by Sigrid Kraft
To push the unhappy memory away Master Raiden joked: “To be honest, I would like to save my only chance of casting the ban for a big dragon. But those brutes have hidden themselves too well... in the past fifty years.”
Even you fear the thought of putting that miserable spell on anyone else. The commander remembered all too well the first years after the spell was woven on the Prince.
As soon as Prince Raiden came near Master Elderon, he turned into a wretched, terrified creature. He, the proud Prince of Ardeen, brave fighter and exceptionally gifted mage, was completely broken from the effects of that shameful spell. He didn’t deserve that. No one deserves that.
So Lord Boron tried to cheer his Prince up: “Certainly the boy will surrender in the next few days, my Prince. Is it not a great honor that the Brotherhood wants to teach him magic? I heard many hopefuls have been sent away.”
Master Raiden agreed: “That is certainly true. I hope that rascal soon appreciates what a great chance he is being given.” On the table stood a decorative clock stone and Prince Raiden gave it a brief glance. I suppose it is time for another horsewhipping. Lord Boron, you see to your Guard, and I will obey the wish of the noble Master Elderon and degrade myself to the role of a torturer.” Prince Raiden stood up and departed, but Lord Boron was in no hurry, taking great pleasure in finishing the meal. The work will wait for me. In the most seldom of cases does work simply run away.
Eryn’s next meeting with the Prince started at once with some heavy blows.
He gasped, only remaining standing with difficulty. “No wise words of advice for me today?”
To put up resistance, even if only with words, gave the young Fenn the feeling that he was fighting against his miserable situation. And from that behavior he drew strength to resist further, especially if he managed to touch a sore point in his tormentor. This gave him a brief sense of satisfaction before the expected counterstrike knocked him down. As in this case. Eryn clutched his arms protectively around his body as he lay in the dirt.
This foolish boy thinks he can be impertinent, too. “As if it would make any sense to try a conversation with you, Nurin. I have explained it to you so many times, but you simply don’t seem to understand.”
Abhorrent loud screams accompanied by the rattling of the chains. A music of horror and Master Elderon forces me to be the conductor. I am an esthete and this unmusical dolt doesn’t sing a single note in tune. Shall I make him mute with a spell? But then he won’t be able to talk to me and reading his confused thoughts isn’t exactly a source of pleasure either. Nevertheless, perhaps I should dull the penetrating screams, and that metal chain-rattling can be turned down a little, too.
Magic fulfilled Prince Raiden’s desire for the comfort of silence.
With the noise level reduced and the chains made to disappear, the outcome was pleasing.
Much better so. Oh, these esthetic matters have made me completely forget about ending his punishment. I suppose, for the beginning he has had enough.The numbskull looks decidedly miserable right now.
The heavy iron had abraded Eryn’s skin and some of the wounds had started to ulcerate. The young Fenn had also caught an infection of common-snot-and-wheeze. As if to underline that fact, Eryn sneezed loudly. The sudden contraction of his muscles sent another wave of pain through his body and he doubled up.
“Are you now content, foolish boy? Perhaps you enjoy pain?” Maybe he is one of those perverts who take pleasure from being tortured. In that case he will never surrender.
To make sure that this was not the case, Master Raiden tested Eryn’s feelings with the Circle of Violet. No, he seems to have normal tendencies.
“I find comfort in my prayers.” Eryn pretended and longed to find the inner strength for resistance.
A believer in the Gods. Prince Raiden clapped his hand over his head. “Oh spare me that devout, crack-brained gibberish. What sickly brain spreads such a kind of belief anyway? Magic is evil. The power of nature and the Gods rules mankind. And before you mess about with science, you would prefer to die in stupidity. For the sake of the Gods, who by the way, have never done you any good.”
The Gods certainly have done good. “They helped Baelan to overcome the evil mage Harok. And they gave the land in the mountains to us Fenn. A land, where we are safe from dark magic. I share my fate with that of Baelan, and his deeds give me courage.”
“What?!” Prince Raiden didn’t trust his ears. “How dare you twist history in such a bird-brained manner?” History was completely different, you... most oafish of oafs: “Baelan was a useless nobleman, who in his blindness stuck up for the rights of the unmagical whilst at the same time agitating against the great mages. It all culminated in a revolution.
A ridiculous undertaking, and Master Harok in his generosity granted mercy to the survivors and let them go. But Baelan betrayed him and by using powerful magical artifacts, the rebel set a snare for Master Harok and killed him. To thank the mage for his magnanimity – in a manner of speaking. Baelan himself was mortally wounded by using the artifacts and died soon afterwards. A truly great reason for thanking the Gods.”
That is blasphemy. I refuse to listen!
“But you should. After their leader was killed, the unmagical people fled into the mountains and none of the noblemen of Ardeen wasted a thought on the fate of that handful of men – because they weren’t worth it. After Baelan’s death, peace was soon restored. And those are the facts, documented by at least three independent historians. Your version of the story, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to do with the truth and would at best make a contribution to a bedtime story.”
Once Prince Raiden had vented his anger, he fell silent. Eryn’s view of the world had been dealt another heavy blow. At last Prince Raiden spoke:
“Well, the history lesson is over. Do you want to tell me something, lad? And I don’t mean any more of that idle talk from before.”
Eryn kept silent and started to pray. Holy Gods, give me inner strength and power in my faith. Protect me and guide me on my way. I am a Fenn, a warrior of the Clan...
Then the harsh blows rained down on him.
This time it had been more extreme than before and even when it was over Eryn remained lying on the ground, trembling until strong arms grabbed him and dragged him outside. For a long time, he was unable to stop the fierce shaking which wracked his body.
The pain is becoming unbearable. I am done in. I know that after a few hours, the pain will be gone again, which is the only positive thing that can be said about this situation.
Slowly Eryn regained control. To his amazement, he felt thick cloth beside him:
Oh, they have given me a blanket. Almost thankfully he reached out for the coarse fabric and squeezed it tight. As the illusion of pain faded, he recognized that the scrapes on his skin and the snot had disappeared.
Should I now be grateful to the Prince for not letting me die? Is it a curse or a blessing? If nothing else, it is a release.
At noon, a wagon rumbled through the gate. The vehicle was a tall construction with small windows, and on top of the coach box sat a man who was dressed like an aristocrat.
Why should a nobleman drive his coach himself? Eryn wondered as he watched with interest to see what was going on. The man jumped down from the box and tethered the two horses to a ring next to Eryn. He gave the young Fenn a dismissive look before heading for the guards.
“Soldier, announce me to the honorable Prince of Ardeen. Tell him that Branden Hold has arrived. His Highness awaits me.”
The blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Eryn sat on the dirty ground and rested. I’m glad the torturer has a visitor. Then he can’t worry about me.
A moment later, the guest was invited inside and disappeared into the citadel.
Prince Raiden was sitting in the great hall when Branden Hold entered and bowed exaggeratedly. “My Prince, I came as fast as I could.”
The Lord of Naganor laughed, amused: “Of course, and bec
ause you were in such a hurry, I had to remind you more then once to return my belongings. Not much longer and I would have indicted you for theft.”
Branden acted as if he were being falsely accused. “My Prince, I don’t have the possibilities of a powerful mage to travel swiftly and you do me wrong in thinking I would steal anything from you. Such a base allegation.”
The Prince presented his outstretched palm. “Before we forget the reason for your visit – the ring, please.”
“Yes, certainly. Here it is, Your Highness.” Branden handed over the gem, hesitating for the briefest of moments before letting go of it.
“The ring rendered you a good service, I presume?” I am certain he hasn’t earned the money for his expensive clothing honestly. But I know Branden’s character well and with that ring he will have swindled many virtuous men out of their money. I will put the scoundrel to the test. “And then we also have the accusation of desertion... As Lord Boron told me, you simply disappeared at a very inopportune moment of the battle.”
“My Prince, these are grave and unjust accusations. Merely a misunderstanding that I can clear up easily. The commander himself gave me the order to observe a certain person, and I carried out this order with the utmost conscientiousness. Let me explain: I was already close to the rebels’ camp, but my target passed the hideout first, so that at the time, I myself didn’t notice the well-concealed shelter. It was only hours later that I caught her, and after intensive interrogation, was able to discover the exact location of the camp.”
Hmm? Shall I cast a truth spell on him? Well, Branden, you can be glad that I owe you a favor. But my commander is not so kindly disposed towards you. He would certainly give you short shrift. “She?”
“Yes, a lady. I too, was completely taken aback when I found out. A very beautiful lady by the way. But she was one of the rebels – without a doubt.”
Again Prince Raiden was amused: “I can well imagine that a beautiful woman kept you away from... what was it again... peril and fighting... perhaps even honorable death on the battlefield. Certainly a difficult choice to make: Beautiful woman versus bloody combat.”
Branden protested: “My Prince, you do me wrong – it wasn’t that way. Let me explain. The captive was reluctant at first and gave me wrong information.
So I spent hours wandering through the mountains before I at last found the hideout. By then, the fight was long finished and Lord Boron had already left with his men. As I had to take the captive with me, I couldn’t follow them so fast. That is why I couldn’t keep up with Lord Boron, and the commander has certainly mistaken the situation completely. Would I otherwise come here to Naganor of my own free will?”
Branden is a better ham actor than I have seen in most theater plays. “You came, because you know very well that anything else would be useless. And because you don’t want to lose that small remnant of my goodwill, especially now that you can hardly be said to be in Lord Boron’s good books. Between you and me, he isn’t a forgiving person.” Then the Prince changed the subjects “What actually happened to your captive?”
Branden’s slightly anxious face transformed back into a victor’s smile. “I have brought her with me. As I wasn’t paid for my military service, I took her in the way of spoils of war – just for a while.
But if you want her now, my Prince... She could be to your liking. A dark beauty, wild and fiery.”
Branden is always good for a surprise, but you can never be sure if it is going to be good or bad. On the other hand, he really knows how he can be of service...
“Bring her in!” the Black Prince ordered. A little diversion can’t be wrong. Recent days have been anything but edifying.
When Branden returned, he was accompanied by a second person. A long coat with a hood concealed the mysterious lady. Prince Raiden noticed at once the bewitched armlet on her wrist.
A little magic to make her submissive, and surely not come by honestly. Before Branden begins to extol the virtue of his goods and builds up dramatic tension, I had better see for myself what is hidden within the wrapping.
With a gust of wind, the Prince blew the hood back and uncovered the veiled face.
The woman is really beautiful – and young. But her eyes are lifeless. Perhaps the armlet is to blame.
A second spell removed the jewelry and it clanked on to the marble floor. The wild lady tried to attack Branden at once, but Prince Raiden was able to avoid this at the last minute.
Oops! It seems she hates Branden even more than Lord Boron does. But today, no bloody deeds in my house, please.
A spell helped to prevent that. “The lady does not seem particularly well-disposed towards you, Branden. Perhaps, you haven’t treated her well.”
Branden was indignant at that accusation. “I went to more trouble than you could imagine. Bought her gems and fine dresses, making every sacrifice for her. But she is a little difficult and ungrateful.”
“That’s no doubt because you can’t handle a woman properly or satisfy her needs. A special art I master perfectly – even without magic. While I now dedicate myself to that art, consider yourself my guest till tomorrow. Your comfort will be taken care of.”
And then the Prince left, taking the beauty with him to his private rooms – not entirely without the aid of magic.
The pleasure with the lady was moderate. She is not very skilled and merely endured my advances as though the whole affair had nothing to do with her. There wasn’t a single trace of the promised wildness. Surely, it is Branden’s fault that she is so listless. Young horses are quickly spoiled while being broken in, Raiden thought and rolled out of the bed. With a spring in his step, he came to his feet and reached for his breeches.
“Dress yourself, now,” he commanded, and the woman obeyed silently. Then they went down to the great hall again. The Prince summoned Branden and shortly afterwards, the trapper entered.
“You can have her back. The kitten isn’t quite what you described in such glowing colors.” The words resonated with disappointment.
“My Prince, I am heartbroken that she isn’t to your taste. I will accompany her outside so that her presence doesn’t insult you any longer.”
Prince Raiden dismissed Branden with a wave of his hand, and the trapper stepped behind his lady, where with a swift movement, he fixed the armlet around her wrist again.
“Do with her as you please. I await you at dinner in half an hour. Lord Boron will also honor us with his presence.”
The trapper bowed deeply: “Too generous of you, my Prince. I am very eager to see the commander again.” Then Branden turned on his heel and led his captive outside.
Lord Boron will be glad too. I am sure of that. Perhaps we will put some life into this dull tower after all.
The warmth of the sun on bare skin felt good, especially after the bad weather of the last few days. Eryn had rolled up the blanket and was using it as a cushion. He sat there with his eyes closed, soaking up the sunshine. The chain didn’t allow him to stand upright, and if he lay down, he had to stay very close to the wall, so sitting was the most comfortable position.
As so many times before, doubts plagued him:
Everything the Prince said about the Fenn – nothing but lies, he talked himself into believing, but deep down inside, he knew the Prince was telling him the truth.
If it is all true, then everything I have fought for was wrong. And how can I hold on to wrongs and suffer such torments for them? Over the past days, he had been very close to surrendering on more than one occasion. How easy it would be submit and do as the Prince wanted him to. Giving up a little pride would spare him tremendous pain. The thought was more than enticing.
How much longer can I endure this anyway? I don’t know. On the battlefield, it seemed so simple to seek out death. Without hesitation, I would have followed Arun to face the Gods. But now all my courage has left me. Now, what I have to look forward to isn’t a quick death, but endless torture.
He began a dialogue
with himself:
Eryn it is so simple – just surrender. Why be so foolish and defiant? But I am a warrior and all that remains in my life is pride and honor. I could start a new life. That is what the Prince has offered me, and did not the prophecy also announced a completely new beginning? It is already all predestined. I can’t change my fate nor can I avert it. So why suffer any longer? Because I can’t betray my brothers and reject what they died for. I am no oath-breaker.
The sound of steps approaching from the entrance made Eryn turn his head.
The guest and his companion are leaving the citadel again. The woman now had the hood hanging down her back, and Eryn’s heart gave a jolt when he recognized her: Aileen!
“Nightshadow!” he called out and Aileen looked up. But the shout had also alerted her escort.
What an idiot. That wasn’t exactly the cleverest thing I’ve ever done. Eryn at least had the presence of mind to act the fool. He bellowed out a row of senseless words:
“Sunray. Windwhisper. Mountain rain. Nightshadow...”
One of the guards came over and hit him in the ribs with the blunt end of his spear. “Hold your tongue, simpleton! Or do you want us to report this to the Prince?”
The man, who before had announced himself as Branden Hold, approached and asked the guard: “What is his crime?”
“That you must ask the Prince. We only guard the idiot and take him to interrogation,” replied the soldier gruffly. It was clear that he had no interest in talking to Branden, but the trapper was ready with some words of advice:
“Wouldn’t it be better to lock that dirty, ragged creature up in a dungeon? Here, right beside the entrance to Naganor, he doesn’t exactly make for an edifying sight.”
As if in agreement, the guard kicked Eryn and swore at him: “Useless dog!”