by Jordan Baker
They made their way through the main market district toward another high wall behind which tall buildings rose up toward the royal palace that overlooked them all and, before long, they found themselves at the gates to the inner city where many of the nobles kept apartments and their own small palaces in the city. Aaron noticed that the few people who waited at these gates were much more elegantly dressed than most of those in the outer city. Again, the guards granted them access and this time were much more welcoming, though they did cast a few disapproving looks at Aaron's rough clothes. Ehlena thanked the guards graciously and led Aaron into the inner city to find her aunt Elaine.
Ehlena had not been to her aunt's residence in Maramyr for several years but she remembered the way and soon they came to a gate in front of a large residence. As they dismounted, a finely uniformed guard met them at the entrance and conducted them and their horses to an outdoor antechamber just inside the gate. He told them they would have to wait briefly for admission to the main yard and that a servant would bring refreshments for them immediately.
As the guard disappeared into the building, Aaron inspected the miniature courtyard that led from the gate to the main courtyard and realized that it made for excellent protection against unwanted guests. Even if intruders could get past the main gate to the property, this small courtyard was walled by high smooth marble with solid doors at each end, doors that could be barred and, undoubtedly bolstered from the other side in the event of an emergency. The high walls were also traversable on the inside, with a thin walkway running their length, and would allow defenders to drop all manner of unpleasantries upon undesirables. Aaron wondered if the rest of the city’s structures were built as defensibly as this.
The servant appeared as promised, bringing a caraffe of light-colored wine and drinking glasses, one each for Aaron and Ehlena, welcoming them to relax while they waited. After a short while, a small procession of people appeared in the main courtyard all wearing white except one. The person they followed, dressed in a dark violet gown of shimmering fabric was obviously Ehlena’s aunt Elaine who, upon seeing her niece, immediately bid them enter. Ehlena ran to her aunt and the noblewoman gathered the girl into a warm embrace.
“Oh, you finally made it home safely!” she said warmly. “I was worried that your mother’s friend would get you in some sort of trouble.” Aaron noted the obvious disapproval in aunt Elaine’s voice as she mentioned Matthius. The people, who had accompanied her, appeared to be servants and they quickly set about taking care of the horses and unloading the saddlebags. Ehlena cheerily smiled at her aunt and beckoned for Aaron to follow them into the house.
Aaron caught himself gawking at the inside of the building. Fine carpets covered the smooth stone floors and expensively polished furniture was arranged in every room in a way that to Aaron looked very particular. A coat of arms was hung inside the main entrance and paintings of richly garbed nobles from generations past adorned the walls. Ehlena appeared not to notice these things and was busily explaining their trip to her aunt.
“I’m fine auntie, really. But Matthius was killed by some men who took over a town we stopped at,” she told her gravely.
The older woman scowled. “I knew it. He took you into danger and now he’s paid for it. Oh, what your mother saw in that man, I don’t know.”
Ehlena frowned back at her.
“Some soldiers were being disrespectful towards me and he defended my honor, aunt Elaine. It was terrible and if it weren't for Matthius, I would surely have been killed. It was very brave.” Her aunt nodded, her features softening only slightly.
“Brave but stupid, and it got him killed,” she said.
“He was protecting my honour,” Ehlena repeated. Her aunt just shook her head.
“We really have to do something about that kind of thinking? I think you’ve been living at Aghlar for too long. I don’t know what your mother saw in the place. Honour, they justify everything with honour and then they carry on the way they do. It’s simply scandalous. Aghlars.” she scoffed. “They didn’t hurt you did they?”
“No, auntie. I’m fine, thanks to Aaron, here. He and his uncle tried to help us and his uncle got killed too.” It was then that Elaine noticed Aaron. She did not smile but her scowl softened for a brief moment. She gave Aaron a closer look and her scowl returned. All of a sudden, Aaron was very aware of how common he must look in the beautiful and richly built estate. Ehlena continued, quickly explaining who Aaron was.
“Aaron helped me get here safely and I was hoping we could help him. You see, Aaron’s home burned down during the fight with the soldiers. He is very brave and could easily get a commission from the palace, I think.” Ehlena tried to stand a little taller and face her aunt's disapproving gaze, determined that Elaine should help Aaron.
“Well, I see you have already have it all figured out, Ehlena,” the older woman responded. Her eyes fluttered for a moment and Elaine took on a regal bearing at which she seemed to have had great practice. “One thing at a time, my dear. Aaron, is it? Well met, young man. Thank you for delivering my niece to me. It sounds as though the two of you have had a horrible time and, as much as I dread hearing all about it, first thing is first, lets get you both cleaned up and into some proper clothes. We will talk more over supper.” Elaine snapped her fingers at one of the servants, who was standing nearby, and she took on a more commanding tone. “Put him in one of the east guest rooms and see that he gets some decent clothes to wear.”
“Thank you,” was all Aaron could say, before he found himself being ushered away by an innocuous looking man in white. Ehlena managed to nod and smile as she waved goodbye to him. She winked as her aunt spirited her away through one of the large archways.
Aaron was taken to a large room decorated with tapestries of dark, rich, blues in a room adorned with darker wood. He had barely managed to explore the room before another servant arrived with his belongings and yet another came with a stock of shirts, pants and other such articles of clothing. The man with the clothes informed him that he needed to measure his arms and legs and he unfurled a long ribbon with markings on it. He stared at Aaron for a moment, then he picked out a few items from the stack of clothes he had brought, then he sent the rest of them away with the other man, who had put Aaron's saddlebags next to a large bureau in the corner of the room. The man handed a set of clothes to Aaron.
“These should suffice for now but proper clothing will be ready for you by morning. If you would be so kind as to please remove your boots, young sir.”
“My boots?” Aaron asked.
“Yes sir. I must also measure your boots.” Aaron looked down at his leather boots. They were patched and had been sewn in many places but they were still serviceable.
“I thought I would buy some new clothes and I suppose a new pair of boots in the market tomorrow,” Aaron told him. The man shook his head.
“That will not do, young sir. Lady Valamyr retains the finest tailors and cobblers in the kingdom, and she has asked that we have you measured for boots and clothing, and anything else you might need. It is very generous. I would accept the gesture.”
“But it really is no trouble,” Aaron insisted. “I have a bit of money. No reason you should have to work. Please thank Lady Valamyr for her offer, but I do not want to impose.”
“Actually sir, I must stress that Lady Valamyr has commanded that we make you new things. Whether you choose to wear them or not is up to you but we must still make them. She does not like being contradicted. It would be much simpler if you would just allow me to take your measurements so I may set about pleasing my employer.”
Aaron was too tired to object and the man quickly took a measurement of his legs, waist, and arms. He wondered especially about the boots when the man said he would need to take them with him. Aaron did not want to part with his boots. It had been years since he needed new boots and had grown fond of these ones. Still, Aaron remembered that Tarnath had always told him it was bad manners to pass up
a gift from a host. He asked the man to make sure to bring back his old boots. There was no telling when they might come in handy and besides, he kind of liked them.
After they had left, he sat on the bed and rested Tarnath’s sword across his knees, fingering the ruby on the hilt as he thought about the events that had led him here, sitting in a luxurious room in a beautiful estate in the crown city of the kingdom. Valamyr, the servant had said. Aaron remembered the name from his history books and he remembered that they were tied to the crown. There was a King Alfred of the House of Valamyr many generations ago, long before the Great War. If Ehlena was the niece of Lady Valamyr, she was most definitely a noble and, from the look of this place, she was certainly from a very wealthy family. Aaron did not know much about wealth but he did know that there was enough silver and gold just decorating this household to feed most of Ashford for a year. Aunt Elaine also seemed to have an endless variety of servants around and her home was a veritable palace. It was certainly very different from the life he had known. Another servant, a woman, appeared and asked him if everything was acceptable then she told him that someone would come and retrieve him for supper some time later. He thanked her and she left him again to his thoughts.
After a short while, Aaron stood before a long mirror dressed in a fine blue shirt and some dark loose fitting trousers. He wore them tucked into a pair of new dark boots brought to him by the man who had taken his old ones. The boots were comfortable, though they were a little too big, but the man assured him that they were only temporary and he was dressed up to ‘the style’, which would be important if Lady Valamyr were to be kept happy. Aaron looked at his reflection and tugged at the sleeves of his shirt. It was a little small in the shoulders but he supposed he looked as well dressed as any of the people he had seen in the city. His hair was a little tangled but a brush he found tidied it up nicely. The white-robed servants had even provided him with a sharp razor and he was able to scrape away the scraggly growth of the last few days. All in all, Aaron was fairly pleased with the way he had cleaned up.
Supper was an entirely formal affair even though Ehlena, Lady Elaine and Aaron were the only ones present at the long dining table. Ehlena wore a light green dress, nowhere near as elegant as her aunt’s but rich looking nonetheless. They dined quietly, Ehlena and her aunt exchanging bits of gossip about this lord and that lady and Aaron recognized some of the names they talked about from the books he had read, on the histories of Maramyr. When they finished and were picking at some dessert fruit, Elaine asked Aaron what he planned to do in Maramyr, and if he had any family in the city. Aaron told her that his parents had died and he had only known his uncle Tarnath. He merely hoped there might be some room for him to work as a guard or soldier. He explained that he had learned some sword skills from his uncle and that he knew some basic smithing as well.
“Of course, dear. You must know what you are about and have some way of making your way in the world. I think you have been pretty successful at defending innocent young ladies from trouble this far. I’m sure there is room for you somewhere in Maramyr.” Aaron thought that she had warmed up to him a little since earlier. He thought that maybe now that he was better dressed, she felt more comfortable talking with him.
“I hope you’re right Lady Valamyr,” he addressed her formally, which Elaine seemed to like. “Ehlena suggested I should try to get a commission.”
“Yes, that’s right. Worry not, young man. A dear friend of mine has already agreed to meet with you after supper. He is a magistrate here in Maramyr and has some influence at the Military Academy. Perhaps he can help you. He should be here by now. I instructed the servants to admit Lord Carlis to your chambers if he arrived early.” She smiled gracefully.
“Lord Carlis? I’ve heard of him. His signature is on every trade document in Ashford.” Aaron was impressed. The signature of Lord Carlis was usually accompanied by the royal crest of Maramyr, which meant he was likely someone very important.
“That’s the one,” Elaine confirmed. “He is a member of the Royal Council and has been the Treasurer to the Court for many years.”
“He's from the Royal Council?”
“Yes, they're a group of nobles and officials who run the kingdom along with the Regent. The Council used to advise the King and Queen, but until the princess comes of age to wear her crown, Maramyr does not technically have a ruler, except for Cerric, but Lord Carlis and the Council keep him in line, most of the time.”
“You didn’t have to go to the trouble,” Aaron protested. He already knew about the Royal Council, but he did not want to interrupt Lady Valamyr. Most of all, he did not want to make a fuss and certainly did not want to waste the time of someone as important as Lord Carlis.
“Of course I did. You brought dear Ehlena to me and rescued her from that awful Manfred who will definitely hear about this. Really, Carlis won’t mind a bit, he’s already had some problems with Manfred and one of the other magistrates. He’s really a dear fellow and, until he has made the proper arrangements, you are welcome to stay with us in my humble home.”
“Thank you,” Aaron said simply. Lady Valamyr smiled and nodded, her eyes glinting with her own clever intelligence.
As if on cue, a servant appeared and told them that Lord Carlis had arrived. Aaron thanked Ehlena’s aunt and excused himself. He thought it would better that he not keep a Lord waiting in his room, especially one who might get him into the Military Academy. He had been hoping maybe to get some lowly guard job while he thought about what to do with his life but had not expected this.
Aaron had heard of the Academy. It was a place where nobles from Maramyr and many other kingdoms sent their sons to burn off the energies of youth and learn the skills of statecraft and war. Aaron knew that Academy attendance was limited to highborn nobles. He doubted that he would be admitted to such a place, having grown up in the country and with such a common upbringing. He lost his way and a servant showed him back to his room. As Ehlena’s aunt Elaine had said, he found a sharply dressed dark haired gentleman waiting in his quarters when he opened the door. He was looking at Tarnath’s sword and stepped away from it when Aaron entered the room.
“You must be Aaron,” the man said, greeting him. Aaron nodded. “I’m Carlis, a friend of Lady Valamyr.” he took a seat at the small table near the wall and bid Aaron to join him. “She asked if I might be of some assistance. She suggested you might want to attend the Academy.”
“Yes, Lord Carlis,” Aaron told him. The nobleman laughed.
“Ah, you can just call me Carlis, Aaron. I’ve never gotten used to the Lord part. I wasn’t always a ‘Lord’ you know.” Aaron gave him a questioning look, to which he responded, clarifying. “The title was given to me.”
Carlis explained that before King Cerric took the throne, his older brother, Gregor ruled Maramyr. Carlis had been a kind of negotiator with his house and his responsibilities primarily concerned working out agreeable settlements with the rural landowners for taxation. He had managed to work out a very simple tax system that kept the royal coffers full and did not overburden the peasants. Carlis had also set up a reserve in the Royal Treasury to be set aside, for years of poor harvests.
“King Gregor liked what I did because it enabled him to rule effectively without overly taxing his subjects. After the system was in place, he wanted me to be in a position to make sure it worked so he made me a magistrate on the Royal Council and gave me a charter of responsibilities, mostly to do with taxes. That way I get invited to counsel meetings. It’s a damn shame Gregor’s no longer with us. Cerric has been pushing the Council raising taxes constantly since he took the throne. I don’t know what he does with all the surplus but I know the palace certainly doesn’t need it.”
Aaron listened carefully. It seemed as if this Lord Carlis was the kind of man who had a lot on his mind most, if not all, of the time. He also knew from listening to farmers like Brian’s father, the old king Gregor was very highly regarded, unlike his brother the n
ew king who they often complained about bitterly, usually because of the taxes they were forced to pay.
Carlis paused for a moment in his story, realizing that he was probably boring the young man to death.
“Anyhow, I’m sure you don’t care too much for local politics," he said.
“Actually, my uncle made me study a lot about the history of this city, of this kingdom and others as well.” Aaron told him. “Is this family house the same Valamyr as King Alfred Valamyr?” he asked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, it is!” Carlis smiled widely. “You’re quick. A great family laid low many generations ago, but mark my words, Elaine’s a smart one. In another half a lifetime, she might just become rich enough to buy the throne. She’s got half the craftsmen in the city in her pay and all of the clothiers. She just bought a tannery on the other side of town, massive place.”
“That explains the boots and the clothes,” Aaron commented.
“The what?”
“Her servants insisted that I was to get new clothes and boots. I told them that I didn’t need them but…”
“That sounds like Elaine. She probably wants to show off some of the latest work from her shops. I guess you’ll be the smartest dressed young soldier in the Academy.” Carlis shook his head smiling.
“She has been very generous,” Aaron said, feeling genuinely grateful.
“Well, you brought Ehlena back to her.” Carlis raised an eyebrow, hoping Aaron might divulge something about his intentions toward the young girl.
“She is pretty important to Lady Valamyr,” Aaron said
“More than you know and a word of caution, Aaron my boy. Elaine is very protective of that young girl. While the Lady Valamyr is grateful, I think she might also want you out of the way, if you know what I mean.” Carlis misinterpreted the look of confusion on Aaron’s face. “Don’t be offended lad, but I’m sure that Ehlena’s aunt has plans for her and to be honest, they likely involve marriage to some highborn noble. The House of Valamyr may be small these days, but it is a proud one and I think Elaine might want to keep you from being a distraction. Just in case you had any thoughts about Ehlena.” Lord Carlis stared at Aaron. Aaron gave him a confused look and then comprehension dawned upon him.