by Jordan Baker
It was not long before she stormed into the palace looking for her uncle. His attendants directed to his reading room where she found him sitting before a large table, with a map spread out before him with one rolled corner anchored flat by a goblet of wine and several books weighing down the rest. He looked up when she entered.
“Ariana, my beloved niece. I trust the riding is good today?”
“Never better, Uncle,” she said, with a hint of ice in her voice. “Except that I have just been to the armoury to request an escort to Blue Island and they tell me that my escort has already been chosen by you. I had hoped to make those arrangements myself, uncle.”
“Ah, yes. The news arrived early this morning. You were out, so I took the liberty of hand-picking the very finest soldiers. I suppose you will be off within the week? Winter is coming soon and those mountain trails can be quite treacherous,” he said, sounding almost genuinely concerned.
“No, Uncle, now that your visit with the Xallan Queen is winding down, I shall leave tomorrow. I’m a little tired of smiling and nodding for the sake of a people for whom I have little trust. I will spend my time wisely learning to command my power. I may need it when I am queen.” She intentionally reminded Cerric that only a year remained before she would assume direct control of the Maramyrian throne.
Cerric frowned inwardly. Whatever problems or solutions an alliance with the Xallans might provide, the fact remained that the Priesthood was quickly becoming very powerful and now they would likely gain a new ally, his niece, the true heir to his borrowed throne. Still, he had several of his own plans in that regard.
“I thought you would be glad that everything has been arranged for you. Are you sure you want to study with the Priesthood Ariana?” Cerric asked.
“They might be a bit too serious about that religion of theirs uncle, but Blue Island is now the center of magic. It is the best place to learn. What? Are you worried they’ll convince me to give up my nobility and join the cloth?” she asked defiantly. Dakar had tried to convince her of the divinity of the Priesthood on numerous occasions and she figured if she could fend him off, she could fend off anyone, although the thoughts of having her will stolen by the mage-priests' book did give her cause for concern. Cerric frowned visibly.
“I will not say anything against the Priesthood, my dear, but they are becoming very powerful. Dakar tells me that they are loyal to Maramyr as the mages have always been, but keep your mind about you when you are with them. They might seek to poison you against me who has worked so hard to keep your domain for when you ascend the throne yourself,” Cerric said.
Ariana nodded.
“I will be careful, Uncle. I suppose I should thank you for making the arrangements for my escort. There are many things I must do before I leave and that is one less task on my list. I do have one change to make, however. I will be adding one member to the party.”
“Oh?” Cerric picked up his goblet and dranks some wine.
“Yes, I was defended by a young man from the Academy when I was attacked. He saved my life and I would offer him his first commission as the Captain of my guard.”
“Captain of your guard! Come, now. Is this young man perhaps something of an interest for my dear niece?” he asked, half mocking her. Ariana was far from amused at his suggestion about her virtue.
“Most definitely not," she told him. "The fellow is obvious peasant stock and even if I were inerested in pursuing such things, I do have some taste, Uncle. No, it is simply a matter of honor. He saved my life and I wish to reward him.”
“Honor? To a peasant?” he shook his head. “There is no need to honor peasants. We honor them by ruling them, keeping them from degenerating and killing each other. What does it matter if we step on a few toes in the process?” His eyes glinted at her a little coldly, then he realized it was a useless point to argue with the impetuous young woman. “Fine,” he conceded. “If that is your wish then I suppose there will be no problem.”
As he nodded, a door opened and Dakar, his advisor, and head of the Maramyrian priesthood entered. Quickly, Ariana thanked her uncle and turned to leave.
“What no kiss goodbye?” he asked, standing from the couch arms open.
Dakar said not a word but the corner of his mouth curled up a bit as he watched the exchange.
Ariana walked back to her uncle and gave him a stiff embrace and kissed him quickly on the cheek. Cerric smiled darkly at her as she left the room.
“Goodbye, my darling niece,” he muttered quietly and breathed a deep sigh.
Dakar stood quietly as Cerric stared blankly at the ceiling for a few moments before turning to greet the Priest.
*****
Aaron had not expected to see his friend Borrican for several days. The Kandaran prince was busy attending state functions as representative of his country. Aaron learned that some of the students at the Academy had placed bets on guessing the identities of members of their own ranks who were of a stature that the had no choice but to be in attendance at the festivities. Now that Borrican had been heralded publicly as the second son of King Erik of Kandara, some of them were happily richer and some of them were happily poorer.
Since the Academy required that its students’ noble titles be publically undisclosed, those who were not on any royal invitation lists were given a fair bit of freedom to enjoy the festivities. Most of the Captains were busy with official duties and it did not make sense to have the students assist with the ever-problematic task of crowd control or guard duty. It would not do for a Duchess to happen upon her son standing guard duty outside of a banquet to which she had been invited or for a Baron to find his heir out scuffling in the streets with drunks and pickpockets. The only requirement of the Academy students was that they wear their Academy colors of red and black and endeavor to assist any of the city guards or soldiers should they encounter a situation where they might be of help.
Aaron had decided that since he had a few days of freedom, he should try to visit the few people he did know at Maramyr. His first stop was to Lord Carlis who, though busy, took some time to visit with the young trainee. Carlis was happy to see him and also gave him some good news.
“Well my boy, while you’ve been locked away learning to swing a sword, you’ll be happy to know that you're well on your way to becoming something of a wealthy man,” Carlis told him.
“What do you mean?” Aaron asked.
“The coin I promised to invest for you, I put some of it into a leather business that specializes in making tack and saddles for horses. I had a feeling, and perhaps I dropped a few hints to a few important people at the palace, that this leatherworker and his shop would be an excellent choice of supplier for the army,” he explained. “It isn't public knowledge around the city, but Cerric had been quietly increasing the army’s numbers and with that comes a need for gear, and thus the need for reliable leather work. The investment allowed the owner of the leather shop to move to a bigger space and hire more workers. That put him in a position to bid on the job offered by the crown. Now he’s making a lot of money, and so are we!”
Carlis was very pleased by the success of the investment and Aaron, was happy that he was happy, but he had never really thought about what he might do with a lot of money. Now that he understood the practical value of currency better, he knew that the bag of coins he had given Carlis would have been more than enough to last a person many years but he smiled and thanked the magistrate for his efforts.
“So, what happens if I want to buy something,” Aaron asked out of sheer curiosity.
“Simple. You just go to the merchant’s guild and give them your name, which I have registered with them. They will ask you to give them a password to make sure you are who you say you are and then they will tell you how much money you may draw, based on the value of your holdings. I hope you don’t mind, but I put your name down as Aaron Coromay, that is the name of your family, is it not?” Carlis asked.
“It was my uncle’s family name, so
I suppose it is mine.” Aaron told him. “You said there was a password?” Aaron asked. Carlis looked surprised for a moment.
“Oh my goodness, of course! The word I chose was ‘bloodstone’ after the ruby on the hilt of your sword.” Carlis pointed to the blade that still had its hilt wrapped, disguising the large jewel embedded in it. “That should be easy enough to remember but difficult enough for someone else to guess.”
Carlis also explained that the merchants’ guild had members throughout Maramyr and in a few of the other kingdoms as well. A guildsman could send a coded message by messenger bird to the main guild and receive a return message verifying someone’s identity within a number of days. Carlis joked that if affairs did not work out with the Xallans, it might pay to invest in metal working as well. It appeared he gave these sorts of matters a lot of thought.
“How does the Xallan Queen like Maramyr?” Aaron asked innocently. Carlis smirked.
“She loves it, especially the amount of land we have and fairly unpopulated compared to her own realm. I am sure that through her eyes, she sees every farm and forest as a potential addition to her empire. The Xallans have tried for generations to conquer Maramyr and I doubt that they will break with tradition. Calexis seems to be different from her forebears only in that she might be a trifle smarter, and more attractive too,” Carlis told him. “Not to be a gossip, but I have heard Cerric is quite taken with the Xallan Queen. It is said that he’s no longer thinking with his head, if you understand my meaning”
Reading the blank look on Aaron’s face, Carlis changed the subject to a related topic he thought Aaron might find more interesting. Clearly, the boy had not spent much time socializing with young women. Perhaps, thought Carlis, he needed a little nudge or at least some inspiration.
“I saw your friend, Ehlena yesterday,” he told him. “I visit Lady Valamyr once a week on business and I have run into her neice a number of times. She has asked me to give her updates on your progress at the Academy. I hope you don’t mind, but your Captain Nathas sends me a note every couple of weeks to let me know how you are doing.”
Aaron shrugged but he was pleased to hear that Ehlena had asked after him.
“That’s fine,” Aaron said. “You sponsored me into the Academy, so it is only fitting you should know of my progress and whether it was worth the effort.”
“Worth the effort? It certainly was, my boy! Nathas tells me that you have been doing very well and, even though I’m not supposed to tell you this, he hopes that within a year, you might even be in line for a commission. You’ve really impressed the Senior Captain and, let me tell you, he’s not an easy man to impress.”
Aaron smiled at Carlis. He had been wondered about something and thought perhaps Carlis might be the right person to ask.
“If I get a commission, would that mean that Lady Valamyr might be more welcoming of my friendship with Ehlena?” Aaron asked.
Carlis frowned and stroked his chin. It was most certainly the right question, but Lady Valamyr had plans for her niece, plans that involved nobles of high stature. He feared Aaron might not like the answer.
“Don’t get me wrong, Aaron. Lady Valamyr wasn’t unimpressed with you and she was genuinely grateful for your help in delivering Ehlena to her safely, but she is very protective of her young neice. Ehlena’s mother, was Elaine’s only sibling. Elaine does not have any children and it is unlikely that she will. That makes Ehlena the only heir to the family of Valamyr, a once powerful and still very proud name and she will be the Duchess of Valamyr someday. Thus, Elaine only wants the best for her, if you understand my meaning.” Carlis looked at him seriously. Aaron laughed inwardly and shook his head. From all he had learned through his studies and from spending time talking with Borrican, he certainly understood how important family titles and appropriate marriages were to the nobility.
“I understand Lord Carlis and I would never expect to be a suitor to Ehlena. At best, I might achieve some sort of military title but that would hardly qualify me to court a future duchess,” Aaron told him. “I just don’t know very many people and it would be nice to be able to be friends with Ehlena. I also feel a bit protective towards her ever since what happened at Ashford.” Carlis nodded and clapped Aaron on the shoulder.
“Well, you certainly have a noble heart,” he said with a laugh. “I will talk to Lady Elaine and see if you might be permitted to visit her niece from time to time, especially now that Ehlena is back in the city. I understand you have a few days away from the Academy, perhaps there will be some time that you might visit with her then. I am assuming that sooner would be more preferable than later.”
“I would like that,” Aaron said. Carlis paused, thinking for a moment.
“I have a few things to take care of here, then I suppose I could find a handy excuse to drop in on the house of Valamyr. Why don’t you accompany me there this afternoon? Elaine has been dying to show me the latest additions to her house garden and perhaps, while I have her distracted there, you might be able to escort Ehlena out around the city. From what I hear, she goes out often enough on her own anyway, which has been causing no end of headaches for her aunt. She’ll likely be pleased that the girl will have a proper escort along with her for once.”
Aaron agreed that it was an excellent plan. He had been looking forward to seeing Ehlena again.
*****
Later that day, Aaron made his way to a small inn that usually housed visiting dignitaries. The Falcon’s Rest was one of the inner city establishments, part of the royal village, near to where Ehlena lived with her aunt. Carlis recommended that if Aaron arrived before him he should try the house liqueur and claimed it was the best in all of Maramyr.
On his way, Aaron had visited a few of the vendors lining the city squares and sampled some of the alleged delicacies that they were selling to passers by. His favourite and most recent find had been spiced meat on a stick and he busily ate what looked to be pieces of chicken covered in a heavy black pepper as he neared the inn where he was to meet Carlis.
As Aaron approached the door of the inn, he saw a window swing open on the third floor and saw a man in a black cloak swing himself out of it and begin to deftly climb down the outer wall of the building, his fingers somehow clasping the edges of the bricks. From the same window that the cloaked man had appeared, the head of a heavy-set, red-faced, and angry-looking man looked out after him.
“Stop, thief!” the man yelled from the window.
The man in the cloak continued his descent as the head disappeared back into the window above. Aaron waited until the man neared the ground and then he drew his sword. At the sound of steel clearing a scabbard, the man froze then looked over his shoulder at Aaron. Aaron glanced briefly around, hoping to see a guard, and saw that the street was deserted.
“Stop right there,” Aaron said.
Just then, the door of the inn burst open and the man with the red face appeared, tripping over his clothes as he pulled them on. During that slightest distraction, the man in the black cloak dropped to the ground and with almost imperceptible speed, he drew his sword on Aaron.
Aaron was ready for him and easily blocked the man’s sword. Luckily, Aaron had the man cornered between the wall of the inn and the next building that jutted out further into the street. They traded a few blows and the man retreated for a moment, squaring off against Aaron, cornered against the wall he had just descended.
Now that he faced him, Aaron could see that the man was not much older than he was, though he had a beard and wore his light brown hair long. Apart from the beard, which was untrimmed, the man seemed to be fairly well dressed and did not look much like a thief. Aaron saw from the corner of his eye that several more people had now exited the inn. He could also see that several armed men who wore the Xallan colors of crimson and white had followed the other man out of the inn. Aaron could tell that they were ready to spring into action, but for now they stood their ground.
“I found that man in my room, stealing my
jewels. Family heirlooms they are, and very valuable!” exclaimed the red faced man said in broken Maramyrian between heavy breaths. His accent was Xallan. The thief smiled at Aaron and shrugged as if the accusations against him meant nothing.
“A misunderstanding, perhaps?” Aaron said to the thief, hoping the man would just give up.
“No misunderstanding at all," said the cloaked man. "Now if you don’t mind, I really must be going.” He jumped forward, swinging his blade and launching another attack.
Aaron resolved that the thief would not be going anywhere. He had given his oath to help the city guards keep the peace and that most certainly meant apprehending a thief. He also knew that if the Xallan soldiers got involved in such a matter, there would be bigger problems. It would be best for all concerned if Aaron handled this, and quickly.
Aaron quickly dodged the thief’s sword then went on the attack himself, pressing the man back toward the wall of the inn, keeping his sword moving so the thief would not have a chance to run. One of the people who worked at the inn ran down the street calling for the city guard and the Xallans took up a position behind Aaron and drew their swords.
"Stand down," Aaron told them in Xallan. "I will handle this."
The Xallans stepped back, heeding his words and recognizing the Maramyrian crest he wore, but they kept their swords drawn, regardless. Aaron fought hard, trading blow for blow with the cloaked man and was impressed at the man’s swordsmanship.
“I’m sorry but I really can’t let you leave,” Aaron told him. "It would be better if you would just give up now."
The thief laughed sarcastically in response and stepped up his attack. He was fast.
“You’re from the Academy,” the thief commented.
“Yes,” Aaron told him.
“Some petty noble out for his good deed of the day then?” the thief scoffed. “Just my luck!”
The thief pushed harder, trying to move Aaron back so he might break free. Aaron pushed back, increasing the speed of his cuts and slashes. The thief blocked them easily and Aaron wondered just how good the man was.