Ambition and Alavidha

by Candy Rae

  His teeth were grating together with vexation. The navies of Eilidon and Randall had been supposed to be on his side and what was the Leithe fleet doing to be so close to Galliard anyway? Galliard was situated in waters under Argyll’s protection.

  “We lost half of our frigates to either sinkage or capture and all but four of our sloops. It was one of those that brought the news. In addition, all of our bomb-ketches lie in the sea bed.”

  This is no defeat, it is another disaster.

  Cadan was digesting the news.

  “We believe that the bomb-ketches were the Argyllian Navy’s primary target,” the Earl Marshall added, taking another step back.

  The bomb-ketches were one-masted, flat-bottomed, ungainly and slow ships used to bombard an enemy’s shore emplacements thus destroying their coastal defences leaving the way open for invasion troops. Cadan had used them to good effect during his island expansion policy.

  “I take it that you have informed me of the full extent of the tragedy?” Cadan asked through clenched teeth.

  The Earl Marshall had left the worst news until last.

  “Crown-Prince Catar is lost Your Majesty,” said the Earl Marshall, his body quaking in spasms right down to his well polished boots. “His ship went down, afire. There were no survivors.”

  King Cadan’s son and heir was dead.

  He knew what would have to be done. His second son, Prince Lars was his heir now and the five young children of Catar, their lives were forfeit. Leithe’s heir was always a man and of adult age.

  The Earl Marshall knew it too and his face paled as he realised what King Cadan’s next order would be. The law was the law. It didn’t mean that the Earl Marshall had to like it though.

  “See to it,” commanded King Cadan in an emotionless voice, turning away.

  * * * * *

  King Cadan should have been a broken man but he was not. He should have been prostrate with grief that he has lost his son but he refused to give in. Perhaps his ambition had mentally unhinged him, but mad or not, he was still King of Leithe.

  He would build a new navy, more ships and bigger ones. He would consolidate the gains he had made to date. He would not permit the resent setbacks to destroy him.

  Of the deaths his ambition had caused, of the lives he had ruined, he cared not a whit. He would start grooming Prince Lars for kingship, for the time when he would ascend his father’s throne.

  He set to work on new ambitions, new goals.

  He had no suspicion that a plot was being hatched to orchestrate his downfall.

  * * * * *

  The plot was being led by Prince Kador, King Cadan’s younger brother. How Kador had survived Cadan’s previous, murderous familial purges only the Gods knew but survive them he had. It was probably because he kept his head down and out of trouble and rarely came to court. He had worked out it was safer to live on an island far from the shores of Leithe itself and to cultivate the reputation of being a soft in the head recluse.

  Unfortunately for Cadan’s continuing good health, Kador was a good friend of the Earl Marshall. Instead of killing the five children, the Earl Marshall smuggled them aboard a ship with their mother and spirited them away to Kador’s island retreat.

  In this he had the compliance and help of King Cadan’s youngest son Prince Rand who was nervous about his own position and life.

  The new Crown-Prince, Lars, was of a mould and disposition similar to that of his sire and Rand had a little daughter, four years old to consider. Lars might well think that he, Rand was a threat and dispose of him and his family in the traditional manner.

  Rand picked up a few possessions, collected his wife and daughter and also left for the home of his uncle.

  * * * * *

  “Lars is of the same ilk as my brother,” said Prince Kador to Prince Rand and the Earl Marshall, “ambitious, ruthless and see where Cadan’s lust for power has got us. We’re isolated and alone. Murdoch hates us as do Eilidon and Randall. Murdoch is rapidly becoming an enemy too and will become one if we don’t take steps to prevent it. Argyll has become aware of my brother’s territorial urge and that is why their fleet moved to destroy the bomb-ketches.”

  “They destroyed more than the ketches,” said Rand.

  “The other ships were merely in the way,” said the Earl Marshall. “Did the King order Catar to take the fleet east into Galliard waters?”

  “I believe Catar did it off his own bat,” answered Rand, “eager to prove himself to Father.”

  “I tried to warn Catar to keep the fleet within bounds,” said the Earl Marshall, “I should have known he wouldn’t listen. He never did.”

  “So what do we do?” asked Rand, “depose my Father?”

  Prince Kador nodded, there was no regret on his visage. He had known for some time that Cadan had murdered their elder brother Atan and he had hated Cadan for many years.

  “We must,” he told them, “and the sooner the better.”

  “Lars?” asked Rand.

  “He must go too.”

  “But surely not his son?” said the Earl Marshall. “It is time that law was eradicated from the law books. It is an abomination.”

  “I agree,” said Rand, “But who will rule in my father’s stead?”

  “You are next in line,” said his uncle.

  “I do not want the throne,” protested Rand.

  “Nor do I,” Kador agreed, “but Leithe needs a ruler.”

  “I shall act as regent for my brother Catar’s eldest boy Cadan,” announced Rand, “and he shall be raised to look after our people and not to use them as tools to further his own grandiose ambitions. I swear this on my daughter’s life.”

  “Then from this day Leithe itself will cease to be an autocracy,” declared Kador. “We are in agreement I think. A government shall be formed, by the people and for the people.”

  “You have my hand on that,” declared the Earl Marshall, thrusting his at Kador’s who accepted the tight grip with a grimace.

  “And mine,” cried Rand, adding his own, slimmer one to the two.

  * * * * *

  It was silent night when the boat carrying the two princes and the Earl Marshall drew up to the little used jetty.

  The men weren’t talking, they had no need. The next two candlemarks had been planned in detail and down to the last drip.

  Dressed all in black they clambered on to the jetty and began creeping towards the tunnel entrance. It had been Prince Kador who had told them about the tunnel. His beloved, deceased elder brother Prince Atan had told him about it.

  “It can’t have been used for years, decades,” Kador whispered, leading them into the tunnels cold, dark maw.

  Rand shivered and followed him in while the Earl Marshall took up the position of rearguard.

  It took them quite a while to negotiate the tunnel which led from the beach straight up to the royal bedroom. The door lay behind the arras in the corner of the bedroom opposite the door. Kador had seen it.

  At the door the three stopped to get their breath.

  Then greatly daring and scarcely breathing, Kador lifted the latch. It made no sound. Rand realised that his father must keep it oiled, just in case.

  The three slipped through and stopped behind the arras. But it didn’t matter. The King was asleep, sleeping the sleep of the just and the weary. He was snoring too, in little puffs.

  The three edged out from behind the arras. Kador and Rand made for the bed while the Earl Marshall crept over on silent feet to guard the door.

  Uncle and brother, nephew and son reached the bed, each taking one side.

  A quick nod from Kador and Rand leant over his father and with all his strength grasped his shoulders and held him down.

  King Cadan woke, opened his eyes and looked into those of his youngest son.

  What he read there was death.

  Without any fuss, Kador bent over and slit his brother’s throat saying, “you’re getting a cleaner death than Atan brother dear.�
�

  “Now the killing is over,” announced Rand, closing his father’s eyes, “there has been enough. Lars we do not kill. Exile will be enough.”

  His uncle nodded.

  “So be it,” he said.

  * * * * *

  The three men left the late king’s body cooling under the bloody bedcovers and departed to inform the people of Leithe that their nightmare was over.

  A new age for Leithe was about to begin.

  The three did not know that a new age for all humankind on the planet had already begun.

  * * * * *

  -72-

  THE NADLIANS OF THE LARG

  They were running, but not hard nor very fast.

  It was their last run together, running free on the surface of their planet; feeling the wind on fur and hair, the sting of the flecks of sand on skin and hide.

  The group numbered eight, three Lind, three humans and two Larg.

  “Isn’t it wonderful?” Katie Durand called over to Thalia who grinned and called back.

  “It’s the most wonderful feeling in the entire world!”

  : Better make the most of it : ‘said’ Josei : we’ll be breathing what the Lai call the re-cyc-led air on the spaceship before we know it :

  : I will : Thalia looked behind her and Josei to where Zeb and Vya were following. The boy was screaming with unbridled fun and enjoyment, at one with his Vya at last.

  He isn’t looking back, he’s probably the only one of us who is looking forward to the journey. It’s a great big adventure for him, a new beginning.

  : It will be a new beginning for us all. Watch out Thalia! Katie and Kenlei are getting ahead. Let’s race them! :

  As Thalia, Josei, Katie and Kenlei sped ahead, Zeb and Vya slowed to an amble, beside them Aeolvaldr and Danavdr did the same. The Larg could not run as fast as their long legged Lind cousins.

  Vya had slowed because Zeb was still unable to ride her as fast as Thalia and Katie could their Lind without falling off when she wasn’t wearing a harness. The harnesses were already stowed aboard the spaceship on which they would soon be leaving for the stars.

  As expected Josei and Kenlei’s race was a draw and Zeb and Vya watched as the four returned at a walk.

  “I’ve no regrets,” Katie was telling Thalia, “not really. I’ll miss my family though, but …”

  “There’s always a but, isn’t there?” Thalia asked by way of reply, but it was a rhetorical questions and they both knew it. Katie was aware of Thalia’s one real regret.

  : She should have asked him to come with us :

  : She believes that it is for the best : Kenlei answered.

  : We’ll have to try and make it up to her somehow but I don’t know how. Perhaps if we keep her busy? :

  : That will not help. Love is a thing that cannot be forgotten and should not be :

  : We must try :

  Katie looked at Thalia. She was gazing into the distance, her expression pensive and her thoughts unfathomable.

  “Thalia?” Katie said in a bright voice, “what will we do for exercise on the spaceship? I mean, they’ve told us it will be large enough but how large? Spacious enough to run?”

  “Josei says that provision has been made,” answered Thalia, “I admit I haven’t thought about that aspect of the journey much. Why do you ask?”

  “I like to keep fit,” replied Katie with a grin. “We don’t know much about the planet we’re doing to do we? Might contain dangers, you never know. Me and Kenlei like to be prepared for all eventualities.”

  “Spoken like a true Fifty-first-ite! I don’t believe we’ve got much to worry about, seriously. Maru and the Lai can’t possible be leading us into any danger but I suspect we’ll know more after the meeting tonight. They’ve got images of the planet for us to see. I can’t wait!” Thalia laughed; the first happy laugh Katie had seen since they had left the Duchy of Hallam.

  Katie relaxed. Her ploy had worked, Thalia was thinking about the future and not about Kellen Daniel Ross, for the moment at least.

  * * * * *

  -73-

  THE FAVOURITE MANOR HOUSE OF THE DUKE OF HALLAM - DUCHY OF HALLAM - KINGDOM OF MURDOCH

  Paul, Duke of Hallam was standing outside the manor building gazing at the stars. This wasn’t unusual, what was unusual this night was that this night was unusual. Tonight some of his children were leaving for the stars. Perhaps if he was very lucky he might see their spaceship taking off.

  He would like that, to see a spaceship.

  * * * * *

  A candlemark later and Paul Hallam was still standing in the same spot. He hadn’t seen the spaceship leave but he knew it had gone.

  He had heart a faint rumbling in the distance and had seen what might have been a fast moving darkness in the sky.

  * * * * *

  This is the beginning of a new world for us all and I won’t permit anyone to spoil it. We shall not forget about the Lai. I won’t let anyone. We shall not forget the Lind. I won’t let anyone forget them either. Even the Larg, I don’t suppose we’ll ever forget them.

  We were being looked after and we never fully realised it. The peace we have had, they fought for it and aye, died to achieve it.

  Perhaps it is time for them to go.

  I will maintain the peace even if it cost me my life. I will meet with others of the same mind, men and women of peace. We shall continue their work.

  You have my oath on it.

  * * * * *

  -74-

  THE SPACESHIP LIMOKKO

  “I wonder what our new planet will be like,” said Thalia to Josei.

  Then as one they turned to watch the view screen as Rybak grew smaller and smaller. They watched until it became as a pinprick, then a mote, until it disappeared completely, surrounded by the dark nad of space, only its star visible. At last the star twinkle became indistinguishable from the others around it as the Limokko gained speed, on its way to their new home, the new Planet Wolf.

  “Will the Lai be remembered do you think Josei, will we?

  “Perhaps not for ever, but for ever is a long time. Long enough I hope. Perhaps we’ll all pass into legend, eventually.”

  “A legend? That’s a nice thought. I quite like the idea of becoming a legend.”

  “It does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

  “That it does my love, that it does,” said a well-known and well-loved voice from behind them.

  Thalia swirled round with a burbling laugh of pure delight and joy.

  “Daniel!” she cried as she ran into his arms.

  * * * * *

  CHARACTERS

  (Wolves – Planet Wolf- Volume 1) - (Courage – Planet Wolf – Volume 2) - (Honour - Planet Wolf – Volume 3]) - (Destiny – Planet Wolf – Volume 4) - (Victory – Planet Wolf – Volume 5) - (Paws - Planet Wolf - The Prequels) - (Tales - Stories from Planet Wolf)

  For the lesser and incidental characters from the royal and noble houses of the Kingdom of Murdoch and the Kingdom of Leithe please look up the genealogical tables situated in the Appendices. Most have been included.

  * Vadeln-paired

  Adam*: A cadet who graduated with Thalia Josensdochter and Katie Durand.

  Aeolvaldr: A Larg of the Largan’s pack.

  Alesei: The name of a pack in northern Vadath and by tradition also the name of the leader (Elda) of the pack.

  Alkin*: Weaponsmaster of the Vada (Lind: Sandya)

  Alun Hallam: Commander of the frigate ‘Dalina’.

  Alyei: Male Lind. Brother of Dsya.

  Andei: Susalai of the Avuzdel, based on the continent of Dagan, outside Talastown.

  Andirya: A female Lind whom Josei admires.

  Angus: A professor at the University at Stewarton and one of the team who solved the mystery of how to use the Electra’s power core to defeat the Dglai. (Destiny, Victory)

  Annert De Gras: head of the Technician’s Guild in the early seventh century who discovered how to destroy the mother ship of the D
glai, the Ammokko. After the war he went to the Dagan continent and founded the town of Talastown. (Destiny, Victory)

  Ansel Hallam: Admiral and legendary hero of the Navy of Argyll in the seventh century and brother of the first Duke of Hallam. (Destiny, Victory, Tales)

  Anya*: Young Lind female serving with the Fifteenth Ryzck. (Human: Rodick)

  Antoinette: Queen of Murdoch.

  Antoinette: Crown-Princess and heir to the throne of Murdoch. She is the only child of Queen Antoinette.

  Artem*: Vadeln of the Avuzdel (Lind: Larya)

  Arthur Knott: The founder of the Technicians Guild of Argyll and the inventor of the arrow contraps used to win the Battle of the Alliance in AL 2. (Wolves)

  Asya*: Susa of the Avuzdel. (Human: Wilf)

  Aya*: Life-mate of Hal Josenson, brother to Thalia Josensdochter. (Human: Hal)

  Brent*: Susa of the Eighteenth Ryzck (Lind: Rozya)

  Cadan: King of the island Kingdom of Leithe.

  Cera*: Vadryzka of the Fifteenth Ryzck (Lind: Xei)

  Chadwick Smallhide (Chad): Master Thief operating in Argyll.

  Charles Karovitz: Baron and son-in-law of Duke Paul Hallam.

  Chizu: A Lai, who with Tala Talansdochter destroyed the Ammokko, the mother ship of the evil Dglai in AL 608, an act of bravery which cost both of them their lives. (Destiny, Victory)

  Crispin: Prince of Leithe and married to Crown-Princess Antoinette. Father of the male heir to the throne of Murdoch, Elliot; after his mother.