Prince of the Blood, the King's Buccaneer

by Raymond E. Feist

  But now he entered the seat of Kesh’s government, the place where darkness never intruded, for the hall was constructed with a thousand chandeliers, each with a score of large candles. Light bathed the room. As bright as day, the hall was almost devoid of shadows, for where sunlight came from only one direction, here light came from twenty thousand sources. Even as the business of the court continued, teams of workers lowered chandeliers and replaced guttering candles almost spent, for never was darkness allowed in the Court of Light.

  Down the long entranceway they hurried, past assembled court officials and Imperial Legion officers. At the foremost of the crowd stood the general staff officers of Aber Bukar’s Dog Legions. Upon a throne leafed over in gold sat the Empress, resting on cushions made from material of woven gold thread.

  Around her on rising seats, tier after tier climbing upward in a semicircle, sat the assembled rulers of Kesh in their Gallery of Lords and Masters. And even as Erland approached the throne, more were entering the hall, hurrying to their places.

  The room was humming with quiet conversation and it took no seer to sense the tone of the meeting was fearful. Something terrible had occurred and the room echoed with the most apprehensive speculation.

  When Sharana and Erland reached the foot of the dais, the Empress’s Master of Ceremonies struck the ground with the iron-clad butt of his giant staff. The falcon that adorned the top of the staff seemed ready to launch itself from the disc of the sun it held in its claws.

  ‘Attend, all ye! She is come! She is come! She Who Is Kesh now sits in judgment!’

  Instantly a hush fell over the room. The Empress motioned for Sharana to come up the twelve steps to the top of the dais and the girl did so, a clear look of uncertainty upon her face. This was an unprecedented act, for in the tradition of the Empire, none mounts the Imperial dais save the Empress’s Master of Ceremonies, and then he remains a step below, ready to pass up to She Who Is Kesh any documents she might need to peruse. But now she hesitated at the last step, and again her grandmother beckoned Sharana to come to her. When the girl reached her grandmother, she fell to her knees. Lakeisha, Empress of Great Kesh, gathered her granddaughter into her arms and began to cry. The chamber fell to utter silence at the spectacle, as nothing like it had been witnessed by any in attendance.

  At last the old woman released her confused and distressed granddaughter and stood. Breathing deep to regain control, the Empress cried out, ‘Let it be known that murder has been done in my house!’ Tears came to her weathered face again, but her voice remained strong. ‘My daughter is dead.’

  There was a collective gasp from the audience. Several members of the Gallery of Lords and Masters looked at one another, seeking some sign that they had not heard this. ‘Yes,’ cried the Empress, ‘Sojiana has been taken from me. She who was to follow after me is now taken from the light.’ Then Lakeisha’s voice turned angry. ‘We have been betrayed! We have welcomed into this house one who has betrayed us, who is serving those who would seek to bring us low!’

  Erland watched from the floor of the hall, and seeing the Empress’s eyes fall upon him, glanced about looking for his companions. James and Gamina were standing well to the rear of the vast hall, obviously under guard. Gamina’s voice came to him. James says to remain silent no matter what. He thinks we have been made—

  Before she could finish the Empress screamed, ‘Erland! Prince of the House of conDoin, have you come into this nation to do naught but evil?’

  Erland took a breath before speaking, and in a clear, calm voice said, ‘Make your meaning clear, Lakeisha, Empress of the House of Kesh.’

  The familiar use of her name was not lost on the Keshian nobles. Erland was asserting his rank as Heir to the Throne of the Isles. He knew that whatever happened, he was assured some protection by his rank and the tradition of diplomatic immunity.

  Glaring down at Erland, the Empress said, ‘You know my meaning clearly enough, child of woe. My daughter Sojiana, she who would have followed me in ruling Kesh lies dead in her chamber, as you well know. Dead at the hands of your countryman.’

  Erland again glanced around the room, but even as he failed to find the face he looked for, he heard the Empress’s voice say, ‘My daughter was murdered by the man you brought to our house, and if it can be shown he did so at your order, your rank and position will mean nothing.’

  Almost in a whisper, Erland said, ‘Locklear.’

  ‘Yes,’ shouted the Empress. ‘Baron Locklear has fled into the night after doing his bloody work. The palace is sealed and the search begins. And when he has been brought before us, we will at last know the truth of this. Now, get you from my sight; I’ve had enough of the men of the Isles for this life.’

  Erland stiffly turned and walked out of the chamber, and as he crossed the portal, James and Gamina fell into step behind him, surrounded by guards. Not a word was said until they reached the apartments given over for James and Gamina’s use. Erland turned and commanded the guard Captain, ‘Leave us.’ When the man hesitated, Erland stepped forward and shouted, ‘Leave us, now!’

  The Captain bowed and said, ‘M’lord,’ and ordered his men outside.

  Erland turned to Gamina and silently said. Can you find Locky?

  Gamina answered, I can try. She closed her eyes and was motionless for a while, then her eyes opened wide in astonishment and she said aloud, ‘Borric!’

  Erland said, ‘What!’

  Forcing herself to mind-speech, she said, For a moment… just a moment, I thought … There was a silence, then she continued, I don’t know what that was. For an instant I detected a pattern that was familiar, then just as I recognized it … as I thought I recognized it… it vanished.

  Vanished? asked James.

  It must have been a magician. Only a magician could have shielded his thoughts from me that quickly and absolutely. With a note of sadness, she said. It couldn’t have been Borric, not here in the palace. I’m tired and worried. I must have just sensed something familiar in the pattern and jumped to the wrong conclusion before I was certain. I’ll keep seeking for Locklear.

  The two men went to a divan and sat, watching as Gamina stood motionless, eyes closed as she sent her mind questing through the vast palace, looking for the familiar mental pattern that was Locklear’s. Erland moved close to James so he could speak in confidence while leaving Gamina undisturbed. ‘Did you find anything earlier?’ he asked, referring to James’s intention to sneak out and scout around the palace.

  ‘Nothing. There’s too much ground to cover,’ James whispered. ‘It took me the better part of a month to discover most of the secret passages in your father’s palace and that’s one tenth the size of this one.’

  Erland sighed. ‘I thought you might … find something.’

  James shared his disappointment. ‘So did I.’

  They hardly spoke as they waited for Gamina to finish her search. After nearly a half hour, she opened her eyes. ‘Nothing,’ she said quietly.

  ‘No sign of him,’ said Erland aloud.

  No, she answered. He’s not in the palace. Anywhere.

  Sitting back against heavy cushions, Erland said, ‘I think there’s nothing more we can do tonight but wait.’ He rose and without another word left James and Gamina.

  Borric almost jumped from behind the bushes. ‘What—’ he began, but Ghuda yanked him back down before the guards in the entrance noticed. About five minutes after the alarm bell rang, guards began passing the doorway, all hurrying in one direction. There were both the white-kilted truebloods of the Palace Guards and the black-armoured members of the Inner Legion. Borric’s only thought was that someone had at last grown suspicious about the odd-looking group wandering through the palace unescorted.

  Ghuda said, ‘What are you trying to do?’

  Borric whispered back, ‘I thought I heard someone speaking behind me for a moment.’

  Nakor grinned. ‘There was some magic.’

  ‘What?’ asked Ghuda and Borr
ic simultaneously.

  ‘Some magic. Someone was searching the area. They reacted for a brief instant when they touched your mind.’

  Borric blinked in confusion. ‘How do you know this?’

  Nakor ignored the question. ‘But I fixed it. They can’t find you now.’

  Borric was about to pursue the issue when another group of guards in the black of the Inner Legion entered the garden and began methodically searching among the hedges and bushes. Ghuda slowly and methodically pulled his sword from over his shoulder, ready to leap at the first guard who parted the brush behind which they crouched. When the guards were nearly upon them, Nakor leaped up and shouted, ‘Yeah!’

  The closest guard nearly fell over backwards in shock at the sight of this strange, scrawny madman leaping out at him. Then Nakor did a little dance and suddenly a dozen guards were rushing him.

  Borric’s eyes widened in disbelief as a repeat of the scene he had witnessed the first time he had seen the diminutive Isalani was repeated, for no matter how close it seemed someone was to Nakor, the wily little man eluded his grasp. First one guard, then another, would almost close upon him, only to see the spry Isalani leap nimbly away, laughing maniacally the entire time. Twice he ducked under the encircling arms of one man, tripping another, and darting past a third, before anyone knew what was occurring. As arms sought to encircle him, he hit the ground rolling, and as guards dived to tackle him, he leaped into the air. Whenever a grasping hand sought to close upon him, it found only emptiness. And the hooting, gibbering sounds he made only drove the guards to try harder, taunting them into acting rashly.

  Finally a Sergeant of the guard bellowed orders and the legionaries spread out to surround Nakor. The little man reached into his rucksack and pulled out a small object, about the size of a walnut. As the guardsmen rushed him, he threw it at the ground.

  When the device struck the ground, a blinding white light burst forth for an instant, followed by a cloud of white smoke, accompanied by the same nasty sulphur smell Borric had experienced in the jail at Jeeloge. Blinking, confused guardsmen stood around a moment, then discovered that Nakor wasn’t in the centre of the circle anymore. A wicked laugh caused them to turn as one and there stood the Isalani before the hallway door. Whistling shrilly, he motioned for the guardsmen to follow and ran off toward the centre of the palace. Ghuda said, ‘How did he do that?’

  Suli whispered, ‘He must truly be a magician.’

  Borric stood up. ‘They’ll be back when that Sergeant remembers there were others and they hadn’t finished searching this garden. We have to find another place to hide and quickly. Come on.’

  Ghuda snorted in derision. ‘One place is much the same as another to die, Madman.’

  Borric looked back at the mercenary for a long moment, then coolly said, ‘The object of the exercise is not to die, Ghuda.’

  Ghuda shrugged. ‘I can’t argue that. Where now?’

  Borric glanced into the hall door and said, ‘In the opposite direction from where all those guards were heading. If we can circle behind into the area they’ve already searched, we can buy some time.’

  He didn’t wait for further comment but simply walked into the hall calmly, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Silently, he wished he did.

  Erland sat alone brooding. Nothing was making sense. The events of the past two days were so improbable that he couldn’t for a moment believe the Empress actually thought he had come into her palace to cause this havoc. There was no motive, no reason, and no explanation, save the obvious one. Whoever had tried to ferment war between the Kingdom and the Empire was actively attempting it again and seemed bent on speeding things along. The only suggestion that offered itself was that whoever the architect of this plot was, he wished to provoke the confrontation while every possible suspect in the Empire was in the city for the Jubilee. And there was a bloody brilliance to it, for if enough royals on both sides turned up dead, at some point both nations would cease seeking answers and start looking for vengeance.

  Erland wished he knew more intimately the names of those who would wish this madness on two nations, for he would gladly have delivered him – or her, he amended; the women in court were as dangerous as the men – trussed like a game bird to the Empress. He considered trying to get a note to Sharana, reassuring her that he had absolutely nothing to do with this violence against her mother.

  Then he thought better of it. Even if he had plunged in the knife or put poison in Sojiana’s cup himself, he would proclaim his innocence. Then a thought struck him: how was the Princess Sojiana murdered? And if Locklear was under suspicion, where was he? It was not as if he was a thief in the night; he was a peer of the Kingdom, a Baron of the Prince of Krondor’s court. Even should some conflict arise, some argument – even in the most heated – Locklear would not harm a woman.

  Erland knew Locklear was being made the scapegoat, but how to prove it?

  Lady Miya entered the quarters and bowed slightly. ‘Erland,’ she said softly, ‘the Empress has ordered that you be confined to these quarters under house arrest.’

  Erland sat upright, anger suffusing him. ‘How dare she! Even she would not jeopardize the tradition of diplomatic immunity.’

  Miya came to sit next to the Prince. ‘She’s lost her daughter. Her advisors are cautioning her that if she harms you or any of your party without leave of your King, she risks reprisals, and no Ambassador will dare enter the borders of Kesh again.’ The woman sighed and put her arm around Erland’s shoulders. ‘She’ll change her mind in a day or two, I’m certain. Until then, you’re free to visit your friends in the other part of this wing, but you can’t leave this area without guards and then only to return to the Empress’s court should she desire to see you again.’

  Erland said, ‘How was the Princess murdered?’ Miya’s eyes brimmed but she kept from crying as she said, ‘Her neck was broken.’

  Erland’s eyes narrowed. ‘Broken? In a fall of some sort?’

  The woman shook her head. ‘No. There were bruises around her throat. Someone snapped her neck.’

  Erland said, ‘Miya, this is important. Locklear couldn’t have killed your cousin.’

  Miya studied the Prince’s face for a moment, then said, ‘How can you be certain?’

  ‘I’ll tell you later. First we need to reach the Empress.’

  Miya said, ‘I think I know someone who can help.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Lord Nirome. He’s always willing to listen to reason. And with Sojiana dead, the strain in the Gallery of Lords and Masters will be even greater, for while most would have accepted Sojiana as the next Empress, many of those will not accept someone as young as Sharana. Nirome will be anxious to reduce the strain in the court and finding the Princess’s murderer will more than likely do that faster than anything else.’

  ‘I wonder …’ said Erland, as he considered something. ‘Who stands with Awari?’

  ‘Lord Ravi and the others who fear the matriarchy, but many who were supporters of Sojiana simply because she was eldest will now flock to Awari’s cause. I can’t think of any reason he would not inherit.’

  Erland said, ‘See if you can get Nirome to call. We must halt this madness before it spills over into more bloodshed.’

  The girl ran off and Erland sat back. Closing his eyes, he tried to picture Gamina’s face and he attempted to send his thoughts to her. After a minute, her voice came into his mind. Yes, Erland, what is it?

  Would you and James please come to my quarters. I think I was premature in planning on sleep. There are some things we need to discuss.

  There was a moment of silence, then Gamina said, We’re on our way.

  • CHAPTER SEVENTEEN •

  Traps

  BORRIC GLANCED AROUND THE corner.

  Seeing no movement in the shadows, he motioned for his companions to follow after him. For the better part of an hour they’d been hiding from various companies of guards intent on finding the intruders. Of N
akor they had seen nothing since he led the first party of Inner Legionaries away. A half-dozen times since then they had barely managed to avoid search parties.

  Ghuda put his hand on Borric’s shoulder. ‘We’re getting nowhere fast,’ he whispered. ‘I think we’ve got to grab a servant and find out where these friends of yours are housed. We can tie the man up – it’ll just leave him uncomfortable for a while – then send someone to turn him loose when you’ve cleared up this bloody mess we’re in. What do you think?’

  Borric said, ‘I can’t think of a better idea, so we might as well.’ He glanced about. ‘We could all do with a short rest.’

  Ghuda said, ‘I could use a few minutes off my feet, that’s for certain.’

  ‘Well, these rooms all seem to be empty.’ Pointing to the nearest door, he said, ‘Let’s check inside this one.’

  Borric opened the door as quietly as he could; it was an ornate thing of cane and ivory, and creaked loudly as he pushed on it. After it opened a few inches, he said, ‘Maybe we should go back to those doors with only curtains?’

  Suddenly Ghuda pushed hard on the door, so that it made a single, surprisingly modest creak, then he shoved the other two through, swinging the door closed behind him.

  Borric almost lost his balance and as he turned, the old fighter put his finger to his lips, indicating the need for silence. Borric had his rapier out and Suli his shortsword, and Ghuda stepped back, unlimbering his large half-and-a-half sword. He stepped clear of the other two so he would have room to swing. Borric glanced around the deserted room, making sure there was nothing to trip him up if he had to fight. Not that it mattered: if he was forced to fight, there would be an unlimited supply of guards as far as the three of them were concerned. His only hope would be to keep from getting killed long enough to convince someone that he really was the other son of Arutha.