Brother Louis knocked softly and then opened the door to Brother Nicholas’ office. The head of the Cult of Everlasting Bounty looked up and waved his associate towards a chair. Brother Louis closed the door and crossed the room silently. He sat in front of the desk.
“What happened to your hand?” asked Brother Nicholas.
“It is nothing,” shrugged Brother Louis.
“Nothing? You consider being beaten by a blind man nothing?”
“Who told you that?” Louis asked with alarm. “He is blind. He could not possibly have seen me.”
Nicholas smiled knowingly. “Wylan said nothing to me. Your own words have betrayed you. What were you thinking?”
“You mentioned that he had a fat purse,” sighed Louis. “Who would have known if it left here a little lighter than it should have been? Since when have you cared for the fate of travelers?”
“I do not usually care, but something is wrong here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wylan said nothing about your attempted theft. He didn’t complain to me, and he didn’t even mention it to Dominik. Don’t you find that a bit strange?”
“Maybe he doesn’t remember it. It was the middle of the night. Perhaps he thought he had dreamt it.”
“Perhaps he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself,” countered Brother Nicholas. “Tell me what happened.”
“Nothing happened. I snuck into his room. Both of them were sleeping. I am sure of that. When I went to reach for his purse, his staff hit my hand. It might have even fallen by itself.”
“Such convenient timing,” scoffed the head monk. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”
“Let it go. He is moving on and the incident will be forgotten.”
“He is not moving on. He has decided to stay around for a while. He likes it here.”
“He likes it here?” echoed Louis. “Now you have me suspicious of him. What happened to us, Nicholas? At one time we were as rich as the nobles. Now we cannot afford to feed the rabble that stays here.”
“We became lazy,” shrugged Nicholas.
“We made a deal with the queen,” retorted Louis. “That is when the wealth stopped coming in. We need to do something to revitalize our order.”
“The first time we kidnap another noble’s son, the queen will order the army to annihilate us. We have been through this conversation before.”
“We still have Samuel,” countered Louis. “We can threaten to kill him again.”
“She no longer cares about him, Louis. Once she changed the order of succession, his value plummeted. Now he is just another mouth to feed.”
“We have to do something. Maybe we should try kidnapping one of the Ertakans or Baroukans. Surely, the queen will not pursue us for that.”
“She would be pressured to do so. The Federation acts as one, but you are right. We have to find something to bring some gold in. We certainly can’t continue living off travelers who give a few coins for a roof over their head.”
Louis sighed. “Then let me steal the traveler’s purse. At least we will have some gold to spend.”
“No. We will have all of his gold before he leaves here anyway. Why steal it?”
“Where does a blind man get gold?”
“Now, that is the correct question to ask,” smiled Nicholas. “There is something about Wylan that we are missing, and I think it might be the key we have been looking for. I want you to find out everything about him. I want to know who his parents are, where he gets his gold, how he became blind, everything.”
“You want me to torture him?”
Nicholas sighed heavily and shook his head. “Try thinking for a change, Louis. You would be satisfied with grabbing his measly purse, but his family might be richer than the queen. Introduce him to the brothers so that he makes friends. Let them ask the questions and report back to you. If we have forty brothers asking the questions, the answers will flow quickly enough. We might even convince him to join the order. That is how we used to do it in the old days, and it worked quite well.”
* * * *
In a suite at the Greystone Inn in Valdo, two old friends prepared for a trip to the Royal Palace of Spino.
“How do I look?” asked Sheri as she slowly turned around, displaying her full-length gown.
“You look beautiful,” smiled Zack Nolan as he crossed the room and came up behind Sheri. “Let me add a touch of elegance to your perfection.” Zack produce a pearl necklace out of his pouch and put it on Sheri’s neck. “That is sure to catch the eye of Queen Samir.”
“I hope that she does not rip it off my neck before we leave the palace,” giggled Sheri. “It must have cost a fortune.”
“It is not important to us,” Zack said seriously. “If she demands it, give it to her. Let’s not lose sight of our goal.”
“Giving it up freely would be losing sight of our goal,” retorted Sheri. “If she truly desires it, she will invite us back to the palace time after time until she gets it.”
“Unless she decides to have you killed to obtain it,” warned the spymaster.
“She may try,” countered Sheri, “but she may find it is not so easy to take what I have.”
“Focus,” Zack replied tersely. “This plan will be neither quick nor simple. Do not get distracted by minor things. We have to work on her slowly. If we move too fast, we will lose it all. Always keep that in mind. This is more about timing than anything else.”
“Alright,” agreed Sheri. “I am not used to such subtleties, but I will follow your lead.”
“I would have it no other way, Lady Zachary.” Zack smiled as he bowed to his supposed wife.
Sheri smiled broadly and curtsied to Lord Zachary. “Whenever you are ready.”
Zack gave his arm to Sheri and led her out of the suite. They walked down the stairs and climbed into the ornate carriage Cobb and Bork had ready for them. It was a short ride to the Royal Palace of Spino, and Lord Zachary was expected. The large gates opened wide, and the carriage rode along the driveway to the front of the palace. A uniformed servant opened the door, extended the step, and helped the visitors out of the carriage. Another uniformed servant led them into the mansion and deposited them in a huge sitting room that was decorated with wealth unlike anything Sheri had ever seen. Queen Samir was already present in the room, and she watched the couple closely as they entered the room. Fortunately, Zack had prepared Sheri well. Her eyes took in the ostentatious wealth as if it were nothing special. She moved her eyes around the room and left them focused on the queen. Lord Zachary bowed low to the queen.
“Queen Samir, may I present my wife, Lady Zachary.”
Sheri curtsied and bowed her head respectfully.
“Welcome to the Royal Palace of Spino,” Queen Samir said with a wave of her hand to signify that her guests should rise and join her. “I have so looked forward to meeting you, Lady Zachary. I heard so much about you at the celebration in Despair. I didn’t think I would ever get the chance to meet you.”
“The pleasure is certainly mine.” Sheri smiled as she sat on the couch. “I had not intended to come east of the Barrier, but the messages from my husband proved irresistible. I am glad that I have come.”
“That is a beautiful string of pearls that you are wearing. Were they purchased locally?”
“I really don’t know,” smiled Sheri. “My husband buys me so many trinkets that I gave up asking where they came from.”
“I doubt such pearls could be found locally,” interjected Lord Zachary. “The ones sold here are too small for my tastes. These were obtained beyond the Needle.”
“Beyond the Needle?” the queen echoed, obviously impressed by the rarity of the pearls. “If I had a husband so diligent in pleasing me, I would make him a king.”
Sheri smiled and laughed softly at the queen’s little joke. The queen continued the conversation with mostly pleasant questions about insignificant facts, but it soon became clear that she was trying to determine t
he true wealth of Lord Zachary and the nature of his holdings. Zack had meticulously prepared Sheri for this portion of the conversation, and the Knight of Alcea reveled in playing the game. She never bragged nor touted the family’s wealth, but the answer to each of the queen’s questions always included a reference to another valuable asset. After an hour of conversation, the queen was convinced that Lord Zachary was among the world’s richest people.
Following the talk in the sitting room, the queen had arranged for a formal dinner. In addition to the wealthy nobles of Valdo, the two princesses also attended. Each girl tried to show off her wealth with expensive necklaces, but it was obvious to everyone that the necklaces were chosen strictly for their worth and not their beauty. The heir’s necklace was particularly gaudy, and Sheri cringed at the thought of wearing something so large and heavy.
Sheri did find the conversation around the dinner table interesting. She marveled at how Zack managed to steer the conversations to his supposed holdings without seeming to do so. After the dinner, everyone moved into a ballroom for music and dancing. For the next two hours, Sheri did not get a chance to sit down. All of the male nobles made a point of dancing with her and questioning her about her husband’s businesses. Eventually, she managed to break away and found a small sitting room to rest in. She had barely collapsed into a chair when the door opened, and the two princesses marched in. Sheri smiled politely at them, but they returned looks of hatred as they strode across the room and stood in front of her.
“I want the pearls,” stated the heir.
Sheri was shocked at the forwardness. For a moment, she was speechless.
“Give them to me,” demanded the heir. “I want them.”
“Do you always get what you want?” Sheri asked.
“Of course,” scowled the heir, “and I don’t like having to ask twice.”
Sheri rose to her feet and glared at the girl. “Then don’t ask again,” Sheri said menacingly.
The princess stepped back in surprise, but her sister came to her defense.
“How dare you speak to her in that tone of voice? She is the heir to the throne.”
With the verbal support from her sister, the heir stepped forward and reached for the pearls to tear them off Sheri’s neck. Sheri’s hand shot up and grabbed the girl’s wrist, holding it tight enough to bring a look of pain to the heir’s face.
“You will hang for this,” spat the heir. “Let go of me.”
“Hang?” laughed Sheri. “Let me explain something to you, Princess. If you ever try to take what is mine again, I will have my husband buy this country and exile both of you to the Endless Swamp. If you want something of value, find yourself a husband, if you are able to, and get him to buy it for you. You aren’t getting what is mine.”
Sheri pushed the princess away and released her grip on the girl. The girls stood shocked at Sheri’s treatment of the heir. They appeared ready to shout for help when a commanding voice came from the doorway.
“I believe that Queen Samir is looking for the two of you,” Lord Zachary said threateningly. “I think you had better hurry to her before she gets angry.”
The princesses looked at each other worryingly and hurriedly left the sitting room. Lord Zachary closed the door and walked to Sheri.
“That is a dangerous gambit you just played. Queen Samir is the law for many leagues in all directions. Never lay a hand on a royal.”
“But they are spoiled brats,” seethed Sheri. “They should both be taken out and paddled until they are raw.”
“You will get no argument from me on that point, but you must remember your place. Did you not notice that they have both been glaring at you for the last two hours?”
“How could I notice?” retorted Sheri. “I spent the last two hours dancing with every man in Valdo.”
“And they haven’t danced with a single one,” Lord Zachary smiled thinly. “I must admit that you have played your part well. The nobles love you, but the pearls are not worth the confrontation.”
“This was not about pearls,” countered Sheri. “The pearls are not even mine. This was about crumbling in the face of an outrageous demand from a sniveling little brat.”
“Focus, Sheri,” Zack said calmingly. “There is too much at stake here to let our emotions get the best of us. Calm yourself so that we can return to the ball.”
“Return to the ball?” frowned Sheri. “Shouldn’t we get out of here? Those girls are quite capable of having us seized, and you just sent them to the queen.”
“The girls will not go to the queen,” smiled Zack. “Queen Samir would be embarrassed before the entire nobility of Spino, and she would take that out on the princesses. They will not mention this episode to the queen, at least not tonight, but you have made two powerful enemies. We will have to revise our plans to take that into account. For now, do not go anywhere in the palace alone.”
* * * *
Zalaharic pulled away from Prince Harold. He slumped into a chair and closed his eyes, but Sigfrid noticed that he was less exhausted then after the other sessions.
“You are making headway,” the Royal Sorcerer said. “I can see it.”
“Indeed we are,” the elven healer replied without opening his eyes. “Let the fairies rest and give him some tea.”
Sigfrid removed the leeches first and then poured a cup of tea containing the kioji. The fairies needed no instructions to leave. They had heard the elf speak, and they darted into the sitting room to get some rest. Sigfrid administered the tea to the prince and placed the cup back on the table. He spent a while straightening up and then sat down and stared at the elf.
“How much progress are you making? Will he live?”
“He will live,” Zalaharic replied as he opened his eyes. “In fact, we made great progress today. The disease is vanishing more and more with each session. I think the next one might be the last.”
Sigfrid smiled broadly at the elf. “You always talk about the progress we have made, but it is really all your doing. I feel helpless when you delve inside him.”
“I could not do it without you, Sigfrid. It would be foolish even to try it. Without a knowledgeable person observing the patient, it would be extremely dangerous for me. Do not belittle your contribution to this effort.”
“You an amazing person, Zalaharic. I am honored to have had this chance to work alongside you.”
Prince Harold moaned slightly as he began to wake up. Zalaharic swiftly rose and turned to exit the room before Harold woke, as he always did since the first encounter with the prince. Prince Harold opened his eyes to see the elf hurrying to the door.
“Stop! Do not leave!”
Zalaharic sighed deeply and froze in the doorway. He turned and looked at the prince. “Sigfrid will take care of you as he always does.”
“Come back,” Prince Harold said softly. “Every time I awaken, you are quick to flee, and I understand why. I have wanted to apologize to you since that first day. I am ashamed at how I reacted to first seeing you. Please sit and talk to me.”
The elven healer nodded and returned to his chair. “It was never my intent to frighten you.”
“Nor should I have been frightened. I have never really known an elf before. I have listened to stories told by others, and now I know that such stories are false. I am truly sorry for my ingratitude. Whatever you are doing to me, you are performing a miracle. I am not talking about the removal of my red blotches. I am talking about how I feel inside. I can tell the difference each time I wake up. I have not felt this well in years, maybe never.”
“I am pleased to hear that,” smiled Zalaharic. “I get to see the retreat of the disease inside you, but I do not get to experience a feeling of your well being. It is significant that you can feel it. It means that we are winning the battle.”
“I owe my life to you, and I do not even know your name.”
“I am called Zalaharic, and you owe me nothing.”
“On that we disagree,” smiled the
prince. “Sigfrid has refused to tell me where I am. Will you tell me?”
“It is not my place,” replied Zalaharic. “My task is to make you well, no matter where you are. This place is a good as any other. Better perhaps, in that we are not disturbed here.”
“It is more than curiosity that causes me to ask,” frowned the prince. “The soldiers who took me from the castle talked about my ascending to the throne if I got better. I must know where I am.”
Zalaharic and Sigfrid exchanged worried glances.
“Please,” pushed the prince. “It is a matter of life and death.”
“No one will harm you here,” vowed Sigfrid. “I promise you that.”
“We would not go to the trouble of healing you just to allow you to be harmed,” added Zalaharic. “Let’s just say that you are in the safest place in the world right now.”
“Am I a prisoner?” asked the prince.
“No,” answered Sigfrid. “We are hoping that you will stay with us for a while, but we will return you to your castle if you wish. Keep in mind that your treatment is not yet concluded.”
“I have no desire to return to that prison,” declared the prince. “Keep your secret if you must, but I must know if I am still within my brother’s reach.”
“No,” frowned Sigfrid. “The way we took you out of the castle was designed to keep your brother from worrying about you. He does not know that you are gone.”
“Worrying about me?” balked the prince. “Are we talking about my brother?”
The healers exchanged confused looks.
“You are Prince Harold of Ertak, are you not?” asked Sigfrid.
“That I am,” answered the prince, “but someone has given you false information. I am nothing more than a prisoner to my brother. His only worry about me would be if he knew that I had escaped.”
“I am confused,” frowned Sigfrid. “We were told that your father wanted you dead, but that your brother saved you by sequestering you in a castle.”
“A partial truth. The king did want me dead, and my brother did save my life by guarding me, but his motives were totally selfish in nature.”
“Explain,” demanded Zalaharic.
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