Defender of the Crown

by Paul J Bennett

  "It would take a lot of work," said Nikki, "but I suppose it could be done."

  "Good," said Hayley. "I'll find the necessary funds to finance the whole operation. You only have to establish enough of a presence to look legitimate. Do you think you could do that, Harry?"

  "I know enough freelancers that would be interested, for the right price," he said, "but what's the goal here?"

  "I want you to recruit as many people as you can," Hayley continued, "and I want them out listening. We need to identify who's behind this and what they're up to. Maybe we can even get someone on the inside."

  "Then what?" asked Harry.

  "That depends on what you find," said Hayley. "I can always arrange raids on some of the local gangs if it'll give you leverage. We can make it look like you've got a wealthy sponsor, but we'll keep Nikki's involvement a secret."

  "The gangs won't like losing territory," said Harry, "and without holding some ground, we won't get far."

  "You know the lay of the land better than I," said Hayley. "You find the area you think best, and I'll arrange for the watch to make some arrests. That should buy you some time to set things up. Do you think you're up to it?"

  "Providing the funds are made available," said Harry.

  "Good," said Hayley. "Believe it or not, this is likely cheaper than hiring more watchmen. I'll authorize payment through the crown."

  "Won't that raise suspicions amongst the nobles?" warned Nikki.

  "Good point," said Hayley, "I hadn't thought of that."

  "Suppose you listed it as extra training expenses," said Nikki. "You could hide the funds by allocating them to the rangers, couldn't you?"

  "I could," Hayley replied, "but I'd have to inform the queen."

  "Are you sure the queen would approve?" asked Harry. "After all, you'd be funding criminals."

  "Yes, ironic, isn't it," said Hayley. "Still, I think the queen would see the reasoning behind it, provided your gang doesn't go around murdering innocent people. I tell you what, you two come up with a plan and bring it back to me. In the meantime, I'll arrange some funds for Harry here."

  "How long will that take?" he asked.

  "You'll have it by the end of the day," promised Hayley. "How long do you think you'll need to plan this out? We may not have much time."

  "Why do you say that?" asked Harry.

  "The timing here strikes me as suspicious," said Hayley. "This news comes just as the queen is out of the kingdom. It's the perfect time for her political enemies to make a move."

  "In that case," said Nikki, "we'll have a plan worked out by tomorrow."

  "Excellent," said Hayley. "When you're done, send word to me, then we'll meet back at your estate. I don't want anyone at the Palace overhearing any of this. If something crops up and you can't reach me, let Gorath know."

  "What of the prince?" asked Nikki. "Will you tell him about this?"

  "No," said Hayley, "the fewer people that know about this the better. I'm not sure how Prince Alric would take the idea of funding criminals, and I have no idea how good his people are at keeping secrets. Best we leave him out of it for now."

  "And when the queen returns?" said Nikki.

  "Then I'll fill her in on the details. At that point, it will be up to her if she wants to continue."

  "Very well," said Nikki, rising to her feet. "Come along, Harry, it sounds like we have quite a bit of work ahead of us."

  Hayley rose as did Harry. The high ranger extended her hand towards the man. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," she said, "I know it couldn't have been easy."

  Harry shook her hand, a smile creeping across his face.

  "Something amusing?" asked Nikki.

  "I was just wondering what my mother would have said," explained Harry, "me, shaking hands with the high ranger herself!"

  Thirteen

  Arrival

  Fall 964 MC

  * * *

  The Royal Party continued their trek north, following the road to Galburn's Ridge. The terrain grew rougher here, with hills and patches of trees that broke up the countryside. Two more days passed, and then a large body of water appeared in the distance.

  Lord Hollis, pleased with the progress they were making, had ridden back to speak to the queen. He deftly pulled up to her left while Aubrey rode to the right.

  "Your Majesty," he said in greeting, "'tis a fine day today."

  "Indeed it is, Lord Hollis," said Anna. "What is that body of water to our east?"

  "It is the Lake of Kings," said the earl.

  "An interesting name. Is there a story that goes with it?"

  "There is, indeed," said Hollis. "You see, when Prince Talburn came north with his followers, they settled on the shore of this lake, near an ancient ruin."

  "But your capital lies some distance north, does it not?"

  "It does," said Lord Hollis, "but Prince Talburn never saw it, for he died of the wounds he had received at the final battle. His son, Galburn, claimed kingship on his father's death, and the capital is named for him. Of course, it was little more than a defensive position in those days. King Galburn was always worried that you Mercerians would come seeking his demise, so the first order of business was to fortify the area. I think you'll find the Royal Castle to be quite impressive when you see it."

  "I look forward to it," said Anna. "Tell me, will Lord Rutherford, the Earl of Hammersfield, be in the capital?"

  Lord Hollis smiled, "I see Lady Aubrey's been talking to you."

  "She IS a trusted advisor," said Anna.

  "In answer to your question," he said, "yes, I believe Lord Rutherford will be present, as will the rest of the Earls of Norland. In our country, you see, a majority of earls would be needed to ratify this proposed peace treaty. Is it not so in Merceria?"

  "I seek the advice of my nobles," said Anna, "but I, alone, reserve the right to declare peace, or war, for that matter."

  "I see," said Hollis. "A most interesting development. We had assumed things were much the same in Merceria as in Norland."

  "Is there a great deal of opposition to the proposal at court?" asked Anna.

  "No more so than any other item of interest," said Hollis. "I rather suspect it will mostly rest on what kind of impression you make."

  "Her Majesty is used to that," added Aubrey. "It's how she won over the Court of Weldwyn."

  "A most impressive achievement," noted Lord Hollis, "but I fear our court will not be so easily swayed. Most of the earls are hardened in their opinions concerning Merceria. You are, after all, our traditional enemy."

  "As was Weldwyn," said Anna, "and yet we now count them as friends."

  "The court at Galburn's Ridge is far more...what's the word I'm looking for?"

  "Treacherous?" suggested Aubrey.

  Hollis laughed, "I was going to say fractious, but I suppose either term could be applied."

  "And where do you stand on peace, Lord Hollis?" asked Aubrey.

  "I am willing to admit the possibility is intriguing," he replied. "I shall be watching my colleagues closely to see what their reactions are to the proposal."

  "Was it not their idea?" said Anna. "If the council holds so much power, then how is it they are not for it? Surely one of them must have proposed it?"

  "It was King Halfan's idea," admitted Hollis, "and he is ailing of late. To be perfectly honest, I think it all depends on how the concept is presented to the council. Many of the earls are concerned with their own individual power. Anyone who sees a personal advantage to peace will likely support it. It will be your job, Your Majesty, to make the offer palatable to as many as you can."

  "You've given us much to think on," said Anna. "I shall have to discuss this at greater length with my advisors."

  "I am only sorry," said Hollis, "that you have but one here."

  "Aubrey is not the only advisor I travel with," said Anna. "Some of my most trusted friends are here with me."

  Hollis looked around in surprise. "I see no nobles,
" he said.

  A loud bark to their left drew their attention. Tempus was running across the field, chasing a small animal of some sort. Lord Hollis winced at the sight, an act noticed by Aubrey.

  "Do you not have dogs in Norland?" the mage asked.

  He snapped his attention away from the distant sight. "Of course," he said, "though none the size of that beast. What in Saxnor's name is it?"

  "It's a Kurathian Mastiff," said Anna, watching the man's face for any sign of reaction.

  "If you'd wanted hounds for hunting, I would have been glad to lend you mine," he said.

  "Tempus is not a hunting dog," said Anna. "He's trained to bring down warhorses." She watched Lord Hollis pale at the thought.

  "Indeed," the earl replied, for once at a loss for words.

  "Oh, yes," said Anna, "and he's my companion." When she gave an ear-piercing whistle, the great mastiff halted, raising his head to look in their direction. No sooner had he spotted them, then he came charging across the field, eliciting cries of alarm from some of their Norland guides.

  Lord Hollis bowed his head. "With your permission, Your Majesty, I shall resume my duties at the head of the column."

  "Very well, my lord," said Anna, "you are dismissed."

  The earl rode off, and the queen turned to Aubrey. "What did you make of that?"

  "It seems the earl doesn't like Tempus," said Aubrey. "Good thing you didn't mention how he can rip someone's throat out."

  Anna smiled, "I'll save that for the future. In the meantime, let Gerald, Beverly, and Arnim know that I'm calling a meeting this evening. We have much to discuss."

  * * *

  Gerald made his way across the field of tents to the queen's pavilion. The guards stationed outside nodded as he drew closer, allowing him entry, where inside, the rest of the group stood waiting.

  "We're all here now, Your Majesty," Beverly announced.

  "Good," said the queen, "then we can begin." She took a drink, considering her words before starting. "As you know, we shall be arriving in Galburn's Ridge shortly, and that means we'll be surrounded by Norlanders."

  "Aren't we already?" asked Arnim.

  "Yes," said Anna, "but here, at least, we're in the outdoors. Once we reach the Norland capital, we'll be inside a castle, and that complicates matters greatly. I should like to hear everyone's opinions and suggestions."

  "I think the first priority must be your safety, Majesty," said Beverly. "To that end, I'd suggest you're always accompanied by at least two bodyguards."

  "That's an excellent idea," noted the queen, "though I don't know what the Norlanders might allow. After all, we'll be in the presence of King Halfan during the negotiations."

  "Still," said Beverly, "I think it a wise precaution, just the same. No doubt, the Norlander's will inform us if they think it too much."

  "I doubt they would even notice," suggested Aubrey. "They're in the habit of not going anywhere without their own bodyguards, you saw the group that accompanied Lord Wilfrid."

  "Aubrey has a point," noted Anna.

  "We cannot overlook you as a target," said Arnim. "If someone were to kill you, it would do irreparable harm to Merceria. To that end, I would suggest that Lady Aubrey always be in your presence, at least when you're not in your quarters."

  "Agreed," said Gerald, "and I think Tempus should be with you at all times as well."

  "I can agree to that," said Anna, "though I think taking Tempus to see the king might be pushing a little too hard. I gather, from Lord Hollis's words, that the sight of Tempus might be seen as intimidating, so I shall leave him in Sophie's care when I meet with the king."

  "I should very much like a chance to look over their defences," added Arnim.

  Anna chuckled, "I'm sure you would, Lord Arnim, but I doubt that's something they would allow. I must remind everyone that we are guests of the king here, and so we must be gracious and polite."

  "Have we any idea of what will transpire once we arrive?" asked Aubrey.

  "From what I understand of their culture," said Anna, "we shall be settled into our rooms first. The king will likely have a big dinner for us where we will meet the members of their Nobles Council. I'm told the earls will all be there."

  "How many earls are there?" asked Arnim.

  "Seven, all told," said Anna, "though outside of Lord Hollis, we know little of them or their political leanings. It's also quite likely that some of them are against the idea of peace with Merceria. We must give them no further reason to distrust us."

  "I would suggest," said Arnim, "that we learn as much about all these earls as possible. At least some of them may be sympathetic to our cause."

  "Agreed," said Anna, "but we must use caution. Those that are against us may try to lull us into their confidence."

  "I don't trust Hollis," said Gerald. "The man's been organizing raids against Bodden for years."

  "Are you sure of that?" asked Aubrey. "We know so little of regional politics here."

  "I have no doubt," said Gerald. "We've taken prisoners before, and there is little question, among the Norlanders at least, as to who ordered the attacks."

  "I would agree," said Beverly, "the man can't be trusted."

  "He's been gracious to us so far," said Arnim. "If he truly is opposed to us, he might be setting us up for something."

  "Like what?" asked Aubrey. "He's had ample time to try to kill us if that's what he truly wanted."

  "Could it be something more sinister?" offered Arnim.

  "Like what?" repeated Aubrey.

  "What if he's using us to seize the throne of Norland?"

  "How would he accomplish that?" said Gerald.

  "Suppose King Halfan died," said Arnim. "What would be the result?"

  "The next king would be crowned?" suggested Aubrey.

  "Yes," Lord Arnim continued, "but who would that be? I don't think the king has a living heir, does he?"

  "Not that I'm aware of," admitted Anna. "But, that being the case, would he not have chosen someone as his successor?"

  "Possibly," continued Arnim, "but that doesn't mean the earls would support his choice. We know the earls hold all the power here. With the king dead, they'd likely fight amongst themselves over who would rule."

  "Are you suggesting a civil war?" asked Gerald.

  "I think it likely," said Arnim. "We already know that someone attacked Lord Wilfrid. What if one of these earls was responsible?"

  "It's not beyond reason," said Anna. "After all, what better method of defeating the peace than having someone attack the messenger. We're lucky Mistress Fortuna was available to save him."

  "And what better way to start a war than to blame the Queen of Merceria in the killing of their king," suggested Arnim.

  "Or the poisoning of our queen," warned Aubrey. "It might not be Lord Hollis that wants you dead, Majesty. It's something we must consider."

  "That being the case," said Anna, "what's the most likely form that such an attempt would take?"

  "An assassin?" suggested Aubrey.

  "No, they'd be hard-pressed to get past our guards," said Beverly. "But poison is a possibility as they're supplying all our food while we're guests here."

  "How do we protect ourselves from that?" asked Arnim. "Have a taster for everyone's meal?"

  "No," said Aubrey, "I can use magic to protect us."

  "Neutralize toxins?" suggested Anna.

  "Yes," the mage replied, "though I fear it could have unfortunate side effects."

  "Such as?" asked Gerald.

  Aubrey grinned, "It would also neutralize alcohol. I'm afraid the wine just won't taste the same."

  "I'd prefer to have bland alcohol than be dead," said Anna. "But it also means everyone, including the servants, will have to be extra careful."

  "This is all starting to sound very difficult," said Gerald. "Maybe we would have all been better off staying in Wincaster?"

  "Too late for that now, Gerald," said Beverly, "and in any event, someone could
poison you in the Palace just as easily."

  "I prefer not to think of that," said Gerald. "At least at the Palace, we know what we're dealing with. What are your thoughts, Sophie?"

  Anna's maid was taken aback. "Me, Your Grace? Why in Saxnor's name would you want my opinion?"

  "You work with the staff," said Anna, "do you trust them all?"

  "To be honest, no," said Sophie. "Most of the staff is left over from your brother's reign. I'd feel safer if you moved Mrs. Brown to the Palace."

  "Now that would be an excellent idea," said Gerald. "She makes those delicious scones."

  "I wouldn't want to take her from Uxley," said Anna, "it's her home. Eventually, we'll get a magic circle put in, then we can spend more time there."

  "We'd need more mages, Majesty," said Aubrey. "As it is, we've only a handful."

  "I wish we had a way of communicating with Wincaster," said Anna. "I feel so isolated up here."

  "We should have brought Kraloch," said Aubrey.

  "No," said Anna, "the presence of an Orc would be pushing our luck, and in any event, he's needed in Hawksburg."

  "There is, perchance, another way," said Aubrey.

  "Go on," said Anna.

  "We know that the Elves of the Darkwood have mages. Perhaps they might be convinced to lend some to us."

  "I'm not sure we could trust them," offered Arnim, "especially now that we know Penelope was one of them."

  "Just because Penelope was evil, it doesn't mean that all Elves are," said Aubrey.

  "What about the Dwarves," said Gerald, "do they have mages?"

  "That's a good question," said Anna, "but all of this will have to wait until our return. Right now, we must deal with the situation before us. Has anyone got anything they wish to add?"

  She looked around the room, but nothing was forthcoming.

  "Very well," she continued, "then for now, whenever I meet with King Halfan, I shall have Gerald and Aubrey with me, along with Tempus, if they have no objection. Where permitted, I'll add Beverly to my retinue. Lord Arnim will oversee the guards to our rooms, and any servants our hosts provide will fall under Sophie's watchful eye. There is little else we can do until we arrive and learn where we will be housed. Now, I suggest you all get some rest, we still have some distance to travel before we reach the capital."