To Be Victorious: The Maestro Chronicles Book 6

by John Buttrick

  For all intents and purposes the war had ended ten days ago at the death of Tarin Conn, but officially five days ago when Zuchang Ki of Zune, Xavier Suchen of Pentrosa, Gloria Kayan of Fon Kay, Marcus Demson of Demfilia, and Prince Trogan of Ecoppia all surrendered. Josh Noon of Battencay was up there as well, but he had been conquered and forced into the alliance.

  To the far right of the ministers sat Terroll Barnes and Bela who was chewing on a piece of beef while Xan the Prime was in the middle of delivering another one of his long-winded speeches.

  Jared put down his fork. “The rulers of the northern alliance all claim Serena had them under a spell and they were given no choice but to obey her commands.”

  “Serena did have a link to their minds and it was nullified when our First Lady killed her,” Samuel pointed out. “The golden girl from Lobenia always did outperform everyone in our graduating class.”

  “It is my husband who outperformed us all,” Sherree insisted. Nobody argued with her.

  Simon nodded and then shook his head. “Yes he did and she did, then and now, but she broke the link way after these rulers pledged their allegiance to Tarin Conn.”

  Bernard pushed his nearly empty bowl of mushroom soup away. “That is likely true, but the timing is unproven speculation. The claim of mental domination spared them from prosecution as war criminals, but not from having to compensate the costs. It will take years to pay the debt.”

  Joel sipped from his glass, craftsmen were able to make them again, and then placed his wine back on the table. “I can see how Ecoppia might be exempted, seeing as Trogan seized the throne from Jame.”

  Buck let out a chuckle. “The Prince was not so high and mighty when Darrell, Bonny, and I appeared at his palace in Port Kaylor along with you and a squadron of mantas. We put half a legion to sleep and you manta-boys destroyed his navy.”

  “Yes,” Joel agreed, “and then Bonny conveyed him here.”

  Tim glared at Xavier, whose finger was stroking a thin black mustache, and then the Admiral focused his eyes back on Daniel. “Gina and I brought the Wager into the port at Holcum. We and our fleet of patrol-boats, with the help of the manta rays from our facility, battled and destroyed his navy, which was mostly made up of Anacondas. By the way, I am glad we took the time to blow up the Surosa shipwright facility before the king surrendered. His royal legion fought hard and the one Serpent found among his people was killed by Karen Ducappus. I know Suchen was no puppet of Serena. The slime willingly sided with Tarin Conn and now he pretends otherwise.”

  For his part, Daniel never trusted the man and felt Tim had adequately summed up the monarch’s character in one word. Suchen’s lust for power had led him to ally early on with the Serpent Guild and it was unlikely the illicit desire had died with Tarin Conn.

  Gina rested her hand on top of her husband’s. “Xavier’s dream of creating an empire has been ruined by Queen Cleona’s not so secret weapon.”

  “You mean my son,” Ronn Benhannon added to the conversation. There was no mistaking the pride in his voice.

  “Daniel, you have to admit,” Gina said, “with Tarin Conn dead, you are the most powerful Accomplished in the world and are a Royal Knight of Ducaun. Aakadon has gone back to pretending to be neutral in regard to the kingdoms and is focused on hunting down the Aakacarns who belonged to the Serpent Guild. But you, Cleona could order to conquer Pentrosa or any other kingdom she may desire to add to her realm.”

  “She would never order me to do so.” Daniel was certain, but decided to change the direction of the conversation, “And I don’t have to admit the obvious. I am the only Accomplished with seven lightning bolts on my shoulders and am wearing the uniform of a Royal Knight of the Realm. Next I suppose you will ask me to admit evergreens are green and a cloudless sky at noon is blue.”

  Gina threw a playful glance at her husband. “I am still waiting for Tim to admit those two things.”

  The drummer picked up the beat. “That might take a while. I am still working out our new sleeping arrangements.”

  “What’s to arrange? Ronn and I are moving back home to our cottage and you and Gina are moving into the bungalow,” Miriam inquired.

  “I was thinking of having the RiverDancer converted into a yacht. I have grown fond of sleeping on a swaying surface.”

  Ronn was shaking his head by the time Tim was half way through the sentence. “The boat belongs to my wife and I. Give me a day and I will put rocking-horse legs at the head and foot of the bed in the bungalow. That way you can sway to your heart’s content.”

  “Uh, no thanks,” Tim and Gina turned down the offer in harmony.

  Daniel reckoned his parents would dock the boat at an arena near the birthplace of the Tannakonna River. The nearest facility was a long way from the cottage on the mountain, but he had confidence they would work it out.

  His mother was smiling and shaking her head. “Ronn is just kidding. We don’t need a boat. Daniel is going to promote Duncan and the vessel will remain in the navy.”

  The Lieutenant-commander had made it clear he would continue to serve the Chosen Vessel and Daniel had no problem with promoting the man, figuring it should have been done days ago regardless of the boat. “Yes, Mom, Captain Hawk will be given command of the RiverDancer, and no, Dad, the man will not be commanding a yacht.” Neither Tim nor Gina chose to respond.

  “My agents have caught over a hundred former Serpents,” Samuel evidently felt the need to share with everyone at the table. The mention of Aakadon tracking down Aakacarns probably had something do to with it.

  Simon, who had been holding hands with Leah, used the appendage to briefly point in the direction of the Pentrosan king. “Ambassador Alfred Rylen of the Zeuthan Empire has been visiting Xavier and the two are becoming quite friendly. We might have more than former Serpents to worry about. Sam, you might want to have some of your people keep a watch on that pair.”

  “I already know and they already are,” the ISIG Conductor replied. “I also know evergreens are green and the sky is blue. Is there anything else you would like me to have my agents look into?”

  “Where is the princess?” Miriam asked while looking up at the Queen and her consort.

  Sam suddenly found something in the crowd of tables to stare at and did not seem to have an answer to the question. Stalling and waiting for someone else to speak was a good way out of admitting he did not know.

  “Jillian is in the nursery in the care of a platoon of nannies while her parents are entertaining the guests of the palace,” Daniel answered. Neither he nor Sherree told anyone about the baby being an Aakacarn.

  His mother nodded her satisfaction and then took a bite out of a dinner roll.

  “That fat fellow has finally finished his speech and the royals are standing up,” Buck noted. “I think that means the rest of us are free to get up too.”

  Jared nodded his head. “At this point it is considered polite to mingle.”

  Daniel was about to make his way over to where his one-time tutor was coming off the stage, when Marcus caught up to him. “Sir Daniel, the numbers are in and Chas wanted me to share them with you. A third of the surviving Sentinels will retire into your lands and holdings, half of the surviving Benhannon Guardsmen will go back to private life, but that still leaves you with a powerful muster; Seven thousand three hundred seventy-two, four thousand six hundred one of which are Sentinels.” The thousands of dead had been accounted for; it was the living he was currently focused on.

  “Thanks for telling me. It is good to know what we will have to work with going forward,” Daniel replied. “I will leave the Guards in your capable hands.”

  Marcus nodded affirmatively. “Do you wish me to build it back up to ten thousand?”

  Daniel’s gaze swept the room and settled briefly on Xavier. “For the time being, take on as many as you see fit.”

  “It will be as you say,” the Captain of the Guard replied and then went over to where Jared was speaking with the r
oyal treasurer.

  Daniel noticed Sherree having a conversation with Queen Clarees, Buck and Samuel were still at the table talking to Leah and Simon. Joel stepped up to Admiral Archibald Dulannin, Admiral Georgin Dusantus, Commander of the Royal Navy, and General Jathem Tallen. With the war over the Accomplished would go back to exploring the sea, using the manta as one of the tools, and the three older men were deeply interested in anything to do with the rays. Tim and Gina joined them and they were soon deep in discussion.

  When Daniel turned, Bernard, Terroll, and Bella were standing beside him. “You have done well,” his former tutor began the conversation. “I am looking forward to forging a peacetime relationship between our societies.”

  The Grand Maestro was a friend and more, but Daniel knew few citizens of Aakadon approved of his ways. “You and I forged a relationship back when you brought me to the level of Accomplished, giving me the firm foundation from which to build upon, and contributing to my ability to defeat Tarin Conn. I am sure over time we will find a way for our societies to work together in peace. Since we exchanged amulets, communication between us is always possible, seeing as we can send thoughts to each other whenever either of us chooses to do so.”

  Bella stroked his long white beard. “What you say is true for me as well. We can meet and have dinner and discuss the issues as we have in the past, but personal good relations with you alone will only build trust between our societies to a certain extent.”

  Bernard nodded his head. “And that is why I think we should have emissaries. I can assign one to live in Aakadon and you, Grand Maestro, can assign an Accomplished to live in Shantear.”

  Terroll took in a deep breath while his eyes seemed to aim across the room at Sheree’s tummy, glance at the Conductor, and finally focus on his former student. “Daniel, you have many members of your guild who were never a part of Aakadon society or associated with any of the seven guilds. It might be best if you choose one of them to come and represent the Atlantan Guild.”

  Bernard was a former Aloe and likely already anticipated the requirement. When Daniel looked to him, the Conductor smiled. “I have the perfect candidate. Accomplisheds Shyann DeCanny.”

  Daniel remembered the Aakademned he had restored to humanity. The Serinian-born Two-bolt Aakacarn would be perfect for the assignment. “She will do nicely. Terroll, you and Bernard can work out the details. What I wanted to ask, particularly of you, Bella, is how did a society of Aakacarns come into existence without anyone in Aakadon knowing about it?”

  Bella ceased the stroking of his beard. “While I am a Scholar of Aakadon and enjoy the privilege of consulting the deepest parts of the library, I have never read of such a group. While I am here as the representative to Ducanton, it is not possible for me to look up the subject.”

  Terroll’s lips formed a closed-mouthed smile and there was a twinkle in his eyes. “In the Grand Maestro’s private section of the library, I found a book that mentioned a split that occurred between Nimrod and some of the other ancients who originally came to this world. There is no mention of a Zeuthan Empire, but it does speak of Zeus, Aries, and Poseidon not being in favor of the Maestro system and taking those of like thought away to parts unknown. The knowledge was restricted to the office of Grand Maestro for so long, it slipped from memory thousands of years ago. If you want to read more, come to Aakadon, we will study together, and perhaps discover the origins of the people who recently conquered Serinia.”

  His old teacher had trapped him. Daniel knew the only way he could learn what he wanted to know was to go to Aakadon at some point in the future, but not soon, he had other things to do. “It looks like we will be meeting again in the days ahead,” he stated, while noticing a group of boys who had gathered together and then had gone out into the hall. “For now, enjoy the festivities, and I’ll see you later.”

  Daniel walked away, leaving Bernard to chat with the Scholar and Grand Maestro. It took a while to get through the crowd, seeing as everyone wanted a few words with the man who had killed Tarin Conn, but eventually he made it into the hall where he found Blake DuRitter, Jessie Dusavil, Rorie KaTaar, and Lauren Van Efery.

  “Scout Dusavil, have you made a place in your boot to safely hold a dagger?” Daniel asked.

  Jessie lifted his pant leg, revealing an empty sheath. “Yes. See, it is made of real leather.”

  Daniel nodded approval and removed the sanitized crystal dagger from his belt and handed it to Jessie.

  “Is this..?” The young man began to say.

  “The one I used to kill Tarin Conn,” Daniel finished for him. “Yes it is. Some months back you three boys assured me you would help me defeat the Dark Maestro and it turns out you did.”

  All three boys were looking at the object in the ten-year-old’s hand. “I, I helped you kill Tarin Conn?” Jessie said it as if he could not quite believe it.

  Daniel eyed the youths. “If I had not taken the dagger Rorie gave you, it would not have been in my pocket, and I probably would not have been able to kill the ancient Aakasear.”

  The Prince’s eyebrows shot up. “What makes you think I gave the dagger to him,” he asked while jerking his thumb toward his friend.

  Daniel laughed and shook his head. “You were in my mountain. I knew where everyone was. Jessie and Lauren were never near the areas where the crystals could be found, but you were right up until you vanished from my senses. I knew when the boy who likes to explore tight spaces came back into my senses. When I found that crystal in Jessie’s possession, I knew who gave it to him. But don’t worry about it; you were all caught up in the swirling of events that made it possible for me to win. I am here to express my gratitude for your help. Thank you Jessie, thank you Rorie, and thank you Lauren.”

  While the boys seemed stunned by the gratitude, even the recently-crowned king, a message came into Daniel’s head from Daria. “Maestro, Vice Count El Marzon insists on a meeting to discuss the future. He says the Atlantan Guild absolutely must become part of the Empire.”

  Daniel was ready for a wonderful life with Sherree and a daughter coming into the world, and was not in the least intimidated by yet another man with an attitude. “El Marzon does not need to insist. Tell the Vice Count I am eager to meet him. When the time comes, I will be the one telling him what absolutely must happen.”

  He knew life would always be full of challenges of one sort or another and so would meet with the official without over much concern. The Zeuthan had less chance of persuading Daniel to join the empire than Terroll had of convincing him to unify with Aakadon and allow the Atlantans to become the eighth guild. Sure as the dawn, the man would soon learn Ducaunan mountaineers were not easily budged.

  The End

  To Be Victorious

  Copyright 2016 by John A. Buttrick

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  Cover art by Robert L. Buttrick

  Map By Jennifer Buttrick