still so low that he couldn’t be sure. Forlatiner, his alienear guard didn’t seem to have his weakness though. As bright blue lines of energy shot from his sword, encasing the mage, and forcing one of the most hideous screams that Bren had ever heard from the man’s mouth.
The other three mages, as well as the guards, started to move, but found that Flynn had them surrounded. One of the mages threw up his hands and a large ball of flame erupted in the air, but it was quickly engulfed as Phena countered with an even larger globe of total darkness. When Phena extinguished her spell, the mage was lying on the ground unconscious.
“Does anyone else wish to contest?” Bren asked, as loudly as he
could without straining his voice. To accent his point, each of the soldiers moved forward, placing the tips on their swords against the guards.
As the sound of metal hitting the ground filled the air, Bren felt a sense of relief fill him. He knew that the Tower kept no more than three dozen guards and this should significantly reduce their force. They had underestimated him and it had cost them the first blow, but Bren didn’t intend to make the same mistake.
“What do we do now?” Flynn asked as his men tied up the prisoners with a thick rope. Three guards being stationed next to the mages, who also were blindfolded.
“We hold a trial today,” Bren said firmly, having made up his mind the second he had ordered their arrest.
“Where do we hold the trial?” Cass asked, looking slightly worried.
“We will hold it in front of the Tower itself. Unless we want this to drag out, we have to make a firm point,” As Bren spoke, his voice became cold and hard. His chest hurt as he saw the looks his friends were giving him, but then there was his sister, Phena, who gave him an encouraging smile.
As they marched through the streets of the non-human district with the host of tower guard’s and mages in tow, many of the people living there started to gather around and follow them. Bren could hear the jeers of the crowd, aimed at the tower guards who had oppressed them for so long under the Tower’s banner.
When they first looked for soldiers, there were many who volunteered, but with the limited resources Flynn had only chosen those who had some skill with a sword. Bren quickly learned that the non-humans were able to fight, they were just too separated in their own worlds and needed something to bring them together. Had the town been left alone under the Tower’s rule, one day it would explode like a volcano. All it would have taken was one person to reach their limit and attack, and the rest would had quickly followed. Bren tried to console himself that by acting in this manner, he would save a lot of lives and grief in the end, but it still did little to salve the pain that had begun to grow in his chest as he thought about what would come next.
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