Alys joined her after a few moments, wearing the red shirt and brown pants made especially for her. “Ready?”
“Change in plans,” Katelyn informed her. “Lord Roland is arriving.”
Alys appeared impressed as she should be. Lord Roland had quite a reputation.
Before Alys could respond a short column of horsemen rode through the gates. Katelyn had always thought that the warriors of Holdon were impressive to look at. One man led an escort of ten. They were garbed almost all in gray. Their pants, their cloaks hanging from their shoulders, even their gloves were gray. They wore gray surcoats over their mail with a red fox on the left breast; all except the leader, who had a large red fox centered on his chest. The arms they carried were impressive as well. Some had two sword hilts sticking out above their shoulders. They all had swords at their belts as well. She knew that at least one would be an expertly balanced short sword used for throwing. The rest were longer blades, and thinner than the normal broadsword, which were more effective from the saddle.
Their mounts trotted into the yard and came to a stop where grooms arrived to care for them. The leader dismounted and removed a rounded helmet to reveal his shoulder length black hair. He had to be Roland Aellison, Lord of Axely, also known as the Red Fox. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his face was serious. He cut a grand figure, the only oddity marring his appearance was his slightly too long nose. He was regarded by all as a brilliant tactician and an honorable man.
Lord Roland strode across the paved courtyard and came to stop before her. He took her in with a glance and inclined his head respectfully. “Princess Katelyn.”
“Lord Roland,” she replied evenly to cover her surprise. He recognized her without their ever having met. That was something to remember. Or maybe not if the reason he recognized her was by her clothing. “It is an honor to finally meet you.”
“The honor is mine. I had heard that the Rose of Summerhall had bloomed at last. Now I can see for myself how true it is.” It was said truthfully, without any hint of flattery.
She decided that this Roland could be a dangerous man. Thankfully, not to her. She wouldn’t want to be his enemy. “May I ask what brings you so far from Holdon?”
He smiled lightly. “No secret, Your Highness, after receiving and evaluating the reports you sent to us, I came here to coordinate our efforts. I should announce myself to your father. I would not wish to give offense.” He inclined his head again before brushing by her.
It was not exactly rude, he was being very polite. It was just his sense of what was proper, and the proper thing to do was to tell his host he had arrived. Even knowing that, she felt an impatience in his tone. She was not the King, after all. She had decided to escort him there, but since he went ahead she followed a few paces behind with Alys. The Lord of Axely glanced back at them and frowned. He wasn’t sure why they were following. He had to stop and ask a servant to show him to the King. Finally, reaching the King’s study he was admitted without delay, the door was kept open for her. Alys waited outside in the hall.
Roland was not too surprised at her presence. She was heir to the throne after all. Thankfully, her father didn’t look as ill as he had from where he sat behind his desk. Gelarus was treating him on the pretense that he was sick from some disease. Diseases were difficult to heal since they varied from person to person. You could not heal what you did not understand. Whatever he was doing Stemis appeared almost himself again. Still tired, but much improved. The only other person present was Lord Oran who had been speechless at the news that his son was alive and well. Roland bowed deeply to Stemis.
The High King smiled at Roland’s arrival. “What brings the Fox to Summerhall?”
“I was sent to coordinate our efforts, and to thank you for such detailed information.” Roland spoke carefully. “I wonder if I may know how you managed to obtain it.”
Katelyn frowned as did the others. Someone, either Roland or more likely King Mance of Holdon, had some doubts as to the accuracy of the data they received. It could be considered an insult to Summerhall depending on how it was perceived.
Stemis stared at the gray clad man for a moment, considering how to respond, or if to. “I sent someone to retrieve it.”
“Into the East?” Roland exclaimed, “all the way to Lornth by the reports. How did this person manage that?” At least he was trying to sound as inoffensive as possible. Still, it was close.
“He is a very resourceful young man,” Stemis said.
It was a very diplomatic response to a situation that should not require any diplomacy. Something was going on here. Roland seemed to be probing for something and he wasn’t going to explain until he got it.
“Maybe I could meet with the young man?” the Lord from Holdon was keeping his face neutral. “I would enjoy hearing of his journey. I have been to Daes Shael once or twice myself. Not recently, of course.”
Stemis leaned back in his chair. “Unfortunately he has not yet returned. The information was sent on ahead by messenger.”
“That is....inconvenient.” It was Roland’s turn to frown. He wasn’t pleased by what he was hearing. “I do not suppose that you would be expecting him soon?”
Oran looked to Stemis. He was not pleased either by the questioning, but the King glanced at her. She couldn’t tell if it was because he was tired or wanted to put Roland off balance, but he wanted her to reply. She stepped to the side of the desk and turned to face their visitor. Roland now had three sets of stern features to face. “You are in luck, Lord Roland. He is scheduled to return by the end of today.”
“That is good to know,” he replied a bit doubtfully. “I have still not heard you mention his name. Perhaps I know him, or have heard of him.” His whole tone of voice had turned sour.
Katelyn did not like being disbelieved. She put venom into her words. “The man who has risked his life for you, for all of us, is Coran Tyelin. Besides being Lord Oran’s son he is also my betrothed. Perhaps you would care to doubt him as you now appear to doubt me?” Roland lost some of his resolve in her gaze. “Maybe now you will tell me what game you are playing at? Why did Mance send you?”
Lord Roland was thoughtful. “Coran, I have heard of him. No, I do not doubt him.” He squared his shoulders and faced them resolutely. “I must apologize. King Mance does not doubt you, nor do I, but there are some who spoke of caution. They are unsure of the validity of the information sent. You have been trying to convince the kingdoms of an impending invasion. Some think the messages you sent were fabricated to make us believe. I was commanded to ascertain the truth before beginning any coordination.”
“Then why are you telling me now? Have you decided we are telling you the truth?” she asked in place of her father.
“I do, and I thought you should know. For the sake of my orders, though, I would still like to speak with Coran if I may?”
“That can be arranged,” she replied. “When would you like to meet to go over any plans?”
He inclined his head. “Whenever is convenient for you, Your Highness.”
She wanted to meet with Martin and Loras before bringing in Roland, and tomorrow morning was no good. She wanted to keep that open for now. “Tomorrow, after lunch,” she decided. “Hopefully, Coran will be here to join us as well.”
“I hope for that as well.” He faced the High King. “Permission to withdraw?” At Stemis’ nod he bowed again before leaving.
“That was unexpected,” Oran stated, breaking the silence that followed the Lord’s departure.
“It seems we have to be wary of enemies from within as well as without,” Stemis stated unhappily.
The two older men went silent in contemplation.
“I have things I need to do,” Katelyn explained, and turned to leave.
“Will I see you for dinner tonight?” Stemis asked.
She thought for a moment. If he wasn’t here by then she might not feel very hungry. “I do not know.”
“Well, if you can I
would like it if you joined us,” Stemis told her.
“I will try,” she replied and left the study.
Alys fell in beside her after she left the room. “Any problems?”
“Not exactly,” Katelyn told her and quietly explained the situation, making sure no one was listening.
Alys looked worried when she finished. “Will it be all right if Coran does not arrive soon?”
“I think it will be all right. Roland seemed to believe us, and he is an honorable man. I do not think he liked doing what he did.”
Alys let the subject drop. “So, what do we do now?”
“The inspection,” Katelyn informed her friend.
After taking charge of the inspections she began giving a number of surprise ones which Martin informed her were appreciated by him and the Knights. It had been two weeks since the last one in an effort to catch them off guard. She didn’t. Some of those disciplined warriors actually smiled when they caught sight of her coming. No one earned a frown from her that day. When she finished she turned to their commander and flashed a satisfied smile. He thanked her as usual and dismissed the men. As they broke formation they clapped each other on the backs and grinned.
“I fear you have stolen your father’s Knights,” Martin said jokingly. At least she hoped he was joking. He saw her face and explained. “I only meant that you have earned their respect and loyalty.”
“Of course, Commander,” she assured him. She knew what he meant despite her thought. “That is kind of you to say,” she said sounding not so sure about it.
“I think you underestimate yourself,” he said seriously. “And you underestimate what taking time for your men means to them.” He ducked his head to her and left.
Katelyn turned her mount and trotted to where Alys waited at the edge of the field. They crossed the stone bridge, named the Knight’s Bridge because it led to the Knight’s encampment, and entered the city. People went about their business on the paved streets. Lately more people had been coming into the city. When there was trouble in the world people seemed to congregate in centers of population. For some reason it made them feel safer.
At the first intersection she stopped and the four guards in her escort stopped as well.
“What is it?” Alys asked her.
Katelyn was looking down the street to the left. “I want to check on something,” she said and urged her horse onto the slightly narrower street. They came to an intersection with a larger street that ran from the palace to the Bridge of Soros, and then turned into the highway that ran all the way to Delios. In the center of that intersection was a fifteen foot high statue carved out of white marble. The circular base was three feet high and at least ten feet in diameter. The statue rose another dozen feet into the air. The figure carved was Soros. He stood straight with one hand at his side and the other on the hilt of his sword. The chiseled face was looking southwest towards Delios, the ancestral home of the Sundarrions. The two ladies went around the statue and continued towards the southern part of the island.
Katelyn wore a heavy cloak of dark blue against the cool wind that blew in off the water of the harbor and up the straight streets. A man in a black coat buttoned up to the collar cursed at having to move out of the way of one of her escort’s mounts. He was about to say more until he saw her face and swallowed the insult. Other people thought better of it and shuffled to the sides of the street to let her pass.
The circular harbor was about a third full. The small fleet that Summerhall sported was out protecting its major ports. They had no idea how far the Ithanians were going to take things. That they had begun assaulting Midian vessels further south was an indication. Partly because of that, several traders had volunteered to take their ships out and help patrol the coast. They were not warships, but they had experience in fighting off pirates and could give warning of an approaching fleet.
She walked her horse down towards the docks. There were few people about with the lack of incoming ships and cargoes to offload. It was oddly quiet. Nothing like a major port should be.
A guard in the blue livery of Summerhall watched the traffic going in and out. She stopped her horse in front of the man. By the small, single gold bar on his collar she could tell he was a corporal.
“Corporal,” she called.
The man, who had to be in his twenties turned and froze. His eyes widened and he put a fist to his chest. “Your Highness. What can I do for you?”
“Are you familiar with the ships coming in and out of the harbor here?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I grew up around here. In Summerhall, I mean. I know all the local traders and most of the ships’ captains. That’s why I got assigned here. Easier to stop smuggling and deal with troublemakers when you know the ins and outs and who’s who.”
“Then you know Captain Treska?” she asked.
He bobbed his head. “Everyone knows Treska.”
“Good. Can you tell me if he has returned yet?”
He scratched his chin. “No. I mean he hasn’t come back yet.” His forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Strange that, him going off when he did; what with the Ithanians and all the ports being closed. There has been plenty of talk, but no one knows why.”
He wasn’t back yet. She didn’t really expect him to be here but she couldn't help feeling a touch of disappointment. There was still plenty of time left in the day. “Will you be on duty all day, Corporal?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Captain Treska is expected back sometime today, or possibly shortly after dark,” she explained. “He is carrying an important passenger. Now I know you have to be thorough in checking any off- loading passengers, but this man must be passed through immediately.”
He nodded at her every word. “You can count on me, Your Highness. Just to be sure I do not make any mistakes, can you tell me his name?”
“Lord Coran of Tyelin, and” she remembered Treska’s latest description of him, “he might be dressed as a Karand.”
The Corporal mouthed the name Coran. “I will see to it, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Corporal. She left him ducking his head at her.
She still found it amazing how so many people could be so overwhelmed by royalty. Of course, she was born that way and was used to it.
They rode by a more direct route back towards the palace. They came across one of the city’s main squares where dozens of people were gathered to hear a man reciting a tale. He was tall and thin, and wore colorful clothes of every color. On a horse she had no trouble seeing from the back of the crowd. He was in front of a round pool centered by a fountain.
The bard had his arm out like he was holding a sword with the point downward. “Yield you Voltian Dog!” he cried in a vibrant voice, “or die.”
She continued to listen and was amazed by it. The Voltian dog was apparently supposed to be Torvilin, and the bard was now Coran. The story was inspiring, but greatly embellished. When the man finished his tale the audience clapped loudly and hooted their appreciation. She shared an amused look with Alys.
The bard bowed regally to his fans and waved a hand. “Tonight I will be performing at the Queen’s Inn.” His voice carried across the square. He bowed a second time.
Katelyn raise her voice to carry above the crowd. “Master Bard!”
The crowd turned their heads at the same time the bard went hastily to one knee. The people followed his example. “Please rise,” she commanded. They did after a moment’s hesitation. “Master Bard. Since you are performing at the Queen’s Inn tonight I wonder if you would be willing to perform for the King tomorrow night?”
The exaltation on his face was palpable. “I would be honored, Your Highness.”
She inclined her head slightly in agreement of a deal, then heeled her mount around the crowd and back towards the palace.
Katelyn watched over the well-lit courtyard below from the balcony set high up in front of the palace. The moon was bright tonight and so were the stars that dec
orated the black sky. Her anxiety grew as the day wore on, hoping that the next time she turned around he would be there.
Margery came just before dark to try and convince her to join the family for dinner, but she declined. She wasn’t feeling very hungry. Alys declined as well keeping true to her word to stay with her for the entire day. That was over an hour gone. She debated with herself again whether she should give up for the night and go inside. Once again she didn’t move, but kept her gaze on the closed gates below.
“I was planning on going riding tomorrow,” Alys stated. She had on a heavy cloak, a simple brown one she had thrown on before coming outside. “Do you want to come? Devon is going with me.”
“I wish I could, but not tomorrow. I have to meet with Roland after lunch and it will probably last the rest of the day.” They usually did. “Maybe the next day.” She took her eyes off the gate long enough to glance at her brown haired friend. “You have been spending a lot of time with Devon lately.”
Alys did her best to hide the blush that came to her cheeks in the darkness. “It was your idea for me to use a sword,” she replied defensively.
“And the riding?”
“He is only there for protection,” came the reasonable response.
“Of course,” she said and decided to let her friend off the hook by dropping the subject. She saw two of the guards standing together in casual conversation near the gate.
“What is that?” Alys asked. She was looking up at the stars.
Katelyn surveyed the sky and saw nothing. “What was what?”
“I thought I saw something. It was flying.”
“Maybe it was a bat,” she suggested.
“I think it was bigger than that.”
“An owl?”
“Maybe,” Alys sounded doubtful. She continued to scan the darkness.
“Well, it is gone now,” Katelyn told her. “It must have been an owl.”
Fire And Ice (Book 1) Page 40