Being both guests and unknown to the lord, it was a combination of shyness and respect that kept them mostly quiet as the girl told her story from the shipwreck through the strangeness in northern Tseult.
While she spoke of Marta, Itan looked at the others and asked, "Were you all there when the city fell to the brotherhood's soldiers?"
Nico spoke up for his sister and said, "We were. It started by an alarm ringing out when the temple caught fire. Though it was strange in my opinion, since the fire didn't really seem to cause a lot of damage, the population turned on any soldier or government official quickly. A few brothers were said to have died, but in truth, I wonder if anyone actually saw the bodies."
"You think that it was set up to make the people blame King Tylus' representatives in the city?"
Oywen answered for her brother. "It was really more obvious after hearing from Xerese and Toman about Delem and Adeer. To think that the same exact problem was happening about the same time in all the cities and towns is a little too coordinated to think that it was just a few soldiers setting all those temples on fire.
"I suppose that there is a slim possibility that King Tylus could have sent multiple parties or messages to every city; but it just doesn't seem like the coordination his army would use if they wanted to get rid of the brotherhood. I would think that he would flush out the brothers one city at a time and make sure that the temples were definitely destroyed."
Xerese was surprised when Itan had apparently noticed Quela's silence. Thinking about it, while the others sometimes commented at parts where they might have seen something to add to her story; the woman had seemed to hide herself on the other side of Toman. While Xerese sat to her guard's left, Quela had been content with taking his right with the rest of the table open beyond her.
"You were in Marta also? What did you see there? Surely there must have been a reason that you stayed and chose to hunt down your own kind," Itan managed to say with neither condemnation nor vindication for her choices.
Frowning as she considered his question, Quela took a moment before she answered, "At the time, I was swayed to join the brotherhood's army for a couple reasons. First, I was afraid not to, but they sent in a brother to speak with us who set my mind at ease. His words may have been magic, but I didn't notice the power in him.
"Second, I had seen the work of the brothers and hadn't considered that they might be willing to incite a riot by setting fire to their own temple. They had always worked for the people, but some of the brothers had also continued to preach that we would be freer following Sordrian than some southern king.
"To tell the truth, the thought of following a god or the men following him that chose service to the people as their goal didn't seem like a bad idea.
"When they started to force the others to join or they would be imprisoned or killed, I began to wonder why Sordrian would choose to force people to follow him. The brothers had never preached that before as far as I remembered.
"The next thing I knew I was being sent to hunt down Oywen and Nico. It all happened so quickly, it wasn't until I was fighting her that I realized that something was wrong. The brother's words didn't seem as convincing anymore.
"Then Fethwer was killed. I felt drawn to join Toman and through him to Lady Xerese."
Itan seemed less worried about why she had changed her mind, even if it seemed a little belated to Xerese. He probed further, "Now that your head is clear, did you see anything else that you might think odd?"
The green eyes of the wizard looked slightly confused and she responded, "There was rebellion, riots, and people being killed for serving King Tylus. It was all strange, my lord, but it all happened so quickly that my mind failed to see what was happening."
"And what was happening?" he questioned realizing that she meant something beyond what the wizard had already mentioned.
"The brothers were prepared for this. Ships with red flags had been sighted attacking other countries' merchants apparently for months. Word from Daria has been different as well. Rumors had begun saying that Daria was the home port for the ships.
"Then wizards appeared among the brothers in large numbers."
"Could they have been building an army and a fleet under King Tylus' nose?" the marq questioned in surprise.
"Philip had been talking about how the brothers in Yalan have been trying to stir up the people to remove Uncle Orlaan from power too. Maybe they aren't just looking to just take over northern Tseult," Xerese worried. "High wizard Darius seemed pretty certain that the Brothers of the Blood were behind the fracturing of Enswere hundreds of years ago too. If that is true, maybe this religion has more in mind than just helping the poor."
Nico was surprised by the lady's comments and asked, "You think that the brotherhood has been working towards this for hundreds of years? Why have they waited so long since Alwere formed? Isn't that a religious state as well? If they wanted to attack Tseult wouldn't they have started with Desdemona or Kloste first? Those are Alwere's neighbors."
Shrugging at the man's questions, Xerese replied, "How would I know? I would say that if plans came to fruition in Tseult then maybe they will try the other nations next. They're letting the people turn against their king and just taking over. It is a relatively bloodless revolution so far really. Maybe they're doing the same thing in the other countries but have simply decided that Tseult was ready first?"
Before anyone else could think to counter her suggestion, a dark haired woman in a flowing green dress entered followed by a trail of maidens.
"Where is she?" the woman asked excitedly. "Your cousin has come to visit unexpectedly and I am so excited to meet her!"
Xerese stood with the others and Itan gave his cousin a hand as she extricated herself from the padded chair.
"She is right here, Rianne. It wasn't a planned visit by any means or I am sure we would have received warning."
"Xerese, it is so good to meet you!" the marquess continued to be excited in appearance. As Rianne pulled her close for a hug, Xerese noticed the light freckles on the woman's cheeks and forehead. A daughter from one of the other noble houses of Malaiy, her brunette hair wasn't a surprise; but her light skin and freckles were quite a bit rarer among the Malaiyan people. While her smile radiated happiness to have a visitor, her green eyes showed a bit of annoyance that she couldn't quite hide.
"I am sorry to surprise you, but the last few months have been quite unplanned for me as well, cousin."
Confusion flashed across the woman's face and Itan explained briefly, "Xerese was returning on one of Philip's merchant ships when it was sunk by a storm. She and Toman are lucky to be alive. As far as she knows, no one else aboard was as fortunate."
"Oh my, you were in a shipwreck? Well that explains the lack of warning, but these clothes aren't what I would expect of a royal lady unless Teyas has changed their fashion to a more rural look."
Itan managed to not roll his eyes at his wife as he said, "Xerese has been living off the generosity of the people of Kloste and Tseult or she would be an even stranger sight than this. The ship sank taking everything that she had with her, Rianne. Also, though she didn't send warning, Marq Philip did send word that he was worried about both Xerese and Annalicia being months overdue in returning home. We were warned in a way, but even with no notice, I am sure that we can make rooms ready for her and her companions."
Nodding without actually looking at her husband, since the marquess couldn't take her eyes off the worn and ill fitting clothing on Xerese; Rianne added, "We must see to getting this poor girl some suitable clothing."
Her eyes moved to the others with her and she shook her head. "They're all a bunch of ragamuffins, aren't they? We must call the tailor and see to outfitting them with appropriate attire."
Giving the woman a warm smile, Xerese agreed outwardly, but was surprised that she had become quite comfortable in the dress and skirts she had found. With her blouses never being able to close properly, the lady in her realized t
hat a proper fit would keep her from looking like a barmaid trying very hard to get men to give her tips.
"I admit that it sounds nice. My clothes aren't a perfect fit and are getting quite worn. As for Toman, I am surprised that his clothes haven't just fallen off of him after all this time. Finding clothes for someone so big was difficult and we had very little money much of the time." Her eyes wandered to the wizards and Nico. Questioning them with her eyes, the girls both shrugged at the idea. Free clothing for wizards who were uncertain of their future was an unexpected gift for them, but Xerese had a feeling that they would be here a few days and likely need clothing that fit in better in the castle also.
"Your rooms are ready," Rianne stated hugging her arm as she turned the younger girl around. Xerese knew that they were only a few years apart in age, but the marquess was acting like somewhere between an old matron and a little girl wanting to dress up her doll. "I wasn't sure how you planned your sleeping arrangements with your people, so we opened one of the suites for you.
"I am so glad to get to meet you by the way. I hardly get to see any of Itan's family all the way out here, but at least our city and castle can compete with the best of them. Well, maybe not Yalan; but the king's city is pretty unique in size if nothing else," she continued to fawn over her guest.
"We have met before, Rianne. I was at your wedding after all," Xerese stated remembering the day of the celebration. Her mother had brought her along to Yalan where the two were married in Orlaan's castle.
"We have?" the woman questioned in surprise. "Well it was a busy day and I can barely remember half of it, I suppose. Well, it is good to see you again then," she giggled trying to ignore the slight.
When they entered the doors to the suite of rooms, Xerese found that she was very impressed. It looked fit for a queen, yet it was a guest room in Itan's castle. She wondered what the marq and marquess' rooms must be like if these were secondary rooms.
Xerese nearly fainted at the sight of a large bathroom where a tub was already filled with water warm enough to steam, even in the warm southern air. The castle was a tad cooler than the outside, but it was hardly cold enough to expect to see steam.
"I expect that you will want a good soak," Rianne said with a smile at her cousin's face. "So long without a good bath must have been horrible for you."
"You would be surprised by what you can get used to," Xerese answered still unable to wrest her eyes from the sight, "but I have longed for a hot bath more than you can know."
Laughing at the girl, Rianne added, "When you are done, our wizards have set up reservoirs of warmed water that can be heated more, if your companions need it warmer. There are two other bathrooms with tubs waiting also. I can have the servants wash your clothes or you can just use the robes and towels.
"I'll have that tailor here as soon as I can, you poor thing. We'll have you looking like yourself again in no time, I assure you."
Like a wind, the marquess and her ladies swept back out of the suite leaving them to figure out the order of use. The women were waved ahead by Toman and Nico, but Nico made sure to tell Xerese, "The marquess said that you will look like yourself, but trust me. You look beautiful even after all this travel."
His sister shook her head at the man, but Xerese accepted the compliment with a silent nod before excusing herself. The doors were barely pulled shut before Xerese had her clothes off and was quickly soaking in the hot water. A sigh that seemed to vent all of the hardships of the last few months at once was let out as the girl closed her eyes to soak.
Chapter 30- Lady in a Red Dress
The sight of Hala on the cliff overlooking the harbor appeared very different from the last time Annalicia had seen the city. Winter ice was gone and the air seemed as warm as it had been far to the south. It was the heart of summer and apparently, as cold as Southwall was in winter, the country was equally warm through summer.
"It looks very different," Gerid stated as the Sea Dragon proceeded to dock at one of the long piers extending out into the water. Wizards had used magic to make the harbor perfect for ships visiting the city. It had been dredged to a depth that no hull had to fear getting caught on unseen stone. A stone break kept the North Sea from stirring up damaging waves while lighthouses guarded the points making the entry obvious even for a first time visitor.
"You left after the Cataclysm. I would guess that some things might have changed in two hundred years," she said with an amused smile.
Giving a quick grunt acknowledging her comment, the giant continued, "Maybe time makes even things that shouldn't change appear different. I don't remember the cliff being quite so high and this town down below is new too."
"Had the city had much time to recover after the disaster? I would assume any buildings below the high cliffs would have suffered greatly or would have been swept away all together."
"I wasn't in Hala when the tsunami and earthquakes happened. Coming back I was surprised that the city had weathered everything surprisingly well, but like you say, everything along the coast changed. Cities that were hundreds of years old were just washed away. The coastline's shape changed and you know of the islands.
"I helped in Marshalla, Staron and Cadmene before I set sail with a small fleet to check on our allies in the islands. We had supplies figuring that they must have been hit the worst being near the epicenter.
"Of course, we never made it to any of them before the black ships found us."
"And now two hundred years later, things have changed in Hala and the rest of the world," Anna finished hearing a little sadness in his voice. Even two centuries couldn't put the pain of the past completely out of reach, she thought.
"Anyway," he said putting on a smile after clearing his throat, "Hala seems to have recovered and grown since I was last here. I guess it all ended up just being a moment in time lost to the past."
Liam had heard the two talking and said, "Not exactly lost or forgotten, sir. We still fight the Dark One here in Southwall, so we can't forget what he did to the world."
Gerid nodded letting silence hold for awhile.
After descending to the pier, they were met by officials of Hala. The Sea Dragon was known from the tournament, at least from the records kept. That it had left on a special mission for Southwall wouldn't have been told to harbor officials after all.
"My lady, there was a ship sent looking for you a few weeks ago," the man working for the harbor master stated."
Her brow wrinkling in confusion, she asked, "A ship from Malaiy? Was it the Zephyr?"
"No, miss, it was...," the man checked his ledger and stated, "the Alexandron. It arrived three weeks ago. Word was left here in case you returned. Letters were delivered to the castle. That is all I really know about it though."
"We will be heading up into the city to report to the king anyway. I can check once we are there," she nodded.
The man's eyes swept upward opening wider at the size of the giant following her. "De-de-declaration of intent for your visit?" he stammered asking the usual question.
"Returning Southwall wizards and mages on the king's business. Beyond that I can't say," the girl stated with a nod said to appear regal. It was a habit from her days at court.
"Yes, my lady, um, should I speak with the, um, large gentleman behind you as well?"
That was an unusual question for a normal harbor visit. "No, he is here to see King Adrian. He was invited, so it will be taken care of at the castle."
Once dismissed, their path was reasonably unobstructed. Carriages were hired near the base of the wall where the stone path to the top began. Riding with Gerid, Annalicia sat near the window watching the harbor appear to lower as they climbed. The weather was much warmer than the last time she had been in Hala.
Without a need to insulate against the cold, they could leave the windows open to enjoy the sight this time.
She was able to see the wall surrounding the city and the buildings inside as the carriage followed a wide street towards the
inner city where the king's castle was located.
"This is all new," Gerid stated looking at the buildings as the carriage plodded along in the traffic of midday. The warm weather brought more foot traffic, but Annalicia remembered walking the streets during the tournament. Thanks to the influx of tournament guests, the city had been teeming with life in spite of the bitter cold.
"I was told some of the history when I was here," the lady replied turning from the view to look at the giant sitting between his two granddaughters. "After the land settled after the Cataclysm, many survivors came to the king for protection and guidance. When the Dark One's armies began their raids, more people came and they built the large wall out giving the new residents a place of safety.
"Permanent buildings had grown by that time and instead of making them move away, the king had his men build the wall. About the same time, they began work on North Wall or the Great Wall which now spans from a mile north of Hala all the way to the Glacian Ocean where Raven Hurst anchors the west."
"I haven't even heard of Raven Hurst," he frowned.
"The fortress city was named for the first battle mage apparently," Anna replied with a shrug. Some of the news of the wall had come from Sebastian and the others while looking for things to talk about on the long trip. His people talked about Southwall and hers shared about Malaiy.
"I definitely missed a lot while I was on that island. Even trying to catch up a bit talking with Sebastian, I don't really know much about Southwall. It isn't my home anymore."
Annalicia smiled sympathetically and reminded him, "King Alain won't expect you to know everything. He'll answer any questions for you that he can and show you what this country has become since you left."
"Yes, if he is a typical king he will want to talk about what he and his ancestors have accomplished" Gerid chuckled sarcastically.
"They do like to do that. Don't they?"
Again he grunted in amusement as the man recalled, "Well, I guess you would know since your uncle is the king of your country."
The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus Page 43