By the time they reached the town proper, there was more than three hundred non-humans following him. Bren had made sure to make a close pass by the Katanaga fighter’s academy. He noticed that shortly after that, Jacob and the trainees had joined in their group of followers, though most of them were spread out so they wouldn’t draw too much attention.
Before they reached the Tower, many humans had joined in as well, though most of them hung back, more curious about what was happening. Bren was happy to see that not all the humans liked the outright oppression of their non-human counterparts. It would have made things much more difficult, should the bulk of the town take a stand against him.
Upon reaching the small open field in front of the Tower, Bren had his army spread out as he lined the tower guards up in a nice line so that anyone looking out from the Tower could see them. “Do you know how to use that voice magic?” Bren asked Phena, slightly embarrassed at his own ineptitude.
“No, that uses wind magic and I have no talent in that element,” Phena admitted.
Walking over to the mage with the dark red robe, Bren grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. Pulling his sword, Bren placed the blade against the man’s neck. “I need you to make my voice as loud as yours was…If you try anything, even if I think anything is amiss, I will permanently separate your head from the rest of your body,” Bren said in the hardest tone he could muster.
The mage didn’t say anything, but Bren began to fill a tingling in his throat. Pressing the blade against the mages neck, Bren waited to see if anything else would happen. Once everything seemed okay, Bren took a deep breath.
“My name is Bren Farlane, son of Thaddeus Torin. My father was given these lands by the queen of Farlan and the King of Rane to use as he saw fit. Upon his death or disappearance, the rights to the lands were passed down to me. Upon inspection, I have learned that the Tower has overstretched their authority and have taxed the people of this land without my or my father’s consent. When I told them this must stop, they had me thrown in the dungeon and I was nearly killed. After escaping, I started to exert my rights over this land, and the Tower sent a group of their men to subdue me. I have arrested these men on the charge of sedition. I will give the members of the council half an hour to come and combat these charges. Otherwise, I will start carrying out the sentence for these crimes.”
Bren’s words came out so loud that he feared his own ears would burst from the strain, but he continued until he was sure that his point had been made. Once he was finished, he relaxed his grip on the mage. “What is the sentence for sedition?” The mage asked in a quivering voice, as he sunk back to the ground.
“Death,” Bren responded, leaving the mage to his three guards whose faces were set like stone, letting Bren know that they were ready in case anything should happen.
“Thirty minutes have passed My Lord,” Cass said, when the time limit he had set came due. “I can see at least three of the council members in the entrance of the Tower. I think they are waiting to see if you will carry through on your threat.
“Bring me something to rest the men’s necks on,” Bren replied, his heart quickening and his stomach tying in knots.
Cass returned quickly, along with Crusher and another dwarf who he didn’t know, carrying a thick wooden block with a thick fur cover on it. “No reason for their last moments to be uncomfortable,” Crusher said with grim look on his face.
After setting down the block, Crusher grabbed Bren by the arm and pulled him to the side. “You want me to do the honors boy?” Crusher asked in a whisper.
“No, I need to be the one who does it,” Bren replied, his stomach lurching again.
Not having the courage to ask the mage again to use his magic, Bren turned to the people behind him and raised his voice as loud as he could. “The Tower has refused to refute the charge of these men here before you, so I shall now carry out the punishment for the crime of sedition.”
Bren could see the tears in the young Tower guards face as his head was placed against the block. Bren was surprised to find that he looked no more than nineteen, giving him pause. Taking a deep breath, Bren unsheathed his sword and placed the blade against the man’s neck. The blade felt heavy as it was lifted above his head, then it fell. With a sickening thud, the guard’s head rolled free of his body, landing between Bren’s feet.
“Fighting the urge to throw up, Bren turned to, Crusher his face slightly pale. “Please remove the body and bring the next one,” Bren said, his voice still firm, though his strength began to wavier.
Bren was forced to repeat the rising of his sword three more times before there was movement from the Tower. Bren felt cold as he looked toward the host of mages moving out from the Tower. He called for the next prisoner and looked on as the mage in red was placed on the blood soaked block. Bren heard someone yell for him to stop, but it didn’t reach his ears before the man’s head was rolling freely on the ground.
“Halt!” Bren heard Sae-Thae’s voice, as the mage rushed toward them.
Looking around, Bren noticed that the entire council had arrived and now stood no more than fifty yards away. “Have you come to contest these men’s crimes?” Bren asked, his voice cold and hollow.
“You brat, I will have your head for murder!” The elder mage, who had him thrown in the dungeon yelled. His words were met with an unwelcomed glare as hundreds of people turned toward him, many with swords in their hands, forcing the mage to take a step back.
“Turneal, you will be quiet or I will not try to help when this mob drags you to the block,” Sae-Thae said harshly.
“Lord Farlane, it seems that there has been some misunderstanding. We have received word from both Farlan and Rane that you are indeed the inheritor of this land,” Sae-Thae said, his words biting into him.
Bren could almost hear the mage’s accusation that, had he contacted the two countries, this could have been cleared with fewer problems. Looking at the mage, Bren had to admit that his own pride in asking his mother for help had made things much harder, but he still believed he was right in his actions.
“Then you admit that these men who came to my door this morning had no right to bring army into my kingdom and try to arrest me on the council’s orders. If you did in fact know that I inherited this land, and the Tower still ordered my arrest, then it must be the council who replaces these men on the headsman’s block,” Bren said strongly, though he prayed that Sae-Thae had some way to appease both laws, as he didn’t think he could bring himself to kill the elder mage, who was as close as any family he had ever known.
“This has come about by accident and misunderstanding. I hope that we can resolve this without further bloodshed. If the lord would simply allow us to talk, I am sure we can come to an agreement.”
“Very well, we shall meet in the Katanaga fighter’s academy if that is alright with the Weapons Master. Since it is the soil of an impartial country, I believe we will all feel safer there.
“Hardly,” Bren heard Turneal mutter, but chose to ignore it.
“I will gladly host talks, but if anyone comes to harm on the grounds, they will be judged by King Killian himself,” Jacob said, stepping out from the crowd.
“Then it is settled, we will meet within the hour and see this foolishness put to rest,” Sae-Thae replied, bowing to Bren. Bren quickly returned the bow before ordering his men to set the last of the Tower guards free from their bonds.
CHAPTER XXIX
Bren and his guards were the first to arrive at the academy and was surprised to find that all of the trainees and masters were armed and guarding the perimeter of the compound. “I will have to ask that your men wait outside, as well as that you disarm before entering the academy,” Jacob said, stepping in Bren’s path.
Unstrapping his sword, Bren handed it to Cass and gave his friend a smile. “Looks like the rest is up to me.”
“The staff too, Lord Farlane,” Jacob said, eyeing the staff with a weary look.
Giving a soft
smile, Bren handed the staff to Cass.
If you need me, don’t be afraid call for me. Fools think that just because I am not in your hand that you are defenseless.
“If it helps put their mind at ease, there is no harm in it. I just wish that my sword could come to me as easily,” Bren replied to Thuraman.
Jacob followed beside Bren as they headed into the main building of the academy. Once they were alone, the Weapons Master turned to Bren and looked him over with appraising eyes. “That was a hard thing you did today boy,” the Weapons Master said, his eyes still probing Bren. “You handling it ok?”
“As well as can be expected Weapons Master,” Bren said as his body began to shake as the images of the men’s head rolling to his feet flashed through his mind.
“I know the first time can be rough, especially when is in such a manner and not in the heat of battle. Hold yourself together for a bit longer though, if show weakness during the negotiations, you will lose everything you fought for,” Jacob said, patting Bren consolingly on the back.
Bren was lead to the dining room of the academy. It had been rearranged so that there were ten chairs on one side of a long table and one on the other with a final chair placed at the head.
Bren took his place in the lone chair as Jacob took his at the head. Bren had heard about such talk before from his mother, but he had never know of her to attend one. Ever since the relations between Farlan, Rane, and Abla had become friendly, there had been no talk of war. It was peaceful, but it left Bren feeling completely unprepared for what was to come.
Hey didn’t have to wait long before the council members arrived and took their seats, Sae-Thae giving Bren a warm smile as he took his place cross from the young king. As soon as everyone was situated, Jacob stood and cleared his throat. “We are here today to see an end to the strife between the rightful ruler of the land and the Tower of Mages. I will tolerate no aggression while we are on Rane soil, and action will be met with swift and harsh consequences, no matter the rank or title you hold.”
“First off, we will hear the demands of the ruler,” Jacob said, pointing to Bren and taking his seat.
“I have no interest in the personal affairs of the Tower. What happens within your walls will remain your business, but your power ends there. You will no longer lay taxes or laws upon the people of Torin,” Bren said calmly.
“Torin?” Sae-Thae asked with a bewildered smile.
“It is the name of my land. My father neglected to give it a proper name, so I saw it fit to name it after him,” Bren replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“How are we supposed to fix the Tower if we do not collect taxes?” Turneal asked, his voice carrying a sharp edge to it.
“You may request funds from me or other countries. I know of no school or academy, which is outside of the control of a country that is given the rights to tax the people.”
“You expect us to come beg for every gold that we need?” Turneal asked, his voice raising as he started to rise from his chair, but he quickly reconsidered as Jacob matched his movements with his hand firmly on the hilt of his sword.
“I don’t expect you to beg, but I do expect you to ask. You are lucky that I am not demanding the funds that you stole from the people be returned. If it will soothe your wounded ego, once I have a full accounting of the income produced within the country, I will allot the Tower a yearly stipend to be used as you see fit, but it will be subject to change for better or worse, depending on the funds available.”
“I believe that is fair,” Sae-Thae replied.
“Fair…Fair!” Turneal squealed. “This brat thinks, just because of who his father is, that he can demand this of us.”
“Turneal, I am getting tired of your idiocy,” Carnear said, looking at the older mage with a look of disgust. “All kings and queens inherit their power. It is the way of the world, and unless you want the combined forces of not only Rane and Farlan, but Abla as well, seeing as Queen Eloen would not take kindly to your threats against Thad’s son lightly, to come knocking on our doorstep, then I would suggest you keep your mouth shut. Our peace and place here was long fought and hard earned, but we must still follow the rules of the country we live in. Do not get so full of yourself that you think you can simply do as you please because you can use magic, because if you haven’t noticed, you are not alone in that skill.”
“Do as you please,” Turneal said angrily, as he slumped down in his chair.
“If all are agreed, I will have a scribe draw up an official document that may be signed by both parties,” Jacob said happily.
“You have a scribe?” Bren asked, mildly surprised.
“Yes, they are often needed on the battlefield, so we make sure to include it in our training,” Jacob said with a confident grin.
It didn’t take long for the scribe to pen the short terms that they two grounds had agreed too. The paper was thick and may have lacked some of the leafing and embellishments that his mother was so fond of, but it would serve its purpose.
Sae-Thae was the first to pen his name, quickly followed by the other eight masters. When it came to Turneal, he angrily scratched his name on the paper, then shoved it toward Bren. Bren gave the angry mage a bright smile as he signed his name, then pulled his seal from his pocket. Jacob was quick in calling for wax. Bren waited as it was heated, then pushed his seal down, leaving behind the symbol of an eagle in midflight.
“I am going back to where people don’t bow to spoiled children,” Turneal said as he stood from his chair and marched out of the room with a handful of the other mages following quick behind.
“Bren, a moment please,” Sae-Thae said, pulling Bren to the side.
“What is it, Master Sae-Thae?” Bren asked as he readied himself for his friend’s harsh words of rebuke.
“Stop that,” Sae-Thae demanded. “If you are going to claim to be king, you must act like one at all times. I think I have found a way to free your father, but it will not be easily done. First, we must locate the door to the veil, as well as one of the Brotherhood swords.”
“I will pack right away,” Bren said enthusiastically.
“Not so fast young man,” Sae-Thae said in a halting tone. “Do you think you can simply demand control over this land and then up and leave. No, you must first take control, set up laws and prove that you can do this, not just in name, but in deeds. Only once your reign is secure can you dare to leave.”
“That will take years,” Bren whined.
“Yes it will,” Sae-Thae admitted. “But it is a price you must pay for your actions here. Remember that anything you start, must be finished. If you were to leave now, the Tower would rest control back and when you returned, you would find them with a much stronger grip on the land. I am sorry, but you have put yourself in this place and now you must finish it.”
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