***
Cameron dangled the golden earring in front of the young lady. She stood, mesmerized, and eyed it carefully.
“I takes it yous like?” Cameron said.
Arlie nodded her head. “It is very nice, yes.”
“That’s there a real sapphire,” the crooked-nosed guardian said, pointing to the large blue gem inlaid in the gold. “Maybe I gives yous this if yous gives me somthin’ in return.”
The fawn-eyed young woman furrowed her brow as she looked between the beautiful piece of jewelry and the leering guardian.
“What do you want now, Guardian Cameron?” asked a large man brusquely as he entered the store from the back room.
Cameron quickly put the earring under his tunic. “I don’t thinks I likes how yous talkin’ to me, Barclay.”
Spreading his arms open to the room around him, Barclay said, “Unless you’re here to buy some furniture, I’m going to ask you to leave.”
“I’m heres to collects yous taxes,” Cameron declared.
Barclay walked over to his daughter and put his arm around her shoulder. “My left foot, you are. I already paid my taxes this month.”
“Then I tells yous I’m heres to collects again,” Cameron said. “But I can be nice and forgits about that if yous lets me spend time with yous daughter.”
Barclay gave Cameron a hard stare. “Over my dead body.”
Cameron sized up the large, barrel-chested woodworker in front of him. “Rayne!” he shouted. “Gits in heres!”
Rayne ran into the store and looked between Guardian Cameron, the shop owner, and his daughter. “What’s the matter?”
Cameron pointed to Barclay. “He’s refusin’ to pays his taxes.”
“I don’t understand, Cameron,” Rayne said. “We were here earlier this month.”
Cameron drew his sword. “He’s goin’ to pays his taxes because I says so.” He brought his sword up and pointed it at Barclay. The shop owner, to his credit, didn’t react.
Drawing his sword as well, Rayne walked up to the counter. Instead of pointing it at Barclay, he put the tip under Cameron’s chin. “Guardian Cameron, I tell you he has already paid this month. You are out of order. Lower your sword.”
Cameron looked at Rayne in obvious shock. “What’s do yous thinks yous are doin’?”
Rayne brought his weapon a little closer, causing Cameron’s head to tilt up slightly. “I’m doing what’s right.”
Barclay and his daughter stared wide-eyed at the two guardians. Cameron glared at Rayne for a moment and then lowered his sword. “Yous will regrets this Rayne,” he said threateningly before he turned on his heel and stormed out of the building.
***
“Rinan,” Kelvin said, “was Rayne’s father.”
Alana nodded. “Thank you. That's what we thought.”
Kelvin pulled his wife closer to him on the couch in Nash’s office. Nadia was crying softly, her head buried in her husband’s shoulder. “This has been very hard on us over the years,” Kelvin said in explanation.
“Aye, ’tis not easy living with a secret for that long.” Nash addressed them from behind his desk. “But I’m not sure why that information would bring you all the way out here, Lady Alana.”
“It will become clear momentarily,” she said. “Kelvin, Nadia, did Rinan tell you who Rayne’s mother was? Before you answer, let me assure you that this information will not be used against Rayne in any way. The people who sent me already know and have told me.”
Nadia looked up at Alana and asked, “And who sent you, exactly?”
“Priest Sherwyn and a nursemaid named Anemone,” Alana said without pausing. “They were present when Rinan was married.”
Looking at her husband, Nadia nodded. Kelvin cleared his throat and said, “Rinan told us he had married Queen Eliana in private before she married King Daimh, and the marriage between the queen and king was a sham.”
“What!” Nash stood up. “Why in the world would the castle priest allow such a thing?”
“It was actually the priest’s idea,” Alana said, “but it’s complicated. It’s sufficient to say that Sherwyn did it in an attempt to keep Abrecan from coming to power. Here is the important part. It appears that Councilor Abrecan has arranged it so someone loyal to him will become the new king of Bariwon.”
Nash’s face became as white as his beard. “Oh, dear, are you sure? I heard Governor Dylan was going to sponsor someone. I know Dylan, and like me, he has no love for Abrecan.”
“Governor Dylan has been arrested for stabbing Councilor Abrecan,” Alana said miserably. “Abrecan wanted to have him executed right away, but there is a law that states that no executions can take place against anyone who had been sponsored or is being sponsored in the Shoginoc.”
Nash shook his head in disgust. “Dylan would never have attacked Abrecan. It’s not in his character. But if someone loyal to Abrecan takes the throne, the new king can have Dylan executed.”
Alana’s eyes grew large as she realized the truth of Nash’s words.
“Can Governor Dylan’s sponsor still be part of the Shoginoc?” Kelvin asked. “After all, the sponsor did nothing wrong.”
“He can be,” Alana answered, “but it appears that Abrecan coerced the sponsor from Donigi into withdrawing from the Shoginoc. I’m not sure why he would agree to that. Fortunately, Dylan is still protected under the law until the Shoginoc is over.”
“I don’t see how any of this has to do with our grandson,” Nadia said.
Alana smiled. “If Rayne is the son of Rinan and Queen Eliana, Sherwyn and Anemone believe he is the true heir to the throne.”
Nash slapped his hand down on the table. “If that’s so, that means Abrecan can be removed from power once and for all!”
Kelvin looked doubtful. “Do you honestly think they are going to accept that Rayne is the son of Queen Eliana?”
“With you two testifying, and Sherwyn and Anemone coming forth with what they know, there should be enough believable witnesses for the Hierarchy of Magistrates to act in removing Daimh from the throne. And with him gone, Abrecan will have no more power.”
CHAPTER 23
Sheathing his sword, Rayne nodded to the woodworker and his daughter. “Please accept my apologies for Guardian Cameron’s behavior. I will be sure to report his actions.”
Barclay looked at Rayne searchingly. “This is the first time I’ve seen a guardian confront another guardian. I’ll have to admit I’m surprised.”
His dark-eyed daughter nodded her head in agreement while looking at Rayne with wonder. This wasn’t lost on Barclay, and a large grin spread across his face.
“I’m very protective of my only daughter, Guardian Rayne.” Barclay squeezed his daughter’s shoulder for emphasis. “She has had many men try to court her, but until now, I’ve not found one I’ve been impressed with.”
Rayne felt his cheeks grow warm. “That’s very kind of you to say.” Addressing Arlie, he said, “You are lovely. But alas, royal guardians are not allowed to court.”
The disappointment on Arlie’s face was unmistakable, but she managed to say, “Other ones have been asking me.”
“Yes, and not all of them are as honorable as you, Guardian. Some feel the rules don’t apply to them,” Barclay said. “If I may make a suggestion, be careful in dealing with Guardian Cameron. He’s a slippery one.”
Rayne bowed slightly at the waist. “Thank you for the advice. But he has to learn that guardians need to follow the laws, just like everyone else.”
Cameron was nowhere to be found when Rayne left the shop. He checked several of the nearby stores and inns, and none of the merchants had seen him. With the sun working its way down the sky, Rayne decided to head back to the castle and report to his captain.
Walking down the wide road that led to the castle, Rayne took a moment to consider the large structure before him. The three-storied building was surrounded by a high stone wall with only the one large gate. A tall tower ro
se from each corner, topped with a conical roof of red tile. Rayne had heard that the roof had once been a dark blue, but it was changed along with many other things in the castle since Daimh had become king.
Rayne approached the front gate and waved in greeting to the guardians who were on duty. Instead of waving back, they both moved toward him, hands on the hilts of their swords. Slowing down, Rayne asked, “Is something the matter?”
“I’m sorry, Rayne,” said one of the guardians. “We’ve been instructed to place you under arrest upon your return.”
Rayne raised his hands slowly. “I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding, but of course I’ll cooperate.”
***
Captain Sullivan stared hard at the two guardians before him. Cameron was smirking and standing casually, while Rayne was at attention, keeping his expression serious.
“I don’t like this,” Sullivan said. “No, I don’t like this one bit.” He clasped his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. “The people of Bariwon need to see the guardians as a strong force in the land. They need to know that the guardians are not to be questioned. What happened between the two of you today could seriously damage that.” He stopped pacing and faced them again. “An example needs to be made here to show the people this type of behavior is unacceptable.”
Pointing a finger at Rayne, Sullivan said, “As far as I’m concerned, you physically threatened a fellow guardian, and had Cameron not thought quickly, I have no doubt you would have spilt his blood.”
Stunned, Rayne said, “But, Captain—”
“No!” Sullivan shouted, stomping a foot on the floor. “No! You will not say another word. You will be held in the dungeon until I decide what to do with you.”
Rayne obeyed his leader’s demand for silence and simply nodded.
“Guardians! Come in here!”
The door to Sullivan’s room opened and two guardians came in, one of them Oakleaf. “Take Rayne to a cell somewhere very deep in the dungeon,” Sullivan commanded.
***
Sitting in the dark on a damp, hard floor, Rayne smacked his fist against the wooden door of his dungeon cell in frustration as he thought about his options. Over the past few months, he had seen guardians do many things he considered inappropriate, but it seemed Captain Sullivan didn’t care as long as the taxes kept coming in and King Daimh and Councilor Abrecan were happy.
It wasn’t until Cameron pulled his sword on the merchant that something inside Rayne snapped. Some things are just wrong, Rayne knew, and he couldn’t stand by and do nothing about it. Just as it had when he attacked the guardians in Lewyol, his sense of justice had overtaken his sense of self-preservation.
He realized that had he not acted in Lewyol, his father would probably still be alive. But what would have happened to Sunshine? He had done the right thing in defending her, and he had done the right thing in forcing Cameron to back off. Yet if these actions were right, why were there such negative consequences? To be fair, not all the consequences were negative. Even though Rayne’s father had died, Sunshine was safe. Thinking about what the future held for him, Rayne hit the wooden door again, if for no other reason than to do something more than sit there.
“Hello? Hello? Someone there?” said a faint voice.
Rayne responded, “Yes? Hello?”
“There is someone here,” the voice said. “It’s been a long time since anyone has been put into the cell next to me. You must have done something very wrong to be this far back in the dungeon.”
Rayne lowered his head to the bottom of the door. It had a small access panel that could only be opened from the outside. He had been given a meal and had been asked for his chamber pot a few hours earlier, and the exchange was made through this panel. The wood was thinner here, though even if anyone could break through the wood, the opening was too small to fit through.
“Who are you?” Rayne asked. “Have you been down here long?”
There was a pause, and for a moment Rayne wasn’t sure if the other man had heard him. “I’ve lost track, but it seems I’ve been down here a long time—almost as long as I can remember. But I have to know—is Daimh still king?”
“Yes,” Rayne said, “although the Shoginoc takes place in a couple of days.”
“Thank you for the information,” the voice said. “The servants who feed me won’t talk to me. I’m sure they’re following orders.”
Rayne could hear the sense of dismay in the other man’s tone. “Why? What did you do?”
“Does it really matter?” The voice sounded bitter now. “I just did what I thought was right, and I ended up here.”
The statement shook Rayne to his very core. He remembered something he was taught in his youth. “My father once told me to always do what was right, even if it wasn’t the easy thing to do. He told me we may never see the results of our good deeds, but just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they are not there.”
There was another long pause before the voice answered. “Your father was a very wise man. But tell me, what would he say about your current situation?”
“Well,” Rayne said, “let’s just say that I’m here because I was acting in a way I thought a guardian should act, and it seems that the captain is more concerned with appearances than what is right.”
“You are a guardian?” The voice was a bit stronger now.
“Yes.”
“It seems we have more in common than either of us had realized,” the voice said. “I, too, was a guardian before I was put in here.”
Rayne shifted his body so he could put an ear closer to the panel. “My name is Rayne. You never did tell me yours.”
“It seems my name means little down here, but I see no harm in telling you,” the voice said with a hint of sadness. “My name is Dougal.”
***
“And what can I do for you, Magistrate Bertram?” Captain Sullivan asked disdainfully.
The thin magistrate cleared his throat. “I understand we need to convene a hearing with the hierarchy, but as of yet, we have not received your request. With the Shoginoc approaching rapidly, time is short.”
The pock-marked captain eyed Bertram for a moment before responding. “I’m not sure what you are talking about. Don’t you have better things to do than to come to my quarters and ask me such things?”
Bertram glanced around the room. The well-crafted furniture was a stark contrast to his humble possessions. It seemed that Sullivan had been rewarded for keeping Abrecan happy.
“I understand you placed a guardian under arrest and then put him in the dungeon,” Bertram said. “He has a right to be heard in front of the hierarchy within a day of the arrest.”
Sullivan folded his arms and scowled at Bertram. “Oh, yeah? Says who?”
“The Tome of Laws,” Bertram said confidently. “Would you like me to read you the passage?”
“No,” Sullivan said darkly. “No need. But tell me, how did you even know about this?”
Sunshine had come to Bertram in tears—Oakleaf had told her what happened to Rayne. Instead of saying something that would get either of them in trouble, Bertram responded cryptically, “Do you honestly think I wouldn’t know about such things?”
Captain Sullivan considered Bertram a moment. “Fine, whatever. When do you want to have this hearing?”
“Right after the mid-day meal today,” Bertram said. “I expect you and all the people involved to be there.”
***
Sunshine sat next to her fellow savants on a bench in the main hall, waiting anxiously for everyone else to arrive. During the afternoon meal, word had gotten out that there was going to be a hearing concerning Guardian Rayne. It seemed he was well liked by almost everyone in the castle aside from his fellow guardians, so this generated quite a buzz. The hall was as full as Sunshine had ever seen it for such a hearing. Most involved minor squabbles between the guardians and members of the kingdom. To her recollection, in every case, the guardians had won.
&
nbsp; Sunshine reached down and squeezed the edge of her seat when Rayne was ushered into the hall. His hair was a mess, and his normally clean-shaven face had at least a day’s worth of stubble. He no longer wore a guardian uniform, but was dressed in a simple cloth jerkin. Hoping he would turn around and look at the crowd, Sunshine offered her best smile in a show of support, but Rayne sat down on the front row and stared straight ahead.
The Hierarchy of Magistrates and Priest Sherwyn entered the hall, followed shortly by King Daimh and Councilor Abrecan. The minstrels who constantly attended the king followed directly behind the royalty. The proceedings were opened by Aldous, the oldest-ranking member of the hierarchy.
“We are here today to review the charges against Guardian Rayne,” Aldous said, leaning heavily on the table in front of him and sounding slightly out of breath. “I’ve asked Magistrate Bertram to conduct this hearing.”
Sunshine noticed Councilor Abrecan’s expression sour as Bertram stood and thanked Aldous.
“Captain Sullivan,” Bertram said, “what are the charges against Guardian Rayne?”
Sullivan stood. “Rayne is charged with attempted murder.”
The collective gasp from the hall caused Councilor Abrecan to speak up. “You will all remain quiet, or I will have you removed.”
Looking a bit pale, Bertram tried to regain his composure. “Who are the witnesses to this crime?”
Sullivan nodded to two guardians seated next to him, and they stood. “Guardian Cameron and Guardian Ivor will testify that Rayne drew his sword on Guardian Cameron and brought the blade to his throat. A wound to the neck is almost always fatal, so his intention could only have been murder.”
Rayne raised his hand to get Bertram’s attention.
“One moment, Guardian Rayne,” the magistrate said. “You will get your chance to speak shortly.”
Looking at Guardian Cameron, Bertram asked, “And why did Guardian Rayne draw his sword on you?”
The crooked-nosed man smirked. “I was collectin’ taxes, jist likes I supposed to be doin’. The daughter o’ the merchant wuz flirtin’ with me, and I guess Rayne gots jealous. I hears rumors she and Rayne has somethin’ goin’ on.”
The Hidden Sun (Bariwon Chronicles Book 1) Page 25