The Invisible Chains - Part 1: Bonds of Hate (Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse)

by Andrew Ashling

  “That is not exactly what I meant,” Anaxantis grumbled.

  “Who is this?” Ehandar asked angrily.

  “That is the famous doctor you sent me to.”

  “The insolent one?”

  “Yes. Or hadn't you noticed?”

  “Now, now, boys, don't fight,” said the source of all irritation.

  He winked at Anaxantis.

  “By the way, nice one with all the chickens. Threndll, my housekeeper almost fainted. Lucky for her I'm a doctor. Well, I say housekeeper, but she's so much more. In fact, I should have married the woman decades ago. But you know how it goes. Today never works for you, and there's always tomorrow. What was I trying to say? Oh, yes, the chickens. They like to hide in dark places a few feet from the ground, did you know that? We keep finding them everywhere. Still. Gave most of them away. You'll be glad to know that some poor families had a decent meal thanks to you, young man. Kept ten of them though. In the garden. For the eggs. Oh, and there is this one strange boy, lives in a world of his own, doesn't talk, who now has a pet chicken. Can't cure him, but gave him a chicken. Who knows—”

  “Is all this leading somewhere?” Ehandar interrupted him rudely.

  Tollbir looked at Anaxantis.

  “You seem to make it a habit to surround yourself with annoying people. Who's this one?”

  “This one,” Anaxantis replied trying not to laugh, “is my brother. The other lord governor. The one who wrote the report.”

  “Really?” the physician said, turning to Ehandar. “Well, well, who'd have thought. Not I, that's for sure. I had you pegged for one of those sword loving types who can barely read, let alone write. That was a fine piece of medical reporting. The preciseness of observation. The sheer wealth of details. However did you think of all those little signs and from so long ago too?”

  “I... I just wrote down what I remembered seeing,” Ehandar said, totally confused whether he should remain angry or permit himself to feel flattered.

  “You're a natural. I bet there's not much that escapes you, is there? Your report was a great help.”

  He turned back to Anaxantis, pointing to the cup.

  “Give us some more wine, will you, there's a good boy.”

  Sighing, Anaxantis filled his cup.

  “Not that you aren't excellent company, but was there any purpose to your visit? Or did you just feel like pestering me again?” he asked, shoving the filled cup in the doctor's direction.

  “Oh, I was in the neighborhood. Quite by accident. Every year I leave the house for a few weeks to travel around a little. Mostly to the sea. For the air, you know. So, don't you go imagining that I came all the way here for you. But I examined those samples you sent me.”

  “Samples?” Anaxantis asked nonplussed.

  “That was me,” Ehandar explained. “I took a sample of the herbs, the pills and the sweets before they were thrown into the sea.”

  “And he sent them to me with a polite letter,” Tollbir picked in. “You're a civilized young man on parchment,” he added for Ehandar's benefit.

  Tollbir scratched his beard and looked scrutinizingly at him.

  “Hm, those black patches under your eyes... I don't like them. People think that's from lack of sleep, but that's not always the case. Could be you aren't taking enough liquid, or eating too much meat. Could also be from excessive worrying. I really should examine you thoroughly, you know.”

  “Oh yes, please, let him,” Anaxantis said not without malice. “Have no fear, I'll stay with you to hold your hand.”

  Ehandar looked from one to the other as if they spoke a secret language.

  “No, thank you,” he said. “I feel perfectly fine. What did you find?”

  “Ah, yes. First I examined the sweets. Nothing wrong with them. Highest quality, in fact. You didn't hope to get the remainder back, did you? I'm afraid I ate the lot. I first gave one to Yapper. That's Threndll's little dog. We have three. The two big ones are no trouble, but the little one... Yap, yap, yap, all day long. Yap, yap, yap. Drives you mad. The thing stuck to his teeth. Quite a funny sight, and it stopped him yapping. Since it didn't seem to harm him, I ate one myself. Delicious. Strange how it goes. You take another one, just to make sure, and a third one, and before you know it the box is empty.”

  “I thought you said that sweets were bad for you,” Anaxantis said in a reproaching tone.

  “I never said such a thing. I said that sweets were bad for you. You are young and want to lead an active and long life. Me not so much. I am almost eighty and frankly I'm getting a little bored by it all. I don't particularly want to add many years to my existence. Besides, the sweets can't take away what time has taken already. Then the pills. I gave a little piece of one to Yapper as well, mixed in his food. Didn't do much, so I repeated the process a few times. Well, the next day he lay quietly in his nest. And I mean quietly. It was heaven. He reacted well enough when I petted him, but he didn't try to bite my hand as usual. So, you're not getting those pills back either. In fact, I want more of them. I'd make them myself, but it's impossible to find out what's in them. The effect is clear though. They make you calm, kind of resigned even.”

  “We could have done that,” Anaxantis said to Ehandar.

  “Ah, yes, but you didn't, did you? Then I looked at the herbs. Another bummer. They were cut so fine that it was very, very difficult to see what was in the mixture. After hours of carefully looking at itty-bitty pieces I could sort some of them in eight little heaps. It was impossible to identify them by sight, so I boiled each of them in some water. From most of them I recognized the smell. Mind you, I'm not sure I've got them all, in fact I suspect that there were no less than fifteen ingredients. Almost impossible to say what the global effect would be, but some of them were quite poisonous, though not in those quantities. If I had to guess, I would say that the overall effect would be to slow down your body. The interaction of the different herbs can be quite astounding. I'm guessing again, but I'm almost certain that they would also work on your mind. The ingredients, the amounts, it was all very sophisticated. To me this is the work of someone who studied in Zyntrea. I'm afraid that is all I could discover. Well, we suspected as much, but now we are sure. They didn't want to kill you, but they wanted you in less than full strength, both mentally and physically.”

  Tollbir scratched his beard.

  “So there is no way that this herb mixture was made to cure something, or that the dizzy spells and all the rest were just unfortunate side effects?” Anaxantis asked.

  “No,” Tollbir replied, ogling the wine pitcher. “In fact, if I were to give this mixture a name, I would call it Weak and Meek.”

  Ehandar was a bundle of nerves. It was four days now since Gorth had taken the road to Soranza, and still he hadn't talked with Anaxantis about his plans.

  “I can't put it off much longer. Why not talk with him about it this evening? It is a perfectly sensible plan and he will see that. I'll make him see that. He's bound to have objections. What with his friends? What with our responsibilities? What with his mother? I'll have to debunk them one by one. Maybe it is best to begin with showing him that we can't win this. However the situation turns out, we will be either dead, or the scapegoats of a disaster. Any sensible man who understands this, cuts his losses. And better now than in the spring, when the Mukthars are at our borders. Now we still have time to meticulously organize everything, to make and revise plans, and to execute them without extraneous interference. But what Gorth said is also true. Anaxantis can be headstrong. I couldn't bear leaving without him. It's just one reason more to bring it up as soon as possible. The Gods know how many hurdles I will have to get over.”

  At that moment Anaxantis came in the room. He seemed preoccupied and while he took off his mantle, he said:

  “Ehandar, we must talk.”

  Trying to repress his dark thoughts of foreboding, Ehandar smiled.

  “Good, I have a few things myself I would like to discuss with you. We have
the whole evening before us.”

  He motioned to the rug before the hearth, but, after ungirding his sword, Anaxantis sat down at the table.

  A moment later Ehandar felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach, and all air was forced out of his lungs. There was a rushing sound in his ears, and it seemed that suddenly all his muscles cramped at the same time. To prevent himself from falling, he had to lean on the big chair near the fireplace. Then the words Anaxantis had spoken finally sank in.

  “Ehandar, I'm moving out by the end of the week. I can't do this any longer.”

  I know that it is an awkward place to stop, Mandigaill the Hunter, but the hour is late and you have a long way to go.

  ...

  Yes, I know. You would have preferred it otherwise. I saw your reaction when I told you about their first night together. Should I have ended it there? Don't forget that I also saw you when I told you how Ehandar took what was not his to take. And you were not indifferent.

  ...

  No, Friend of Wolves, it most certainly was not just the way I told it and the fact that you are blushing and protesting bears witness to that.

  ...

  Yes, that is the question, and indeed, I was deliberately obfuscate. The downfall of which prince? Remember that the story is far from finished. I didn't invent it, I only tell it and I tell only true stories. So, when I'm finished, you be the judge.

  ...

  Yes, you can return, but no earlier than in three days. You know the price.

  ...

  I bid you a safe journey home and interesting dreams, Wolves' Friend.

  Chapter 10:

  Friends in Low Places

  “The food was excellent, Mandigaill the Hunter, and since the price is now paid in full, I shall continue the tale of Anaxantis and the Invisible Chains. Go, undress and sit upon the stool.”

  ...

  “No, it is not the same stool and yes, this one has a knob in the center of the seat.”

  ...

  “Yes, I suppose it resembles a phallus. A small one, barely four inches long and not thick.”

  ...

  “No, it is not difficult. Just sit over it and it will find its place all by itself. The knob is smooth and well oiled.”

  ...

  “See, you soon get accustomed to it.”

  ...

  “Why? The short answer is, because it pleases me. You don't want to know the long answer. Now, where was I...”

  Ehandar heard ‘I'm moving out by the end of the week’ echoing around and around in his head.

  “No, no, you can't leave me just like that. I love you, damn it. I need you. I can't lose you so shortly after I've found you. I know you love me too. Don't do this. Do not do this... Don't panic. Don't panic. It's just the strain we're under. He doesn't mean it like that.”

  “Why?” he managed to ask relatively calmly.

  “It's becoming too dangerous. Have you considered what would happen if anyone found out that... that we're not just brothers sharing the residence of the lord governor? We would lose all authority, and right at the moment we should be thinking about strengthening the army too.”

  “And so, just like that you're moving out? Where will you even go?”

  “Lorseth can house six thousand troops, so almost half of the barracks are empty. I've requisitioned some of them for my personal use. I'm having one of the barracks that was meant for a general made ready for me.”

  Ehandar tried to think rationally and come up with reasons why Anaxantis shouldn't go. There was one, the real one, but it would sound too pathetic.

  “Have you even asked Demrac?”

  “Asked Demrac? No, why should I?” Anaxantis raised his eyebrows. “I have informed him of my decision, though.”

  “The secret charter gives him a higher authority than ours over the army.”

  “Ehandar, Ehandar, you're really not cut for this, are you? Yes, the secret charter gives him greater authority over the army, but as long as he keeps the charter secret, he can't use it. For all practical purposes it doesn't exist. We're not even supposed to be aware of it. So, is he going to show his trump card over some old barracks? I don't think so. He's far too clever for that. And furthermore...”

  “His authority may be higher than ours as far as the army is concerned. Lorseth however, with all its grounds and all its buildings, is a royal domain and doesn't resort under the army. As such it squarely falls under our authority. I can see no problem.”

  “You can see no problem?” Ehandar asked bitterly. “It's as easy as that, is it?”

  “Easy? Easy? Do you even know that it is almost more than I can do to prevent myself from falling in your arms in public and damn the consequences? Have you any idea what it costs me to have to keep this a secret? How I long to show you off to my friends? The truth is that it is almost unbearable. It is too painful. No, it is better we see each other only in an official capacity. We have a shared responsibility after all.”

  Ehandar sat down in the chair next to Anaxantis. He took one of his hands and placed a light kiss on it. He took a deep breath. Maybe simply stating his true intent, bringing it all into the open, was his best chance.

  “Let's leave this mess behind us. You know as well as I do that we were set up. If we stay, one way or another, it will be the end of us. I have a friend who, at this very moment, is investigating the conditions under which we could seek asylum in the city state of Soranza. We will be safe there. Safe from the Mukthars and safe from father and our brothers. Bring all those of your friends who want to come with us. We could be happy there, I know it. I can make you happy...”

  Anaxantis looked in his eyes and kissed him softly on the lips.

  “Yes, you could. But I can't leave. We have a responsibility, Ehandar. Twelve years ago more than fifteen thousand civilians lost their lives, and I am not going to let that happen again. Not as long as there is a single breath left in me.”

  “And our lives? What with our lives, Anaxantis?”

  “Our lives were never our own, from the moment we were born, Ehandar. Don't you see that? That was long ago decided, in 1414, when Portonas III climbed over mountains of dead bodies to ascend the throne. Whether we want to or not, we live in function of the kingdom. Once our family grabbed the Devil's Crown it was impossible to relinquish it again, and it's curse extends to all of us. Besides, the people depend on us to protect them. The most we can hope for are some stolen hours.”

  “No, no, it is me who depends on you, me,” Ehandar thought feverishly. “The people are not even interested in their own defense. The people will weather the storm as it comes, just as they did twelve years ago and there's nothing we can do. I know. I tried.”

  “However,” Anaxantis smiled timidly, “speaking about stolen hours... I am not leaving this evening.”

  The Senator looked at his visitor with an impassionate face.

  “Two princes and a nobleman. Trachia? No, there is but one prince left and nobody is too sure where he is now. Lorsanthia? Unlikely. Ximerion maybe? Yes, probably. They have three or even four princes. Now, that could become awkward, what with the queen of Ximerion already having been granted asylum.”

  “I hope the parties involved understand that they will have to pay their own way,” the Senator said evenly. “If we grant them asylum it is as citizens, not as, eh, high nobility.”

  “Oh, the princes have their own independent assets and I am assured that it will be easy to transfer them to Soranza.”

  The Senator handed a parchment to Gorth.

  “These are the conditions and the rules the concerned parties will be expected to adhere to, were we to grant them asylum.”

  “Could you give me any indication of the likelihood of that happening?”

  “Well,” the Senator hesitated, “if I had an idea of who we're talking about, I could maybe hazard an estimation.”

  Gorth thought about this for a moment.

  “The parties involved are the princ
es Ehandar and Anaxantis of Ximerion and myself, Gorth of Sidullia. I am not important, I am just a personal friend of one of them.”

  “So, I was right. Those are the youngest of the lot, if I remember correctly. You can't blame them, I suppose. In that barbarian kingdom the struggle for the succession is merciless. All the more so now that there are four contenders. Strange though, Queen Emelasuntha is the mother of the youngest. How come that she hasn't arranged for asylum for him? Well, no matter, provided they bring ample funds they are welcome.”

  “You understand that the final decision is not entirely mine. In the end a committee decides, but I can see no objections at first sight. I'll have a definite answer for you by the beginning of next week. You're welcome to visit me again then.”

  Back on the great marketplace Gorth looked around.

  “Too early to go back to my lodgings and Ehandar has given me a small fortune. So, first a good meal and then to the girls, the real girls and not those middle aged hags that hang around the camp at Lorseth. All seems to go well, and Soranza is a nice city. Much cleaner and lighter than Ormidon. I think I'm going to like it here. Tomorrow I'll take a ride into the countryside and look at some domains. I even have time enough to inquire if Soranza needs cavaliers.”

  The two men had traveled the distance between Lorseth and Soranza as quickly as they could. It was after midnight when they stopped at the gates of a vineyard. The night guard asked them a question, and the men gave the expected response. They were immediately led to the main building on the hill. A servant guided them into a tastefully decorated room, bade them to be seated and brought them wine, asking them to wait while queen Emelasuntha was informed of their arrival.

  Ten minutes later they saw a tall, striking woman, with a strong, beautiful face, and long golden blond hair flowing behind her entering the room. She was followed by a short, thickset woman. They both sat down in elegant, comfortable armchairs.