The High King: Book Two of the 'Riothamus' trilogy

by Rosemary Fryth

  “How is that?” he asked. “How is it that such ancient maps were kept at Rapier? I would have expected Glaive itself to keep secure such artifacts.”

  “Because Rapier itself was the first settlement on the island,” Drayden replied wryly. “We understand that Glaive was built later…several generations later in fact.”

  Aran sat back, his mind full of questions, “I know that this is irrelevant to the matter at hand,” he said, “But I would dearly like to know why Glaive Island was named for Glaive?”

  Drayden shrugged, “It is no great secret. The fact is that Glaive Island was named such after the destruction of Rapier. Like Seawatch Keep becoming Andur’s Keep, Glaive Island was once known as Njord’s Finger.” He smiled dryly, “We cannot explain the origins of the name, only that it came from the minds of the Ancients who named it thus.”

  “My lord,” High Weathermage Trenny bluntly interrupted. “As much as this conversation may be fascinating to you, it is however not getting us any closer to arranging our journey.”

  Aran half-turned to stare cold-eyed at the older mage, “I would appreciate not being interrupted, mage,” he said, more than a little irritated at the other’s words.

  “Listen to your king,” Darven said flatly, his dark eyes also mirroring anger.

  Drayden nervously watched the small confrontation of the two volatile Warriormages, against the hard-minded High Weathermage. If their differences were not soon resolved, it would cause untold friction within the group. He sighed heavily, realising that he would have to have a word with Trenny once they were on the road. It would bode ill for the peace of the party if the Weathermage kept on mistrusting and antagonising Lord Arantur. The young king seemed to have only a tenuous control upon his temper, and Wolf Leader Darven was already beginning to display obvious signs of the Warriormage anger.

  “My lords,” Alissa said gently. “It grows late and we have an early start. Might we not finish our plans and preparations before the sun itself rises on our deliberations?”

  *

  “The Weathermages all seem like hand in glove with each other,” Alissa mused much later after she and Aran had finally retired to bed.

  “Aye…” Aran sighed, almost asleep after the rigours of their lovemaking.

  “Because the Archmage is of their discipline they think themselves elite,” Alissa said sourly. “It is obvious to me that the Earthmages and Healermages are thought of as poor cousins to those of the Weathermage Ability.”

  Aran opened one eye in protest, “Alissa, it seems to me that all Abilities are elitist to their own,” he gently corrected her. “What about all that secret stuff to do with the Sages at Glade that Drayden was going on about, he is as close about his secrets as the Archmage…and with less reason,” he finished.

  Alissa turned onto her side and regarded Aran’s silhouette, “I understand that Drayden is the foremost Earthmage at Glaive, and is widely regarded to be the next in line for the Archmage’s position if Maran ever steps down.”

  Aran opened both his eyes at that, “Really…that is news to me. I guess we ought to count ourselves fortunate that we are in his favour. It would be bad policy indeed to put both the Archmage and the heir apparent off-side.”

  Alissa yawned and turned to snuggle up closer to Aran, “My love, these are too heavy thoughts for the hour and this place.”

  Aran grinned in the darkness, “You did start this conversation, Alissa.”

  She placed her lips against his, “And now I am finishing it! Besides I have another, more pleasurable activity in mind.”

  Aran laughed and turned to her, “You want to do it again…”

  *

  “The weather seems to be breaking my lord.”

  Aran looked up from his chore of tightening Spirit’s girth strap and saw a faint line of blue etched against the peaks of the distant Trident Range.

  “Aye Darven, there is a change coming.” Aran grinned suddenly, “At least it will make our travelling a little easier.”

  “The grasp of winter is very tenuous where we are going,” Drayden said quietly, leading his horse forward. “The deep forest is so dense that little of the snow will reach the ground, and the extreme cold itself is muted by the presence and life of the wood.”

  “Will we be troubled by the wolves?” Alissa asked, whilst pulling the hood of her cloak closer about her face.

  The mage glanced across at the young woman and shook his head, “Wolves would never consider attacking such a large, well-armed group, besides I’ve never known a wolf to attack a party in which there was an Earthmage.”

  “And we will have four in this group,” Alissa replied. “Although two, including myself, have only the latent Ability

  “So how will the Earthmages protect us?” asked Darven.

  “Earthmages have an innate affinity with all animal life and growing things,” the mage replied. “They would scent us and think we were members of their own pack. For them to attack us would be akin to the wolves setting upon their own group.”

  “So with the snakes dormant, we will for a time be safe within the woods,” Aran stated. Then he turned to the High Earthmage, “I know that you think that this will be a necessary side-journey Drayden, but it will delay us and cause us to venture into the mountains in the very depths of winter?”

  Drayden nodded, “It is true we will be journeying in the worst of that season, but unfortunately that cannot be helped. The Thakur would decide to war against us in wintertime, and we must get the assistance of the Sages before venturing into Thakur and the mountains. Unfortunately this is not a matter of choice, but of utmost need!”

  “Will you not tell us more of the Sages,” Alissa asked.

  Drayden shook his head, “I am under oath and word not to speak further of them until we come directly into their presence.” He glanced up and saw their confusion, “However I can comfort you by saying that they will give us much aid…their vow commands them so.”

  Aran handed the reins to Alissa and stepping up to the High Earthmage, pulled him aside. “Drayden…I am pleased that both you and Trevan have elected to come along with us, but I am concerned that we will have no one else back here at camp that will be able to Scan any suspect Warriormages.”

  Drayden smiled, “I had anticipated this problem, my lord. I have made arrangements with a few of the higher ranked Earthmages to be at the disposal of the Guard and the Legions. If any latent Warriormages are here they will be found without the Archmage knowing.”

  Aran frowned, “I had not realised there were such deep divisions between the different Abilities on Glaive. I had thought that all on Glaive were loyal to Glaive, and the Archmage.”

  Drayden shook his head, “All mages have a degree of loyalty to Glaive itself, but their greatest loyalty has always been towards others of their own Ability.” He looked up and across to the distant mages enclave, “You may have noticed how the Weathermages are distrustful of you. They merely take their cue from the Archmage, and you know that he is the foremost Weathermage.”

  “Just as you seem to be the foremost Earthmage,” Aran replied.

  “That is correct!”

  Aran frowned again, “Then why do you not distrust me?” he asked finally.

  Drayden sighed, “It is in the nature of Earthmages and Healermages to work closely with all living things. Whether the life involved is plant, animal or human, our minds and souls are intrinsically committed to maintaining and understanding the mysteries of life itself.” He paused as if to better to frame his next words, “The Weathermages, although equally committed to the preservation of life, are less…connected… to life in general. Their thoughts and powers extend to the great mysteries of weather and the movements of wind, fire and water.”

  “This I understand,” Aran said reflectively chewing on a torn thumbnail. “Even though he is my kin, Maran has always felt remote to me. Until now I have never understood the closeness I feel to both you and Trevan.”

  “
Just so,” Drayden agreed. “The Abilities within Earthmages and Healermages instinctively reach out to foster and nurture all kinds of life.”

  Aran glanced out towards the distant western mountains.

  “So how will you fare in Thakur? I mean the Thakurian are living beings like us.”

  “I’m not certain of that,” Drayden said shortly.

  Aran turned in some puzzlement, “How can they not be? They breathe, sleep, eat, ride and fight like other men.”

  Drayden shook his head, “Whilst I was in Thakur and later, during the battle, I tried to reach out and connect to the soldiers I saw. To understand what drove them, to understand their lifeforce.” He looked away in some consternation, “I was able only to connect with them in the most limited way. I felt their great hatred of us, and their envy of our rich, fertile lands. I saw too primal emotions and dark desires of rape and murder. But beyond that I saw nothing; their minds seemed closed and blank.” He turned back to Aran, “I looked for their souls. For the Goddess spark that every living thing possesses….” He sighed again, “I found none in those that seemed taken by their Warleader.”

  “How can that be?” Aran was not certain he understood Drayden. “Have they no souls at all?”

  “I found none…” Drayden repeated. “If they were born with one, it does not exist now. There is not a fragment of the Goddess spark left to sense. It seems to have been leached away.”

  “Then they are utterly possessed by their Warleader,” Aran stated heavily. “Not content with taking their minds, she also has stolen their souls.”

  “I may be mistaken, but it seems so, my lord,” Drayden replied gravely.

  Aran shook his head at the grief of it.

  “How could they have allowed it to happen?”

  “My lord, I guess at this,” Drayden said, “I assume her influence at first might have been subtle…later, as her power base grew, more and more Thakur would have been taken” Drayden mused.

  “So are all the population under her influence?” Aran asked.

  “Most,” replied Drayden. “There are some that seem to be free, however their voices were lost and difficult to trace.”

  “So what will happen if I kill her?”

  Drayden shrugged, “I don’t know, although I suspect dark consequences for the Thakur.”

  “Then tell me!” Aran said abruptly.

  Drayden too turned to stare into the west, “As an Earthmage I only hope that the stolen souls return to the host bodies, but I fear that there will be a more tragic end to the Thakur.”

  “They die?”

  Drayden nodded, “If the Warleader is killed, then the souls and life energy of the Thakur may die with her. The only ones who will survive will be those who haven’t fallen under her mage influence.”

  Aran was aghast. “Do you mean to say that if I kill the Warleader, I will be destroying the Thakurian nation? By Andur Drayden, that’s genocide!”

  “But I might be wrong my lord,” Drayden hastened to add, “In truth we know little about the way she has overcome her people. It may be the fact that her death will release them and they will turn away from our lands and no longer war upon us.”

  “But we’re not to know this until we kill her,” Aran said bluntly, “Since indeed she must be killed.”

  The mage nodded sadly, “We have no other choice. If we turn away from our purpose now, concentrate only upon protecting the province, then before long her armies will reach beyond their borders and we will be overcome.”

  Aran’s face grew hard with suppressed anger, “That cannot be borne. If ever I doubted the need for such a conclusion to this war, then this one piece of news has only hardened my resolve. As much as I am revolted by the thought of innocents dying, this mage must be destroyed before she brings our own people under her unholy subjugation.”

  “That is if she can be killed at all,” Drayden stated dryly. “It would be wise my lord, not to go into this with too much confidence. Things have gone our way so far, but I would not be too optimistic for the future.”

  Aran stared narrowly at the mage, “Have you further information that you are holding back from me?” he asked. “Do you have information that would imperil the hopes of the expedition?”

  Drayden swiftly shook his head, “No, no, my lord. My only concern is that we don’t know the full strength of this Warleader. She may prove to be difficult to kill and she will have the benefit of being deep in her own territory, whilst we are isolated from any support other than what exists within the group itself.” He shook his head again realising the full import of what they were attempting to do. Finally he looked up, “It will be hard enough going into enemy territory in the depths of a mountain winter without also having to contend with outwitting enemy patrols, scaling the walls of Erie and then facing and destroying the Warleader.”

  “It will be difficult,” Aran agreed. “But as you said before, we have no other choice…and surrender is totally unthinkable!”

  “My lord!”

  Aran turned at the voice and saw Captain Taran and several Legion Commanders heading towards himself and the Earthmage.

  “We were told last night that you intend leaving today to go on into Thakur,” Captain Taran said without preamble.

  Aran inclined his head, “Just so, my role here as a soldier is quite finished…I now have other duties ahead of me.”

  Taran nodded, “It is good that you are taking some of the Guard, I had grave doubts about you making it alone through the wilds of Thakur…”

  “There is a representative group of mages travelling with the king,” Drayden said, interrupting. “They have useful skills which will help on the journey.”

  “And I have Alissa, Darven and Bini also travelling with me,” Aran added. “Do not be concerned my lords, I will be well looked after and protected.”

  “Alissa is going?”

  Both Taran and Druec spoke as one.

  “Indeed,” Aran replied gravely. “She would not hear otherwise, even though I asked and insisted that she remain in the Province.”

  Taran shook his head, and then looked up at his King with desperation written clearly across his face. “My lord Arantur, I beg of you to try and turn her from this course.”

  Aran shook his head, “Captain…I have indeed tried to convince her to stay, but she is insistent that she goes.” Aran pulled a rueful face, “I also wish that she should stay here, but the truth of the matter is that if I fail, she will be in as great a danger in the Province as she would in Thakur.”

  Taran bowed his greying head, “Then protect her for me lord.”

  Aran stepped up and placed a gentle hand on the Captain of the Guard’s shoulder, “Taran, you know that I would die before I allowed any hurt to fall upon Alissa.”

  “Then see that you do...” growled Druec angrily, whilst turning and stomping away from the group.

  Sennar thoughtfully glanced across at Aran, “I know that you are taking some Guardsmen with you, ought then you not also take legio too?”

  Aran shook his head, “We must try and get into Thakur unobserved. If I increase the size of the party we will stand out to any Thakur who happens to be watching, besides the legio and the remainder of the Guard will be needed to fight and hold this position against any advancing Thakur.”

  “And after that?” asked Taran.

  Aran glanced towards Drayden.

  “Earthmage, how many routes could an army take out of the mountains to enter the Province?”

  “An army must take only one,” he replied quickly “The main southern road to Riggeltz is the only route safe enough and wide enough to allow the quick passage of large numbers of soldiers and their attendant supply wagons.”

  “But there are other routes?”

  Drayden nodded, “There are several small track ways that lead from the mountains to the grasslands of the plain. We ourselves will be taking one that exits to the south of Warning Peak. I have flown over this particular track way, f
or it follows a small tributary of the Trident River deep within the range itself. This is our best route for we will bypass the city of Thakur and strike instead for the rear of Erie. This way we will hopefully avoid most of the patrols which will be out and about on the main Thakur/Riggeltz road.”

  “And we will be exiting the same track way once our mission is successful?” Aran asked.

  “Yes, although there are other, more northerly routes out onto the plain, they are much higher in altitude and would not be passable in winter.”

  Aran turned back to the Captain of the Guard, “Then to answer your question Taran. Once your job here is finished, I would like you to take the Guard and Legions south of the ambush point and wait for our return. Your presence there will be like a cork stoppering the neck of a bottle, and will prevent any other Thakur incursions northwards from Riggeltz.”

  “And how long should we wait my lord?”

  Aran glanced back at Drayden.

  The Earthmage quickly supplied the answer.

  “We should be returned by end of winter. The horses will help us only until we pass the foothills of the Trident Range, after that the depth of snow, the climb, and the absence of feed will only hamper our mounts, and we must abandon them and go on foot.”

  “Will they be safe?” Aran asked.

  Drayden nodded.

  “And they will be near enough to call for when we return out of the mountains,” he stated. “For an Earthmage, that information at least can be simply communicated to the horses.”

  “Good.” Despite the prospect of such a long walk ahead of him, Aran was pleased that he did not have to contend with the extra worries that bringing horses would have entailed.

  Aran turned back to the Captain of the Guard. “So know you know our plans. The remaining Guard and legio will need to establish another semi-permanent defensive camp similar to what has been done here, at a position south of the ambush point and north of Warning Peak. During the time we are gone, you are to send out patrols along our borders to ensure the Thakur don’t break through north of your position, and also hold any further incursions from the south road. If all seems secure, then you might look to regaining and rebuilding what is left of Riggeltz. That is if the Thakur have left us anything standing at all,” he added grimly.