by D. H. Aire
Le’ann and Re’ut glanced at each other.
#
“General.”
Lord Winterhil, commander-in-chief of the Empress’s loyalists, looked up from his maps in his well warded command tent. “Any word on further movements out of Hayden or Llewellyn?”
“No, sir. Kolter has what veteran troops he has remaining stationed on the provincial border. The Llewellyn, well, they haven’t bestirred themselves out of the city.”
“So, why are you bothering me?”
“We’ve noticed something odd out of Tane.”
“He’s making his move against the Empress?”
“Uh, no, sir, the scryers say he’s moving troops who seem to be reinforcing his border with Hayden.”
“He’s what? I want to speak with one of the scryers who’s seen that troop movement… and have him bring his bowl. I’ll want to send a message to the Empress.”
#
Fronkwin had his wife feeding the newest member of the dwarven community in the kitchen, while he privately debated what to do next. The moment he had hoped for and dreaded for years was here. He considered telling his son-in-law, Stievan, to go to Tane, but the young man was too much a merchant at heart.
No, if something sneaky needed to be done, he would need Tett, which meant the bard, Spiro, would become involved once Tett told him. However, the two of them could only aid in the task, not bring about the prophecy.
That would take… He winced, first Tett and Spiro, then the rest to make right what once went so wrong.
#
Thomi was exhausted. The guard captain and a host of other would-be assassins had died in the night. Master Terhun looked rather pleased that none had succeeded; although the search was on for Count Tristan, who they all wanted to have a long talk with.
You need to get some sleep, Thomi.
The voice startled him to full wakefulness.
“I’m fine,” he rasped, noticing that Lord Senian and his rather lovely wife, who only a day before had been a personal maid to Her Majesty, were the first of the newlyweds to rejoin the never ending wedding reception.
Walsh leaned over, “Come… others… watch… now.”
“I’m fine, Walsh.”
Lee and Esperanza have gone to bed.
“I’m in charge.”
Revit, Aliana, Belina and Terus and another elfblood young lady their age arrived with Sergeant Grigg and a small escort of Legionnaires. Grigg saw him and came over, “Lord Thomi.”
“Sergeant, you look more rested than I thought you’d be.”
“You haven’t slept, have you?” Grigg asked.
“No.”
“Sir, I got more rest than I expected. I can handle security… I’m aware of what happened last night.”
Good, get some sleep.
With a sigh, he nodded. “Fine. But send for me the instant anything untoward happens.”
“Yes, Milord,” Grigg replied, figuring what more could happen?
Walsh gave Grigg a grateful nod and followed Thomi out.
#
A herald announced, “Her Majesty, the Empress of the Aqwaine Empire.”
The guests bowed as she came down the steps, Lonny and the ogress following discreetly. Soon the Empress was greeting members of Court and those representing the Elvin families at this hour.
Lord Senian bowed and introduced his wife. “I’ve lost a trusted friend, but you have gained a stalwart lady.”
“Thank you,” Lady Senian half-whispered as her husband nodded.
“Somehow I think fate graced me, Your Majesty,” he replied, then leaned close and whispered, “I fear there is something you must know.”
The Empress nodded, “Lord Senian, you honor me with your words. Please join me at table in a few minutes.”
Bowing, he replied, “Your Majesty.”
She moved on to greet the next guest, but Lonny glanced at him warily. He looked rather uncomfortable, yet his lady was clearly at ease.
#
He sat at the Empress’s left, in a seat of honor at her table. “Majesty, I think fate has played me for a fool. I loved my brother dearly, but…”
“I loved Senason with all my heart. What are you trying to tell me?”
“He apparently made… deals that no longer bind my family now that I am lord. He also left my family in debt to some of those who he made promises to.”
“What kind of deals?”
“Deals that would have led to votes in Conclave making him Highmage and would have cost you, and the Empire, dearly.”
“And you know this, how?”
“They sent representatives who told me; who are now rather displeased with me… I fired the majordomo and any servant I did not know from my childhood. My mother was practically a prisoner in our home. My sister… is in hiding. Senason apparently promised her to Lord Llewellyn’s son. She fled the city with a trusted retainer the moment she knew our brother was dead.”
“You were planning to marry…”
“Llewellyn’s niece… Better me than my sister, I thought, and my brother had promised a contract marriage.” He sighed. “The accident at the wedding ceremony spared me that fate and, thankfully, offered me another.”
“How much does your family owe?”
Senian swallowed. “I will sell our estate and properties outside of the city and sell what I can to meet our debts.”
The Empress sat back, “You will relate every word to Master Terhun and you will not sell any of your properties without my approval.”
“Your Majesty?”
She smiled. “Senian, consider my, uh, interest a wedding gift… and the Llewellyns seem not to appreciate the hospitality I’ve been giving their captured troops of late.”
Across the gardens the herald announced her husband’s arrival and he began his lengthy greetings as he slowly began crossing the reception with Fri’il on his left and Se’and on his right, while Raven, in beast form, and Cle’or now clearly armed to the hilt served as escort.
#
The servant had bread, cheese, fruit, and a carafe of juice on a tray. He also was sweating hard, uncomfortable by being escorted by an ogre on his rounds to the newlywed suites throughout the wing.
Grigg saw that the servant was sweating and the ogre seemed rather intent on making certain no one got near the servant with the tray of food. “Sir, I have their breakfast tray.”
“I’ll take it in… But, please, knock to let them know it’s here.”
“Uh, certainly, sir.” The servant knocked and swallowed hard as the ogre shambling after him, returned to the kitchen.
After a minute, the door opened. “Lady Belina,” Grigg said with a thin smile as he brought the tray in, glancing at the bed with the cover thrown over the sleepers, then at the blankets on the floor, cocooning other sleepers. He walked over to the table and set down the tray as Belina stared.
He nodded to her, walked back to the door and tripped, quickly reaching down and pulling back the top blanket. Revit and Terus were sleeping back to back. “Good.”
Belina locked the door behind him as those on the bed stirred. “That was close,” Aliana said.
Across the room, Revit sat up and said in Ri’s voice, “Glad we mastered illusion in Gallen’s class?”
Terus said, “Yes and no.”
Belina shook her head, “Will someone explain to me why all of you nearly passed out?”
“No,” they chorused.
“Wonderful,” she muttered.
#
It was a long night. The warder just stood there, having assisted the Legionnaire or dwarven guards patrolling the palace grounds during the neverending festivities. The new Guard Captain’s death as he fell off the roof had caused a stir. Ruke had signaled that there were no further threats to those below, which, at least, answered the question of whose dagger was buried in the fellow’s right eye.
Lord Lyai was handling the investigation; especially, since the Guard Captain was out of unifo
rm, armed with not one but two illegal poisoned daggers, and a warding charm that allowed him to weave illusion and blend in with his surroundings.
In other words, he was an assassin. He also was not the recently promoted man he appeared to be thanks to that charm.
What had happened to the actual recently promoted Guard Captain would be left to Master Terhun’s agents to ascertain. What was clear is that the warders were being hard pressed to deal with all the security issues not just in the palace, but in the city… and there were too few warders by half.
“Rex, you still awake?”
He turned his head, his cheek now touching hers; although he got the impression that he was she was upside down, or perhaps he was. “I’m fine.”
“How long are we going to be able to keep this up?”
“Shannon, as long as we have to… how are you doing?”
“I’m tired, but have a good handle on the wards.”
He was serving as their eyes at the moment; he needed to expand his area of view. He reached out and felt the control. He gently turned it. The infrared view irised outward to maximum.
Shannon muttered, “I think you’re getting the hang of it.”
“I hate this magery.”
“It’s… tech-nol-ogy, Rexil.”
“We’re in a tiny bubble of Underhill… Trapped in here together for, what, an eternity?”
“We’re the first warder mages in a thousand years… and Revit and Aliana, as well as Terus and Ri, have freed themselves. We should be able to somehow, too.”
He felt Shannon’s fingertip on his knee.
Ward field sensitivity increasing.
Rexil sighed, not knowing up from down in the bubble that twisted reality as they remained on guard as honor and duty demanded of them.
#
Spiro was trying to get some sleep. There was a knock on the door. “Go away!”
“Uh, it’s me.”
“Tett,” he grumbled, getting out of bed. “Ow,” he muttered, stubbing his toe. “If this isn’t important, I’m going to kill you.”
“It is,” Tett said as he opened the door and he was not alone.
“Fronkwin?”
“Bard, there is a tale I believe you know… but it is a lie.”
Eyes wide, Spiro said, “Come in.”
Chapter 19 - A Hand in the Family
The herald saw Balfour and Carwina first, then his eyes widened. “Get Herald Varian,” he rasped to the apprentice, leaving his post to try to make sense of the guests he needed to announce. “Uh, Milord Balfour, I, um, see you have brought friends…”
Balfour glanced back, “Actually, this is Lord Je’orj’s blood brother and this is an old friend.”
The young herald, who looked little older than the running young apprentice, stared up at Greth. “The Highmage’s blood brother?”
The unicorn clomped up the corridor behind them with a boy at her side. The herald gaped.
“Oh, this is my nephew, Casber du Winome…. As you can see he’s the Highmage’s Hand.”
“Wha… what did you say?”
“Apparently he’s followed in his grandfather’s footsteps,” Balfour said. “I’m certain, Lord Je’orj will be pleased to see all of us.”
Varian was half-dragged by the apprentice herald in from the garden, then stopped cold, clearly thinking what the boy claimed was ludicrous. “Oh, my…”
#
Wearing a ward around his neck, he slipped into the Legionnaire base, walking past the sentry, who suddenly went glassy-eyed. He elected entering the Imperial prison from the base rather than from the palace, which was, at the moment, better guarded.
He paused.
An old Legionnaire mage came out of the Command building onto the grounds and looked around. Frowning, he seemed to sense something was wrong.
He stood motionless, telling himself the mage could not detect him.
A moment later the old mage turned and went across to another building.
He did not move for more than a minute, then continued on his mission.
#
Outside of the Great Hall’s egress to the reception areas a performance of acrobats had just finished. Herald Varian banged his staff against the ground, “Announcing, his honor, the Hand of the Highmage, Casber du Winome…”
Staff flared as George turned to stare.
The Empress’s eyes widened. “The Hand?”
“Du Winome?” Se’and muttered.
Fri’il, holding Ri’ori, said, “Casber, where have I heard that name before?”
“That’s Bal’s nephew,” Cle’or said. “And there’s Lonny… What the…”
“George!” Se’and shouted as he ran across the grounds. Raven swooped out of the sky as Se’and and Cle’or chased after him.
Raven shimmered and changed form, running on all fours beside George. “Greth! Lawson! What the hell are you doing here?”
#
Being a spirit had its drawbacks. High elvin weddings brought back memories best left forgotten. It was not entirely my fault that… well, the Empress could have had a sense of humor about the whole thing.
His own ill-fated accidental marriage had ended with his being deposited, unceremoniously, into the Imperial dungeon. It was not entirely my fault that…
Something stirred the air.
Someone ghosted by. Well, not ghosted, poor choice of words. He left his eternal haunt. He had not meant to commit treason. He had just been foolish… and the money he had been offered would have settled his gambling debts. It was not entirely my fault that… He served a penance now that he dared never fail or an eternity lay before him.
What he followed — paused. He sensed it looking back at him. It uncloaked, revealing a mage, who cast a spell at him.
Ow! He screamed, trying to flee as the spell began to ripple his shade out of existence. With his last once of magic, he lensed and redirected the spell, striking the nearest ward, thinking, Empress, forgive me.
The mage heard the ward bell in warning, “Damn ghost.” He ran down the hall, knowing he had little time.
#
“George,” Lawson said, “good to see you!” Raven stared up and up as Se’and and Cle’or caught up to them.
“Gre..,th, put… me… down,” George rasped waving his staff, which twinkled with laughter.
“Oh, sorry,” the troll said, setting him down. “Heard you got married.”
“Um, yeah.”
Varian said, “May I announce them now?”
Balfour chuckled, “Please, do.”
The herald banged his staff on the ground. “Announcing, Captain of… the Marines of Prect, Greth son of Qapin, and his companion… Assistant Engin—eer to Chief Engin—eer, Je’orj du Bradlei, Lawson son of Lawson.”
“Hi, Je’orj,” Casber said.
George turned, “Hi, Casber. It’s been a while… What’s that on your arm?”
:Scanning,: Staff shared.
“Huh? This? It’s a dragon's scale.”
“A dragon's scale,” George muttered.
Lawson met his gaze, “George, it is. Makes a nice armlet, don’t you think?”
Staff shared his results.
George nodded, “Very nice. You’ll have to tell me—” There was a sound that was not a sound. The warders across the length of the gardens turned as one.
#
“Belina!” Revit suddenly shouted as Aliana, Revit and Ri all stiffened. “Go into the bathroom and stay there until I call for you.”
“What?” Belina muttered, staring at them in their silken robes.
Aliana nodded, “Please, Belina, something’s happening and you’ll be safer there.”
“And you think you won’t be?”
Revit grasped Aliana hand. “Belina, trust me, please.”
Terus and Ri looked at each other as Belina shrugged and did as she was bid. As soon as she was out of the room, Terus rasped, “Now what?”
“We all felt the ward alarm,” Aliana
said. “We need to get back in the suits.”
“How?” Ri asked.
Revit sighed, “What if we did this?” He drew Aliana close and kissed her, willing the warder robe to appear.
Aliana’s eyes went wide.There was a crackling sound and their robe reappeared, floating beside them. Revit opened his silk robe as Aliana dropped her own. They crawled beneath it and climbed through the opening hatch.
The robe writhed as they re-oriented.
Ri looked at Terus. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“Me?”
“No more tickling, understood?”
He smiled and drew her close, kissed her, mentally calling out, Warder seeking access.
They heard the crackling as reality split the air and the robe appeared, returning from Underhill.
#
Rexil shouted as they ran across the vast expanse of the grounds to the gate leading to the Imperial Legion’s fortress. “On our way! All other teams: protect the Empress! This may be a diversion!”
Acknowledged.
The other warders present remained behind as Lord Je’orj and his odd assortment of new friends joined the Empress as guests milled about, the musicians uncertain as to whether they should return to play another set or not.
Warder back on line.
“Who?” Rexil asked rotating in the ether past Shannon, who was focusing on maintaining, what they termed, their scrying wards.
“Whoever they are, they just leaped out a window and are coming up behind us fast,” Shannon replied, brushing up back to back with Rexil.
We’ve reactivated, Aliana said. Revit, watch what you’re doing.
Sorry, he rasped, blushing and glad Belina had been left behind, wondering where they had gone.
Warder back on line, the stilted mechanical voice announced around them again.
“Terus, that you and Ri?” Rexil said as their rear view showed another warder leaping from the same window running faster than was humanly possible.
Yeah, right behind you, Ri replied.
Ward alert… Prison sublevel three… section four.
Anyone know where that is? Revit asked.
Rexil ran faster, answering, “That’s the area that Lord Hayden’s in.”
#
A warded bag covered his head and a warded manacle gripped his ankle. They can’t do this to me! He thought for the thousandth time, not understanding how all his plans had gone so wrong.