Heirs of the Enemy

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “Because of my condition, I was an unlikely heir to the throne. Being so sickly, my father was anxious to get rid of his embarrassment. What is missing in your knowledge is the existence of my step-brothers. My father and my brother do not get along at all. When the king decided so callously to get rid of me, my brother feared that he might be next, leaving the throne to one of the king’s illegitimate sons. To ensure his own place in the line of succession, my brother has kept me alive.”

  “So if the king decides to get rid of your brother, you still stand in the way of his illegitimate sons?”

  “Correct. If anyone finds out that I have been healed, both of their positions would change. My brother would immediately want me dead, and the king would take steps to remove my brother. He might also decide to remove me if he could manage it, but I am less of a threat to him than General Montero.”

  “Which is why you cannot return to the castle we took you from,” noted Zalaharic. “I think he deserves the truth Sigfrid.”

  The Royal Sorcerer nodded in agreement. “You are currently in Herinak Castle.”

  “Korocca?” gasped the prince. “How? The soldiers wore the uniform of the Federation.”

  “They were not real soldiers,” stated Sigfrid. “We did not want to tell you where you were because you would think that we intended to hold you hostage. Such a thought would be wrong.”

  “Then why am I here?”

  “Because Herinak is out of reach of your soldiers,” answered Zalaharic.

  “And because King Wendal agreed that we could use this level of his castle without any interference from him,” added Sigfrid. “I am the Royal Sorcerer of Korocca.”

  “You say that I am not a prisoner, though,” frowned the prince. “Why else would Korocca want a prince of Ertak if not for bargaining?”

  “To lead your people properly,” answered Zalaharic. “It is to everyone’s benefit for Ertak to have a just ruler, one who cares for the people he rules and not just the nobles. We are hoping that you are such a person.”

  “With what we know about your father and brother,” added Sigfrid, “we could hardly go wrong.”

  “But my father and brother still live. Of what use am I to anyone?”

  “War is coming in the spring,” answered Sigfrid. “There is a land across the sea called Alcea. The Federation will be attacking them as soon as possible. While victory for Alcea is a poor prediction right now, some Alceans thought it was wise to prepare for such a situation.”

  “I am one of those Alceans,” declared Zalaharic.

  “Alcea is a land of elves?” questioned the prince.

  “Alcea is a land where all peoples live in harmony,” answered the elf. “Humans, elves and dwarves stand united. We have found that peace is much more desirable than war, but we are prepared to defend our homeland. Your brother will be leading one of the invading armies. No matter who wins, he will not return from the war.”

  Prince Harold nodded in understanding. It was becoming obvious that the Alceans had given a lot of thought to the problem if they were already planning to assassinate his brother.

  “Are there any books available about Alcea?”

  “No,” answered Sigfrid.

  “I may be able to get you some,” stated Zalaharic. “What do you want to know about it?”

  “Everything. I am an avid reader. Get me whatever you can. Am I free to move about the castle?”

  “No,” answered Sigfrid. “You cannot leave this level of the castle until your healing is complete. After that, we will discuss this issue again.”

  “But you said that I was not a prisoner. Why the restrictions?”

  “The Federation has spies in Herinak,” answered Sigfrid. “If they see you here, the Federation may well attack us instead of Alcea. We cannot risk that. That is why we have this level of the castle isolated from the rest.”

  “An acceptable answer.” Prince Harold nodded. “Perhaps I can develop a disguise?”

  “That is a thought worth exploring,” agreed Sigfrid. “We will discuss it when the time comes.”

  “If I can find those books on Alcea,” offered Zalaharic, “I will have them placed outside your door. You are well enough now to walk around your suite, in fact, I encourage it. Your muscles need to be exercised.”

  Chapter 32

  Making Plans

  Three Knights of Alcea sat in the sitting room of the suite at the Palace Keep in Giza. They listened intently as the elf spoke about the Temple of Balmak in the Aertan city.

  “There were two connections to the sewer system,” stated Headman, the head of the thieves’ guild. “The old sewer access has been filled with rocks. It is impossible to get into the temple that way now. The only other access to the sewers has also been modified recently. Thick iron rods have been inserted in a crisscross mesh that makes it impossible to pass. In short, you cannot use the sewers to gain access to the temple.”

  “Then we will have to go in through one of the doors,” Garth said.

  “I don’t think so,” Headman retorted. “For some reason, the Federation is providing protection for the temple. There are patrols around it night and day. You will not get near the building.”

  “That didn’t take them long,” sighed Tedi. “They know that we are coming for K’san.”

  “They are clearly expecting us,” agreed Natia. “Perhaps we should move on.”

  “Do you really think it will be any different in Despair?” asked Garth. “They will be protecting all of the K’sans now. It is to be expected.”

  “Why is this to be expected?” asked Headman. “It is quite unusual for the army to get involved in protecting temples. There is something that you are not telling me.”

  “We need to destroy all of them,” explained Garth. “We killed the priest in Farmin the night we liberated the elven children. We just recently killed another in Valdo.”

  “We went into the temple through the sewers to assassinate K’san in Valdo,” added Natia. “That is why they made the recent changes here in Giza.”

  “They think that you are specifically targeting the priests?”

  “We are specifically targeting the priests,” Garth replied. “They are demonkin, and they must be eliminated.”

  “Why?” asked Headman. “The children are already safe, are they not? Are you afraid they will be used in the attack on Alcea?”

  “The war is coming,” answered Tedi. “Not just to Alcea, but to the whole world. The demonkin must die before the war begins.”

  Headman frowned deeply. “I am confused. I have heard rumors of the Federation attacking Alcea, but you are indicating much more than that. If Giza is to be attacked, I would like to know.”

  Tedi bit his lip as he realized that he said too much. He glanced at Garth, his face flushed with embarrassment. Garth sighed and nodded in understanding.

  “War is coming to Giza, Headman,” Garth declared, “but we cannot afford for that to be known. For our plan to work, we must wait until the Federation has committed the bulk of their armies to the attack on Alcea. Only then can we attack the cities in Zara.”

  “You truly mean to end the Federation once and for all?”

  “There is no other path to a lasting peace.” Garth nodded. “I must demand that you keep our secret to yourself.”

  Headman shrugged off the implied threat from Garth. He understood the consequences of letting the Federation know about such plans. For a moment, no one spoke, but Headman nodded his understanding.

  “What are Alcea’s intentions regarding Aerta?” asked the thief. “Does your king plan to take the place of Emperor Jaar, keeping Aerta as nothing more than a vassal state?”

  “I do not think that has even been discussed,” Garth answered truthfully. “I have been working under the assumption that the countries in Zara would remain free and separate, and King Arik has enthusiastically supported me, but you should understand something about King Arik. He is a leader unlike any other. In Alcea, he uni
ted all countries into one, but each former country remains a self-governing province. What this has eliminated are the border clashes and petty squabbling so often known to neighboring countries.”

  “I have known Arik since my youth,” interjected Tedi. “We grew up together in a small fishing village. I can assure you that he would only want what the people want for themselves. If they want to be separate, he will allow it. If they wish to join Alcea and become part of the greatest nation in the world, he would accept them and protect them.”

  “I am working under the assumption that the countries of Zara will remain separate,” declared Garth. “If the people decide otherwise after the war is over, that is not my affair, but I will not let the current tyrants remain in power, and King Arik is supporting me in that regard.”

  “Then who are you planning to rule Aerta?” asked Headman.

  “General Alden is the heir to the throne,” answered Garth. “I have heard that he is level-headed and reasonable. Is that a fair statement?”

  “General Alden is not a bad man,” conceded Headman. “He does not possess the ruthlessness of his father, but he has faithfully carried out the orders of the Federation. If he were to be the leader of Aerta, I think the people would need some assurances that he would not follow in King Anator’s footsteps.”

  “We are a long way from conquering the Federation,” replied Garth. “Currently, that seems to be an unattainable dream, but should it come to pass, it will be the people of Aerta who will choose their ruler.”

  “I can ask for no more than that,” smiled Headman. “Although I am an elf, I have made Aerta my home. My thieves are like family to me. I think my people would react to this news as I have. We would like to be part of overthrowing King Anator and the Federation.”

  “As impressive as your group is,” Garth shook his head, “it is not an army. To battle the Federation troops, Alcea will have to enlist numerous allies, and those allies will not be Aertans. Does the thought of foreign troops besieging Giza trouble you?”

  Headman’s brow creased in puzzlement. “Alceans are foreign, but your tone indicates something beyond that, doesn’t it?”

  Garth simply nodded.

  “The horse countries are the only foreigners that I can think of that are not a part of the Federation. Are they to be involved?”

  “Does that thought bother you?” asked Garth.

  The elven thief thought for a moment and eventually shook his head. “Not really. Aerta and Sirocca had a long friendly relationship before the Sands of Eternity buried the Siroccans forever. Some of the survivors even founded Olansk, our second largest city. As long as the horse countries are destroying the Federation and not plundering Aerta, I would accept their attack with open arms. Is that the case?”

  “The horse countries express no claim on the boundaries of Aerta,” Garth replied. “They seek to wage war on the Federation because the Federation seeks to annihilate them. There are others in the alliance, but now is not the time to discuss them.”

  “I understand,” replied Headman. “Still, all of the major cities of the Federation are walled cities. The hardest part of any attack would be the breaching of those walls. Have you given any consideration to the fact that you have allies inside those walls?”

  “Thieves are not warriors,” Garth replied, “but yes, I have thought about groups such as yours. There might be a part to play for the thieves when the time comes, but I do not expect your men to become warriors overnight.”

  “You may be underestimating us,” replied Headman. “Most of my men were not born as thieves. They come from all walks of life, including the army. They were driven to stealing by need, but they consider themselves more patriotic than the soldiers are. The Federation soldiers will do whatever Emperor Jaar commands them to do, whether that is good for Aerta or not. My people will be true to the Aertan people.”

  “Your people steal from the Aertan citizens,” Natia pointed out.

  “That is true,” conceded Headman, “but they steal to survive. Help us bring a righteous king to the throne, and the thieves will disperse. One of the benefits of letting us get involved in the overthrow of the Federation is the effect it will have on my men. They will no longer look upon themselves as thieves. They will have stepped up and taken a stand for Aerta. Let us be a part of this victory.”

  “The risk of letting your men know the truth is too great,” retorted Garth. “If one of your men gets arrested and speaks of an attack on Giza, everything we are planning will be endangered.”

  “Then we will not tell them the whole truth,” Headman smiled thinly. “If I were to come up with a suitable cover story, would you provide trainers for my men?”

  “How many would you need?” Garth asked, suddenly curious about what the thief had in mind.

  “Just a handful. My men are already quick on their feet, and most of them have considerable strength. They need professional tutoring to understand the difference between a running skirmish with the soldiers and a prolonged battle that requires tactical coordination. They also need instructions on weapons handling, but you will find them quick learners.”

  “Let’s suppose that I could supply five or six highly-skilled men. What would you do with them?”

  “I would tell my people that we need to expand our operations to the highways outside of Giza. Becoming highway bandits would require them to be trained as warriors. Those who have skills already suitable for the task would be the first to respond. Your men would train them and then they would help train the others. When spring arrives, you would have a small army inside the walls of each of the major cities of the Federation.”

  “You are talking about more than just Giza?” asked Tedi.

  “Why not?” replied Headman. “The other cities are not much different than Giza. For the investment of a couple dozen warriors, you will have armies allied with you inside each of the major cities.”

  Garth smiled broadly as he suddenly warmed to the idea. “There will be one caveat to your plan. One of the men that I send to each city will become a close confidant of the leader of the thieves. It will be through that one man that I keep contact with the group. He will not try to usurp your authority, but you must treat him almost as a partner. Is that something that you can accept?”

  Headman hesitated as he thought about the ramifications. He was concerned about any outsider being put in such a position, but the potential for getting rid of the Federation finally overrode his resistance. He nodded in agreement.

  “This changes my plans quite a bit,” Garth said. “It means that I cannot take the time to ferret out the demonkin west of the Barrier. We must kill the priest here in Giza and then turn south towards Despair.”

  “You make the killing of this K’san sound like a minor task to be put behind us,” frowned Tedi, “but we still have no way of getting to him.”

  * * * *

  Bonnay stood on the balcony and stared down at the city of Herinak and the land beyond the walls of the city. While the streets of the city were clear of snow, the land beyond glistened and sparkled all the way to the sea. She focused on the fields of white where they met the ocean, and let her mind drift to thoughts of her homeland far to the west. She often stood on the balcony of her father’s castle and gazed at similar fields, but Herinak was on the coast, and seeing the vast body of water was thought provoking. She thought about the whispers she had been hearing about some distant land called Alcea, and she wondered what the people were like there. After a while, the chill of the air made her retreat indoors. Her thoughts turned to getting back to her suite and curling up by the fire with a good book and something warm to drink.

  She smiled happily as she reentered the castle. While she was not thrilled about being isolated to a single level of the castle, Baron Stikman had been good to his word. Books were brought to her daily. She merely had to request a title, or if she wasn’t sure of a title, she could request a book on a certain topic and someone would find appropriate b
ooks for her. When she woke each morning, the books were sitting in the hallway outside the door to her suite. Food was also delivered, and she was free to request whatever she desired. The only thing missing was the chance to interact with the scholars of Herinak. As she walked towards her suite, she pondered about asking the baron to send some of the scholars up to visit with her.

  As Bonnay passed by the suite of the secretive man that she had stumbled upon that first day, she saw two separate stacks of books outside his door. She knew that the sick man also had books sent up, but she was curious about him having two stacks. It seemed like a rather large number of books for one man to read, and she was curious about what type of books he might be reading. She glanced both ways to see if anyone was watching and then squatted next to the stacks. The first stack was an odd mixture of history, healing, and magic. Bonnay knew from her brief glimpse of the mysterious man that he was deathly ill, so his selection was not all that surprising, although she didn’t see how history would be of much interest to him.

  When she saw the first book in the other stack, she inhaled sharply. It was a book on the geography of Alcea. Her brow creased in confusion. She had specifically asked for books on Alcea and had been told that none existed. She picked the book up to glance through the pages, and was startled to see the next book in the stack. It also was about Alcea. She quickly checked the rest of the stack and found that all of the books were about places that she had never heard of. Some were about a place called Lanoir, and others about Targa, Cordonia, and Sordoa. She had never heard of any of those places, and she mentally noted the names so that she could request the same books from the library to see what they were about. She straightened the stack of books and rose to her feet to return to her room. She did not get more than two steps before the temptation took hold of her. She turned back and stared at the books.

  “He can’t possibly read them all at the same time,” she said to herself as she bent down and took the top two books off the stack, “and I can put them back here before tomorrow morning.”