by Dean Cadman
“Yes, I’m afraid Renn is probably correct in his assumption that the King would not be willing to let you attempt a rescue of your mother. I didn’t say so the last time we met, simply because it was obvious to me that you had other problems to deal with first, such as the dragon nightmares you were having. I didn’t want to add any further stress to what was obviously already a difficult situation for you. And I hope you can forgive me if you think I did you wrong by that. It certainly was never my intention to withhold such information from you, Lusam.”
Lusam nodded. He trusted the High Priest, and knew deep down that he would never have intentionally misled him about his chances of gaining a ship from the King, or anything else for that matter. What he really needed to know, was how far the King would be willing to go to stop him from leaving Lamuria.
“I understand your reasons for not telling me that day, and respect your decision for not doing so, but I need to know just how far you think the King might go to prevent me from leaving Lamuria. Renn has already told me of a royal decree which has been issued to every coastal town and village across Afaraon. It forbids anyone to leave the coastal waters of Afaraon, or charter their ships out to anyone until further notice,” Lusam said. Again, the High Priest weighed his words carefully before speaking.
“Yes, I am also aware of that decree. In fact, our scribes were tasked with the creation of it. I had no idea at the time what the reasons for a such a decree were, not until you came to me and told me that you had petitioned the King for the use of a ship. Then it all became clear to me.
“With regards to how far the King might go to prevent you from leaving Lamuria, I’m afraid I can’t answer that. What I can say is this; you shouldn’t rule out anything. Do not underestimate your own importance to Lamuria and Afaraon as a whole. If he allowed you to go with his blessing, and you were captured or killed by the Empire, not only would his position as King become untenable, he would eventually become known as the monarch who presided over the destruction of Lamuria. He believes that without you here as a deterrent against another Empire attack, it would only be a matter of time before one came. And he is not alone in that belief, I can assure you.
“For right now, he can do little but avoid contact with you Lusam. He cannot be seen denying you anything that you request in public, but nor could he grant you permission to leave Lamuria and risk your life to save your mother. He is in a very awkward predicament, and one he will certainly have plans to deal with, of that, you can be sure,” the High Priest said confidently.
“Deal with, in what way? How could anyone, even the King expect to stop me from doing something that I wanted to do?” Lusam asked, hoping he hadn’t sounded too egotistical.
“Maybe not by direct force, but that is seldom the way politics works here in Lamuria. Ask yourself this; what would you do if Neala was suddenly arrested for a previous crime, invented or otherwise, she had supposedly committed in her former life as a thief? She could simply vanish one day without warning, and if that happened, it’s also possible that she could be held at a hidden location, one unknown to anyone here in Lamuria, and later used as leverage against you.
“Equally plausible would be your own incarceration if the King ever believed you intended to leave Lamuria by your own means. It would be far better that you permanently disappeared from public view, than be known to have been killed or captured by the Empire. That way, the Thule Empire would simply assume that you had gone into hiding, and were ready to defend Lamuria against any further attacks. And that is an outcome the King could live with. I know what you are thinking, that he could never hope to overcome or imprison you, but rest assured, he could.
“Being a mage does not exclude a person from being a criminal, and that has always been true amongst our people, for as far back as our written history goes. Therefore, certain methods over the centuries have been developed to negate the use of magic for those who needed to be incarcerated for their crimes. One of those methods involves a plant found in plentiful supply not too far south of here. All it would take is for your food or drink to be laced with the drug, along with a fast acting sleeping draft, and you could find yourself waking up somewhere very unpleasant indeed.
“I do not tell you these things to frighten you, Lusam, although they should. I tell you them so that you can tread lightly, and hopefully avoid them.”
Lusam was speechless by what the High Priest had just said. Never in his wildest imagination could he have expected the King to stoop so low and do the things he had just suggested he could. It made him furious to think the King might try to harm Neala to gain control over him, and terrified him that it might actually happen. His heart hammered in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to get out of there, and find Neala to make sure she was safe and sound. Instead, he took a deep calming breath and turned back to the High Priest.
“So, are you suggesting that I abandon my plans to rescue my mother, and remain in Lamuria for the rest of my life?” Lusam asked, slightly more tersely than he had intended to.
The High Priest smiled at Lusam, then replied, “Would it change your mind about rescuing your mother if I did?”
“No,” Lusam replied sharply.
“No, I thought not. Then in that case, I would suggest proceeding with extreme caution while you plan how, and when you will undertake your rescue mission. Rest assured, you will already be under surveillance by the King’s men. Any signs that you plan to leave Lamuria, will very likely result in a swift and decisive move to counteract it by the King. Whatever you do, do not underestimate the King’s resolve in this matter.”
Lusam realised that Renn had remained silent throughout the whole discussion so far, but now he suddenly sat up straighter in his chair, as if readying himself to speak. The High Priest seemed to notice his sudden movement too, and turned towards him.
“Is there something you would like to add Renn?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Grace. Lusam believes he can easily defeat Lord Zelroth and his magi in battle, and although I have no reasons to doubt him, I have still advised caution when attacking an enemy on his own ground, and under his own terms.”
“Wise words indeed, Renn, and ones our young friend here should pay heed to,” the High Priest said smiling at Renn.
“Yes, Your Grace, but my point is this; if Lusam can’t get a ship to travel to Thule, why are we even having this discussion at all?” Renn asked. The High Priest’s smile widened at his question.
“I’m glad that it was you who brought that point up Renn, because that is the precise reason why I invited you here today. Since my last meeting with Lusam, I have been thinking a lot about the situation, and I can only come up with one solution to it. You must introduce him to the Nauroe.”
“Your Grace, the Nauroe are not to be trusted. They are just as likely to sell Lusam to the Thule Empire, as they are to help him attack it,” Renn replied, amazed that the High Priest had even suggested it.
“Who are the Nauroe?” Lusam asked, looking between Renn and the High Priest for an answer.
“They are a seafaring people who live out on the open ocean. Mercenaries, who answer to no one. They trade in illegal goods between the various lands, and sell secrets to anyone who will buy them. Their floating city moves freely across the ocean, claiming no land as their own, or laws. What they need, they get from the sea, or the misery of others. Both Afaraon and the Empire use them to deploy spies within each other’s lands, both know about it, but neither do anything about it because it suits their needs to allow them to remain. They claim to be neutral, but they always come down on the side of profit,” Renn replied.
“They sound wonderful,” Lusam said sarcastically.
“They’re dangerous,” Renn replied bluntly.
“Yes, they are. But I believe they are also Lusam’s best chance of obtaining a ship to rescue his mother from Thule,” the High Priest said.
“Can I ask something?” Lusam said to the High Priest.
“O
f course.”
“Why are you helping me so much? Why would you go against the King’s wishes? And if you think I’m so important for the security of Afaraon, why would you be willing to risk me being killed or captured by the Empire?” Lusam asked, hoping he wouldn’t offend the High Priest too much.
“All good questions Lusam. And ones I can easily answer with a single word. Faith.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Lusam replied.
“You have not been the only one to have strange dreams lately, Lusam. The very night after our last meeting, I too had a strange dream. A dream where Aysha visited me, and told me to assist you in your hour of need. She neither said how or why to help you, but I believe she meant here and now. I know it was not a true meeting with Aysha, like the one we all had in this very room, but it felt real to me. And as Aysha has not appeared to tell me otherwise, I must have faith in what she has already told me. It is not for me to question, but to serve,” the High Priest said.
Lusam considered his words carefully, and found that he had no reason to doubt them. The High Priest had been nothing but a friend to Lusam, and he was grateful for his help now.
“So, how do I contact these Nauroe?” Lusam asked.
“You don’t, lad. I will. I have dealt with them before in the past, and so they will trust me enough to deal with me again. What concerns me the most, however, is how much gold they will demand for such a mission. The Nauroe never work cheaply, but asking them to deliver a group of people directly to the front door of Lord Zelroth’s stronghold will command a very high price, of that you can be sure,” Renn replied thoughtfully.
“A group? No, I’ll be going alone,” Lusam stated.
“Not unless you speak Nauroean you won’t, lad. Besides, you can’t even consider leaving Neala behind for the King’s justice, not that she would let you anyway,” Renn said chuckling to himself.
Suddenly it was all becoming very real for Lusam. Before today he’d had no intention of placing anyone other than himself in danger, but now it was painfully obvious that he wouldn’t have any choice if he wanted to rescue his mother from Lord Zelroth’s stronghold. Then he remembered something else the High Priest had just told him.
“You said it was very likely that the King would already have me under surveillance now that he knows I intend to try and rescue my mother. If so, won’t he know about me coming here to meet with you today? And what about Renn being here with me, won’t that also put him in danger now?” Lusam asked, worried for both Renn and the High Priest’s safety.
“Yes, I do believe you will already be under surveillance by the King’s spies, and probably have been for quite some time now. As for our meeting here today, you already know that whatever we speak of within this room cannot be overheard by anyone else outside its walls. When you first came to me regarding your dragon nightmares, and informed me about petitioning the King for a ship to rescue your mother, I knew then the potential dangers you would soon face. I made no secret of the reasons why you were here within the High Temple, or why you were using our library. Your condition was already well known to the King, due to your unfortunate incident at the Royal Palace, therefore your visit to the High Temple today should provoke little suspicion, I hope.
“As for your concern regarding Renn, he is a Paladin of Aysha, and therefore answers directly to the High Temple, not the King. The King cannot override any orders that are issued by myself, nor can he command Renn to disclose anything to him regarding High Temple business. Having said that, I have no doubt whatsoever that the King would take any measures necessary to stop Renn from aiding you, should he discover that was his true intention. So we all must tread very carefully indeed in this matter.
“When our meeting here is concluded, I suggest that you leave the High Temple alone Lusam, whilst Renn remains here with me for a few more minutes. I have already told the acolyte whom I sent to inform brother Benson of Renn’s delay, that I wished to speak with Renn regarding an important High Temple mission. And I have no doubt the usual gossip channels within the High Temple will spread that information widely enough to be intercepted by the King’s spies. It would also explain the reason why I chose to speak with you both inside the inner sanctum, and not my office.
“In reality, I will issue Renn with a genuine mission today. He will seek out the Nauroe and negotiate your potential passage to Thule with them, then return directly here and report their terms to myself. I think it would be best if you do not see each other again after you leave here today. Once Renn has returned with the Nauroe’s terms I will get word to you that we should meet again, so that we can discuss your next step,” the High Priest said.
So many questions and doubts ran through Lusam’s mind, that he could hardly think straight. How could he ever have thought it would be so simple to rescue his mother from Lord Zelroth, as he had done only a few days earlier? He was so angry that the King would choose to actively block his attempt to rescue his own mother, and even more so that he could threaten him or his friends after everything he had done for Lamuria and Afaraon. He realised that if he ever hoped to beat them, he had to start thinking like them.
“What happens if the King’s spies try to follow Renn when he goes to meet with the Nauroe?” Lusam asked, getting his thoughts back in order once more. Renn looked at the High Priest as if seeking permission to reply, and after a momentary pause, the High Priest nodded to him, indicating that he may speak freely.
“Don’t worry, they won’t succeed even if they try, lad. The High Temple has used the Nauroe for over a century to secretly send spies to the Thule Empire, so we have certain safeguards in place to ensure we are not easily followed by anyone,” Renn replied. Lusam nodded slowly to his words, thinking carefully through what else he might need to know.
“How long will it take for you to get there, then return to Lamuria?” Lusam asked.
“Normally about seven or eight days, depending on the weather. This time, however, it will take me a little longer, as I’ll need to organise extra provisions on my way back for when you and Neala are with me later. I’ll need to ensure that there are enough fresh horses and supplies along the route for us all to ride hard so we can lose any potential trackers. We also use decoy riders to confuse the trackers that might be following us, so I will need to arrange more people to ride those horses too. All in all, I guess it should take me no more than ten or eleven days to be back here in Lamuria,” Renn replied.
“You can take up to twelve days, Renn, but don’t be any longer than that,” the High Priest said.
“Your Grace?” Renn enquired.
“I received word yesterday that the unveiling ceremony for Lusam’s statue will be in twelve days’ time. Apparently they are running a few days behind schedule, and it has delayed the entire event. There will be a public announcement at the end of this week, but they had to inform the High Temple early so that we could accommodate the event. I suggest that you appear to be going about your day to day business as usual during that time Lusam. Unless you do something to unduly draw attention to yourself, I doubt that you will be in any danger until after the unveiling ceremony. After all, the King needs you to be there at your own statue unveiling ceremony. I would, however, urge you to plan your departure as soon after the unveiling ceremony as possible,” the High Priest said.
’Twelve days!’ Lusam thought to himself, knowing that his mother would have to endure that extra time at the hands of Lord Zelroth, and there was nothing he could do about it. Then it occurred to him that he would probably need the extra time to get enough gold together to pay for the Nauroe’s services, especially if Renn’s predictions were correct about the amount they would insist on to carry out the mission.
If the High Priest would allow him access to the Guardian book room, he could use the book pedestal to travel back and forth to Helveel each day and collect gold along the river. He was now far more powerful than he had been when he last collected the gold there, and had no doubt
that his range and efficiency for collecting the gold would have improved greatly since then.
Lusam was very aware that the High Priest had not questioned him after he had suddenly vanished through the book pedestal the last time he had travelled to Helveel. He had been very grateful for that, because no matter how much he trusted the High Priest, he was not prepared to reveal the location of the Guardian book in Helveel to him. It did make him feel somewhat disloyal to the High Priest, especially after all he had done for him, but he knew deep down it was the right thing to do.
The beginnings of a plan began to formulate in Lusam’s mind. If the High Priest would allow it, he would visit the High Temple each day under the guise of trying to discover more information regarding his dragon nightmares. Each day he would collect a handful of books from the library to validate this, then take them to the Guardian book room in the pretence of reading them. The Guardian book room was in a restricted part of the High Temple, but it wasn’t the only room there. It would be very plausible that Lusam was simply taking the books—with the High Priest’s permission—to a quieter and safer part of the High Temple. An area which would not suffer catastrophic damage if he were to fall asleep and inadvertently use his magic there, unlike the main library.
Whoever the King had following him, would simply think he was trying to find a solution to a problem they still thought he had. Even if the King’s spy somehow managed to follow him into the restricted part of the temple—which Lusam doubted very much—it would be impossible for him to enter the Guardian book room anyway. As for what to eventually do with the King’s spy, he knew the best person to discuss that with, was Neala. He felt sure that once he had spoken with her about it, they could come up with a solution to the problem between them. But for now, he needed to explain his plan to the High Priest and Renn, hopefully without insulting the High Priest too much in the process. The last thing Lusam wanted to do was insult him by refusing to answer any questions he might have about the book pedestal, or where Lusam disappeared to when he touched it.