"Where were they?" asked Wylan.
"Common rooms," answered the soldier. "Each of them was sitting alone. They must have split up on purpose."
Wylan nodded and dismissed the soldier. He stood in the alley for several moments without moving, pondering where he would hide in a similar situation. He finally decided that he would try to remain in his room at the inn, or in the stables near his horse in case the gates opened. He knew that his men would check each and every room of the inns, so he headed towards the stables behind the inns. He shook Sheri's arm off of his and started tapping the ground with his cane. Sheri understood what Wylan was thinking and lagged behind him. When Wylan entered the first stables, Sheri went around to the rear with her hand on the hilt of her short sword. She remained ready for anyone fleeing through the small doorway.
Wylan tapped his cane in front of him as he maneuvered into the dark stables. His ears remained alert for any sign of danger as his sensitive eyes scanned the darkness. The first set of stables was empty of humans, and he exited through the rear door.
"Nothing," he said softly to Sheri. "Let's try the next set of stables."
A little farther along the alley was another set of stables. Again the Knights of Alcea split up with Wylan tapping his way into the darkness. This time Wylan noticed a horse fidgeting in the last stall. Feigning a trip, the Knight of Alcea fell to the ground, a loud curse spilling from his lips. He looked into the stall and saw a pair of human legs behind the horse. He smiled inwardly. Wylan rose to his feet and gripped his cane.
"Where is that fool of a stableboy?" Wylan muttered to himself. "Doesn't he know that I can't see which horse I am supposed to brush?"
Wylan got into the position he wanted to be in and shouted for the stableboy, figuring that the man hiding would not wish to be near the center of any commotion. A figure squeezed alongside the horse and tried to dart through the small door at the rear of the stables. Wylan spun and raised his cane. A resounding whack echoed through the building as the cane connected with the man's head. The killer fell to the ground, and Sheri came running into the stables.
"Get some soldiers to cart this filth to the dungeon," Wylan said to Sheri. "We have some questions to ask him."
Chapter 10
Playing for Keeps
As the Continental Shipping Company's ship sailed into the harbor of Tagaret, two dwarves stood near the bow watching the city appear.
"It is huge," commented Kail. "I could never have imagined such a thing."
Prince Darok did not respond, but he nodded to Eddie as the Spider approached the dwarves.
"Will you be staying at the palace?" Eddie asked.
"I think that would be wise considering the state of our relations with humans," replied Prince Darok. "I have to admit that I am nervous about our reception."
"You have no reason to be nervous," smiled Eddie. "While some Sordoans or Lanoirians might be fooled into thinking ill of the dwarves, the people of Tagaret will remember you fondly."
"Easy for you to say," scowled Kail. "You did not have to watch your friends murdered by humans bent on the extinction of the dwarves. The people of Tagaret will be no different."
"Behave," admonished Prince Darok. "Humans are no different than dwarves. For thousands of years we hated the elves with no good reason. Attitudes like that do not change overnight. Some will always see us as different, but we must work to change their perception. We cannot do that if you start off with such a foul attitude."
"But you even said that you were nervous," protested Kail.
"I am," admitted Prince Darok, "and I will take steps to avoid antagonizing any humans, but in my heart I know they are good people. That is a lesson that you must learn."
"Your prince is wise," Eddie smiled at the dwarven student. "It has been a few years since the dwarves defended Tagaret, and memories can be short. Staying at the palace will ensure that no one gets carried away and creates an incident that we will all regret."
"Will you also be staying at the palace?" the prince asked Eddie.
"No," Eddie replied. "In fact, I have to visit someone before I go to the palace, but I will see you there."
Eddie walked away and Prince Darok smiled knowingly as the spy melded with the shadows to remain unseen by those watching the approach of the ship.
"How far is it from the docks to the palace?" asked Kail. "Will anyone protect us as we make the journey?"
"There is the Royal Palace," Prince Darok pointed. "We will have to cross most of the city to get there. As for protection, do not touch your ax during the walk. Do you understand?"
"What if we are attacked?" objected Kail.
"We will find shelter and request guards to escort us," answered the prince, "but we will not fight with the humans."
"We will look like cowards," argued Kail as the ship pulled alongside the dock.
"We will conduct ourselves with dignity," stressed Prince Darok. "We have not come here to offend anyone. Remember that."
As the dock lines were secured, people began shouting and pointing towards the dwarves. The distance was too far to hear what was being shouted, but a large crowd grew before the gangplank was in place. Kail fidgeted nervously with his hand near one of his throwing axes. Prince Darok sighed heavily and batted the student's hand away from his ax.
"With dignity," repeated Prince Darok as he led the way towards the gangplank. "Do not make me repeat it again."
The dwarves descended the gangplank and started walking along the dock towards the city streets. When they reached the end of the dock, they could see that the street was lined with people as far as they could see. The shouting had stopped, and Kail stared at the closest faces as they approached the crowd. He could not determine which human would be the first to attack.
As the dwarves stepped off the dock and onto the street, the crowd erupted in cheers. Prince Darok smiled broadly and waved to the humans, while Kail's mouth opened in surprise. The citizens of Tagaret bowed with respect as the dwarven prince walked by, and soon the chant of his name was being shouted by hundreds of people.
"They remember you," gasped Kail. "How can this be?"
"Just smile and wave," grinned Prince Darok. "These are the humans that I so fondly remember."
Up in the library of the Royal Palace, King Arik was meeting with his advisors. The noise from the city grew louder, and Prince Oscar closed the balcony doors so that he could hear Wylan's report.
"The other five committed suicide," Wylan said. "We were lucky to have captured the one we did, but he refuses to talk. He has even tried to refuse to eat, but we have forced nourishment into him. It is clear that he would rather die than divulge anything."
"Did you tell our jailers about that?" asked Lord Clava.
"I did," replied Wylan. "I don't know if you can use magic to get him to speak, but I certainly refuse to let him die until we learn who he is and what he wants of the sailors."
"Such use of magic is frowned upon," stated Tanya. "It is considered evil to probe one's mind without his permission."
The noise outside the balcony doors grew louder, and Prince Oscar grumbled at the disturbance. He left the group and opened the door and stepped onto the balcony to see what was going on. Far in the distance he saw a large crowd lining the street. He frowned in confusion and gazed at the two figures walking towards the palace. It took him a while to determine what he was looking at, but he smiled broadly when he recognized the dwarves. He quickly returned to the meeting.
"Prince Darok is in the city," he announced. "He will be here in a few minutes."
King Arik turned to a soldier and said, "See that the prince is treated as visiting royalty and a Knight of Alcea. Usher him up here as soon as he is inside the building."
"Why is he here?" asked Queen Tanya.
"As much as I would like to think he was homesick for our hospitality," frowned the king, "I suspect it means more trouble. Dwarves don't usually travel far from home without a good reason."
>
Arik nodded and bid Wylan to continue his report while they waited for Prince Darok to arrive. When Darok and Kail did arrive, the mood turned somber as the dwarven prince told everyone about the massacre near Lanto. Before the dwarven prince had completed his report, Eddie slipped into the library and joined the group.
"The attack on the dwarves makes no sense," commented Sheri. "Don't those humans know that they will just be stirring up trouble?"
"I suspect that is the purpose of the attack," offered Eddie. "There is a priest in Trekum who has been preaching contempt for what he considers the lesser life forms. According to him, that includes elves and dwarves."
"Do I need to ask what temple this priest belongs to?" asked the king.
"Probably not," answered Eddie. "As with most other religious problems these days, it is the Temple of Balmak that is causing the trouble."
"Who is this Balmak?" asked Lord Markel, "and where did he come from?"
"The temples have been around for a couple of years," answered Eddie. "There were minor disturbances each time a new temple was set up, but the preaching by the local priest was fairly innocuous. It appeared to be a religion of the common man. While there was mention of the evil of a monarchy, it was not stressed."
"What has changed?" asked Fredrik.
"In Trekum," replied Eddie, "the local priest was replaced by a new priest. The new priest has the people all riled up. He stops short of calling for the abolition of the monarchy, but it is clear that he abhors it. He also thinks that anyone who is not human is beneath us."
"And people listen to talk like that?" asked Niki.
"Many people show up each time the priest speaks," nodded Eddie. "There is never enough room inside the temple to hold them all. Remember that most of Alcea is still devastated from the Darkness and the wars that banished it. Most people in Sordoa have lost their homes and farms. When the priest talks about spreading the riches of the world among the common man, many people want to believe in that."
"Who is the priest?" asked Prince Oscar. "Maybe we can find a reason to remove him from the temple."
"He is a stranger to Trekum," answered Eddie. "His name is K'san. I know nothing else about him. I can't find out where he came from, or what he was doing before he showed up in Trekum. It is as if he just appeared out of nowhere."
"Have you heard him speak?" asked Lord Clava.
"Once," nodded Eddie. "The temple has goons that look for disruptors and escort them out of the temple. Once you are evicted, you can never get inside again. I am afraid I tried to argue philosophy with some of the people there."
"Did you recognize his accent?" questioned Lord Clava.
"No," frowned Eddie, "and I am usually pretty good at accents. He is definitely not Sordoan, but other than that I cannot say."
"Are you sure his name is K'san?" asked Prince Oscar.
"Yes," replied Eddie.
"Is he a tall man with skin black as night?" inquired Prince Oscar.
"With a chiseled face," Eddie replied as a frown marred his face. "Have you met him?"
"He is the priest here in Tagaret," Prince Oscar stated.
"How do you know that?" asked Eddie.
"I have some old habits that just won't die," smiled Prince Oscar. "I like to keep track of the comings and goings of people in Tagaret. K'san arrived here two days ago."
"How is that possible?" asked Eddie. "K'san was in Trekum the day before I left, and we came by ship. How could he have beaten us here by two days?"
"How ever he got here," commented Lord Clava, "I think we can expect some trouble in Tagaret as soon as he starts preaching."
"That will be tomorrow," nodded Prince Oscar.
"Let's break for the evening meal," suggested King Arik. "All of you are invited to dine with me this evening. Afterwards, we will continue this discussion."
* * *
Niki stormed into the suite in the Royal Palace and plopped down on the bed. Fredrik quietly entered the room and gently closed the door. He looked at Niki pouting on the bed and shook his head.
"What?" asked Fredrik. "What have I done now?"
"You know perfectly well," scowled Niki. "Why do you do it?"
"I truly have no idea what I have done to anger you," Fredrik sighed as he sat on a chair and gazed out the window. "Why don't you tell me?"
"You are the Royal Sorcerer," stated Niki. "Why do you always defer to her?"
"Her?" echoed Fredrik. "Are you talking about the queen?"
"You know perfectly well who I mean," snarled Niki. "Every time the question of magic comes up, you close your mouth and let her answer. She might as well be queen and Royal Sorcerer for all you care."
"Tanya is much more learned in magic than I am," Fredrik replied calmly. "If she were not already queen, I have no doubt that King Arik would ask her to be the Royal Sorcerer. That does not bother me in the least. I do not understand why it should bother you."
"Who says she is the better magician?" pushed Niki. "Just because she says so, doesn't make it true."
"In fact," Fredrik sighed, "Tanya almost never speaks of her magical abilities. She has never claimed to be more skilled than I am, but anyone who knows anything about magic can see that clearly. She has incredible skill and power. Why must you belittle others to feel important? I am thrilled to be the Royal Sorcerer and have you as my assistant. It is the perfect life for both of us. Why is it never enough for you?"
"Because you don't get the respect you deserve," Niki replied. "Whenever they talk magic, it is as if you don't exist in the meeting. No one ever asks for your opinion."
"That is not fair," countered Fredrik. "The questions that are asked about magic are not addressed to anyone in particular. I could answer them if I wished, but Tanya knows the answers as well as I. I just prefer to listen and analyze. When I have something to add to the conversation, I do."
"But if you don't speak up," frowned Niki, "the king will soon realize that he doesn't need you. Then where will we be?"
"We will still be right here," smiled Fredrik. "King Arik would never abandon me or you. Is this about the question of mind-probing the assassin?"
"Yes," Niki said and then she sighed with frustration. "No, it isn't," she admitted. "Tanya's answer was correct. Master Khatama always taught that to mind-probe someone without consent was wrong. It is not the question of whether it is right or wrong that matters. It is the fact that you let Tanya answer the question."
Fredrik sat quietly for a long time staring out the window. Niki sobbed quietly, and the minutes ticked by.
"Actually," Fredrik finally said, "there is no cause for argument between us. We are both right."
"What do you mean?" asked Niki.
"I said that I prefer to remain quiet and analyze," smiled Fredrik. "When I have something unique to offer, I do so. That is my personality, and I am happy with it."
"How does that make me right?" asked Niki.
"You said that it doesn't matter whether mind-probing is right or wrong," answered the Royal Sorcerer. "I agree with you."
"I don't understand," Niki responded.
"Master Khatama taught all three of us," explained Fredrik. "Each of us had a different mastery of magic, and each of us took away different lessons from the same master. Master Khatama taught that a mind probe was a violation of a person, and that makes it not a nice thing to do, but I see things differently than Tanya does. Half my life was spent as a thief and a cheat. I am not a wholesome person like Tanya and Jenneva. Master Khatama knew that and taught me anyway. He knows that I would not use my skills for evil ends, but my definition of evil is quite different from Tanya's."
"Do you mean that you think it is alright to mind-probe someone?" asked Niki.
"I think it depends on the circumstances and the person," nodded Fredrik. "The person in the dungeon is an assassin. His profession is bringing about the ultimate violation of a person imaginable. If King Arik did not need information from the man, he would be swinging from a
rope already. How then can gathering the man's thoughts be considered a gross violation of him? He has already forfeited any right he had to decency."
"Are you sure of this?" asked Niki. "It seems so wrong."
"Nonsense," retorted Fredrik. "He is expecting it, and he expects it precisely because that is his own personal level of decency."
"How can you be sure?" asked Niki.
"Ask yourself why the other five assassins committed suicide," smiled Fredrik. "They preferred death over capture because they expected their secrets to be pried out of them. I plan to meet his expectations."
* * *
After dinner with the king, the group reassembled in the library to continue the conversation. Fredrik slipped away after the dinner, and no one really noticed his absence from the meeting.
"We need to get some troops down into Sordoa," declared General Gregor. "We must find the humans that attacked the dwarves and make an example of them. That should take some of the fury out of Balmak's sails."
"That would be greatly appreciated," Prince Darok responded. "My own people could handle the situation well enough, but that might spur more resentment and fear among the humans."
"I agree," nodded King Arik. "It is for that very reason that I have Prince Garong leading the force to find the murderers of the people of Hega. I think it is obvious that both attacks were meant to stir up trouble between the races."
"I concur," interjected Prince Oscar. "In both cases a lone individual was left alive to report what had happened. With no disrespect to Kail, in both cases they chose someone who was least likely to pursue the attackers. That means that they didn't want to unintentionally kill the last remaining victim."
"I find no disrespect in your words," said Kail. "The humans accurately identified me as a trainee. Your theory seems quite plausible to me. I feel like a fool for harboring the feelings towards humans that I did."
"A dwarf who can admit his own failures is no fool," smiled Prince Darok as he put his arm around Kail.
"What if all of these problems are related?" posed Prince Oscar. "I mean, the attack on the dwarves and the attack on Hega are very similar in design, and now we find the Temple of Balmak stirring up interracial discord. Can there be a connection there?"
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