“And if it doesn’t go well?” Sir Edmend put in, his expression betraying his concern.
“That’s why the rest of our army will be leaving shortly after Korram. They’ll hide in the hills around the city, and he’ll send word if he needs reinforcements. I hope it won’t come to an all-out battle, but if it does, we’ll be ready.”
Sir Edmend frowned. “Forgive me for saying so, your Highness, but it sounds like a risky plan. I can think of several things that could go wrong.”
Jaymin nodded matter-of-factly. “Oh, yes, it is risky. Erik and I were talking last night, and we came up with a list of twenty-three potential problems.”
In spite of himself, Sir Edmend laughed. “Twenty-three? That’s even worse than I’d thought.” He sighed. “But really, I don’t suppose I could come up with anything better. And General Dirken – he’s in favor of this, I assume?”
Jaymin nodded. “He thought most of it up himself.” He paused. “Speaking of the general, I wonder if he was able to find the other three spies.”
Dirken had sent Rennie over a few minutes earlier to report that Dannel was nowhere to be found. He had apparently slipped away last night, and Jaymin assumed he had gone straight to Regent Rampus to report everything he had seen and heard.
“I don’t like it,” Erik murmured under his breath from the other side of the table, and Jaymin knew he was thinking about Dannel as well.
“I suppose Rampus knows you’re here now,” Sir Edmend remarked, his thoughts obviously on the same track. “It’s a good thing we’re putting this plan into action today.”
Unexpectedly, Erik spoke up. “I still don’t like it,” he said seriously. “At all.”
Jaymin and Sir Edmend turned to him in surprise. Erik usually had plenty to say when he and Jaymin were alone, but when others were around he would automatically switch from cheerful friend to silent bodyguard, seldom speaking unless spoken to.
“The way I see it,” Erik continued, addressing Jaymin, “your survival is the biggest weakness in Rampus’ plans. As soon as the rest of Alasia finds out you’re alive, our people will have real reason to resist the Malornians. If I were Rampus, I would make eliminating that reason my highest priority.”
“Hmm.” Sir Edmend frowned, the familiar worried look returning to his face. “You do have a point. And yet I’m not sure what better move we could make at the moment. We are doing what we can to take care of Rampus as soon as possible.”
“With all due respect, sir, that’s not good enough.”
Jaymin was shocked. It wasn’t like Erik to speak that way to anyone, much less a respected member of the king’s Council of Advisors.
“I knew we were in danger in the town square that time, and I kept quiet,” Erik continued, his voice pained, “and look what almost happened then. I’m not going to make the same mistake twice. Rampus is going to try something; I’m sure he is. Waiting around here is a bad idea.”
Jaymin considered his friend’s words. “I see what you’re saying, but surely, with our army surrounding me, this is the safest place I can be right now.”
Erik shook his head stubbornly. “It’s not safe for you here, Jaymin. It’s not. I’m not going to keep quiet about it this time.”
He had never argued with Jaymin in public before, and Jaymin wasn’t sure how to respond. “Well, what would you suggest we do, then? It’s not as though I can go back to Keston or Drall.”
Erik shrugged. “You can hide somewhere else. Alasia’s a big place. We’ll think of something.”
Jaymin sighed in exasperation. “You know I can’t just leave. You were there when we made our plans. Prince Korram will be arriving at any moment now, and I’ll need to finalize the arrangements with him, and I still have to make my speech to some of our soldiers later before they leave for the secret tunnel.”
Erik shook his head adamantly. “Cancel the speech.”
“Erik.” Jaymin was getting annoyed. “You worry too much.” Besides, he had been looking forward to showing himself to the soldiers. It would be fun to see their reactions when they found out who he was. “Korram is going to arrest Rampus by the end of the day, anyway. We really can’t move any faster than that.”
Erik glared at him. “You’re making a mistake, and it could be a costly one.”
Jaymin glared back. “That’s a risk we’ll have to take, but I don’t think it’s a very big one.”
Erik closed his mouth and folded his arms, accepting defeat without surrender. Jaymin turned away to avoid his penetrating gaze, thinking uncomfortably that he shouldn’t have spoken to his friend like that. What if Erik was right? Well, he’s a bodyguard; it’s his job to worry about my safety. That doesn’t mean anything is really going to go wrong.
From outside, footsteps were approaching the tent. Jaymin heard General Dirken’s voice saying something he couldn’t quite make out, and Rennie replied. A moment later, the general pulled back the tent flap and ducked inside.
“Your Highness.” He bowed briefly to Jaymin. “And Sir Edmend – good morning.” Like most people, he ignored Erik, which was exactly the way Erik liked it.
“Hello, General.” Jaymin gestured to the empty chair. “What news?”
Dirken sat down, accepting the cup of coffee that Sir Edmend poured for him. “The other three spies are now under guard, your Highness. They’ve been stripped of their rank and are awaiting eventual court-martial. Prince Korram was telling the truth.”
“They actually confessed?”
“They did, your Highness.” The general took a swallow of his coffee with the air of one who has accomplished a successful morning’s work.
Sir Edmend raised his eyebrows. “I’m afraid to ask how you convinced them to talk so quickly.”
“Then don’t. Rest assured I did nothing illegal. Let’s just say that by the time we were finished, they were only too eager to tell me everything I wanted to know. As I had suspected, they have been providing the Malornians with information since even before the Invasion. I will brief you more thoroughly later, but in the meantime, we may wish to head for Camp Four. I’ve just received word that Prince Korram and his horsemen have arrived.” He turned to Jaymin. “He would like to meet with you at your earliest convenience.”
Jaymin nodded eagerly. “I’m ready now. Would you like to come and meet him, Sir Edmend?” Then I won’t feel so badly for not inviting you last night.
“I’d be glad to, your Highness.” They all stood as General Dirken downed a last swallow of coffee. Erik waited until they had all left the tent before slipping silently after them.
Korram was pacing restlessly when they arrived, with his bodyguard, Ernth, standing silent and watchful nearby. At Dirken’s suggestion, they met in the little clearing where they had talked the night before, a safe distance down the trail from Camp Four, where Korram’s soldiers were busy tending to their horses and lighting cooking fires. As the general had pointed out, even if they trusted Korram, it wasn’t worth taking the risk that some ambitious Malornian might recognize Jaymin and hope for an assassin’s reward from Regent Rampus. So they were careful to stay out of sight, and Dirken had once more arranged for armed guards to follow them through the trees to keep an eye out for trouble.
Korram’s dark hair stood up just as wildly as before, and the dark circles under his eyes bore testimony to his lack of sleep, but there was a spring to his step and an excited light in his eyes. Jaymin smiled to himself as they dismounted. He could understand Korram’s feelings; they were not so different from his own. If everything went well, both of them would have their kingdoms back in just a few more days.
This time General Dirken had come prepared with pen and ink and parchment. It took only a few minutes to compose a letter to Regent Rampus, in which Korram reported that he had defeated the Alasian army and killed Prince Jaymin himself. Jaymin had suggested that last detail mainly for Erik’s sake, but if Erik felt better about his friend’s safety now, his expression gave nothing away.
> The letter went on to say that Korram would be arriving in Almar shortly to show Rampus a secret treasury in a hidden room in the palace, thanks to information from captured Alasian military leaders. They sent the letter off with an eager young Malornian horseman, accompanied by an Alasian soldier to guide him through the forest toward Almar.
When that had been taken care of, Sir Edmend used a stick to sketch the layout of the palace in a patch of old snow under the trees. Korram studied the floor plan, memorizing the corridors and stairways he would take when he led Rampus to the tunnel entrance, which he would claim was the way to the treasury. Though the regent had been told there was a secret tunnel, as far as anyone knew he had no idea where it actually was, so he would have no reason to suspect anything. Korram even practiced the route, walking through the trees and turning right and left as Sir Edmend talked him through it. They couldn’t afford any mistakes or misdirection later.
When they had finished, Jaymin found that he had plenty of time to reflect on what they were doing and to wonder if it would really work. There were so many things that could go wrong. What if Rampus refused to meet with Korram? What if Rampus had soldiers camped out in the hills around Almar where the Alasian military had been based, and Dirken’s soldiers couldn’t get through? What if no Malornian soldiers believed Korram or wanted to join him? Maybe this had been a stupid idea after all. But there was no turning back now; the letter had been sent, the wheels were turning, and at this point they had no choice but to go through with it.
Korram looked anxious too. “Doesn’t the waiting get to you?” he asked rhetorically, as they sat on stumps just outside Camp Four, watching through the trees as Malornian horsemen drilled with spears. Jaymin nodded absently, intent on what the soldiers were doing. He was used to Alasian sword fighting techniques, but this was a different style of combat entirely. The Alasian army had not been trained to battle opponents with spears.
“Do all Malornians fight that way?” he asked presently. “The soldiers I saw in Drall only had swords.”
Korram grinned, and there was no mistaking the pride in his voice. “These are the only soldiers in Malorn – or I should say, in Alasia now – who are trained this way. It’s because most of them aren’t regular city-bred Malornians; they’re Mountain Folk. You see the ones wearing deerskin clothes instead of the red and black uniforms? I recruited them from up in the Impassable Mountains in rural Malorn. They’ve never been part of an army until a couple of months ago, but they’re tough fighters, and any one of them would give their lives for me or for each other. And one of the best parts is that Rampus’s soldiers have never faced opponents with spears before. It should give us a bit of an advantage if it comes down to it.”
Jaymin nodded in agreement. “And considering how badly his troops outnumber yours and mine put together, we can use every advantage we can get.” He sighed. “I just wish I knew how this was all going to turn out.”
Korram’s eyes were far away. “I don’t know exactly what will happen in the next few hours, but I know how it’s going to end. By this time tomorrow, Rampus will be in chains, and I’ll be leading all my troops back to Malorn to tell my people the truth about him and to get ready to be king.”
He sounds like Erik, Jaymin thought with a smile, trying to convince us both that everything will turn out all right no matter how unlikely it seems.
“And you,” Korram continued, lost in his fantasy, “will be riding into Almar in triumph as the conquering hero back from the dead, with your people lining the streets and cheering their lungs out for you. Now that’s something to look forward to, wouldn’t you say?”
Jaymin gazed out at the soldiers in the clearing, noting the way they used the heads, shafts, and even the club-like butts of the spears as they swung and jabbed at each other from the backs of their speeding horses. Looking closely, he realized for the first time that many of the Mountain Folk warriors were women. They were dressed and armed the same way as the men, and seemed just as formidable in their fighting abilities. Doubtless that would be another surprise for Rampus and his troops.
Jaymin would rather have discussed soldiers and combat techniques than answer Korram’s question, which opened the door to uncomfortable thoughts he preferred not to think at the moment. Quite apart from the issue of whether or not their plan would actually succeed, he wasn’t certain how he felt about the other prince’s scenario.
“I’m sure they will be cheering,” he replied finally, “but I’m not so sure I want them to.”
Korram frowned, uncomprehending. “Why ever not?”
“Because I really don’t deserve it. I haven’t done anything.” He paused, trying to decide how much he wanted to share with this boy he barely knew. Choosing his words thoughtfully, he began again. “Everyone loved my father. He did great things for Alasia. People cheered whenever he went out, because he had earned it. But I haven’t done anything to deserve it, and yet as you said, they’re all probably going to be cheering their lungs out anyway.” He sighed. I’ll never be like my father. I don’t know how to be a good king yet. Alasia needs him, not me. I’m not ready to rule the kingdom. The thoughts that he had been pushing to the back of his mind for the last few weeks were growing stronger now that it seemed there was actually a chance he might get his kingdom back. A kingdom that would undoubtedly be thrilled to see him alive. A kingdom he was so afraid he would let down.
Korram chuckled. “I see what you’re saying, but there’s a lot more to it than that, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that your people will be excited to see you not just because of what you have or haven’t done, but because of who you are. You are the only one left to rule Alasia. You are their hope, their future, whether you’ve actually done anything yet or not. Because they know you will.” He turned to face Jaymin, his eyes serious. “As princes, it’s our responsibility to become the kind of kings who deserve their people’s praise.”
Jaymin nodded absently, not really digesting the words. He watched the galloping riders as they flipped their spears expertly from one hand to the other then switched smoothly to a variety of two-handed grips, all while guiding their horses with just their legs and feet. It was easier to admire their skill than to ponder his own inadequacies. He had a feeling that Korram had a good point, but he would have to consider it some other time. As much as he wanted his kingdom back, he wasn’t ready to think about actually becoming king. He pushed the thoughts away again, to be dealt with later.
“So, what about those Alasian resources you said you’d like access to?” he asked, to change the subject. “Would you care to discuss some trade possibilities?”
Korram brightened. “I’d love to! What would you think about some of your glass in exchange for some of our gold or marble?”
The day dragged on as the two princes discussed trade arrangements and peace treaties while they watched the soldiers practice and tried to stay out of sight. The hours seemed to stretch longer than weeks. At last, however, the appointed time arrived.
General Dirken had summoned three dozen handpicked Alasian soldiers to a small clearing a short distance from Camp Three, since that was in the most direct line to the secret tunnel’s entrance in the hills outside Almar. Earlier Sir Edmend had spoken privately with two of the soldiers, describing exactly how to get to the mouth of the tunnel. They had all agreed it would be safer if the whole group didn’t know any more than necessary.
Jaymin stood watching with Erik from behind a tree, safely out of sight for now, though in a few minutes he would step forward to deliver what he hoped would be words of encouragement and inspiration. Korram sat on a stump off to one side, Ernth standing behind him.
The four of them watched as the soldiers rode into the clearing, dismounted, and tied their horses to trees at the clearing’s far end. They would be riding most of the way to Almar, and Jaymin wondered what they would do with their horses when they reached the tunnel. The forest was thick in th
at area, miles from the nearest road, so probably the soldiers would simply tie them to trees as they were doing now and hope no one would discover them and the hidden tunnel entrance nearby. Yet another possible snag in this risky plan of ours, Jaymin thought. That makes it twenty-four. But he pushed the worry firmly from his mind, focusing instead on the soldiers forming up into neat rows in the center of the clearing.
When the men were all ready, General Dirken stepped out and mounted the simple wooden platform – put together that afternoon from two short logs and a plank or two – in front of the soldiers. The platform had been Erik’s idea: something for Jaymin to stand on so even those in the back would see him clearly.
Once the general had started speaking, Jaymin and Erik walked quietly around behind the assembled soldiers. They were all standing at attention with their eyes on the general, and Jaymin knew they were too disciplined to turn around now. No one would see him before he made his grand entrance.
General Dirken explained briefly but clearly what Korram planned to do in the palace and how they were to fit into his plan. Finally, he reminded them of what was at stake and commended them for their valor so far – apparently most of them were among the survivors of the Battle in the Hills on the night of the Invasion.
Prince of Alasia (Annals of Alasia Book 1) Page 20