by Lee Carlon
17
Unshakable Certainties
Obdurin’s hands trembled uncontrollably. He pressed them onto the conference table before him, pushing down to still the tremors. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
I was right. All along, I was right. It has to be me.
He took another breath and thought, Almost right. I must go much further than I believed.
Obdurin opened his eyes and lifted his hands from the table. He didn’t need to look at them to know the shaking had stopped. It must be me. I must force my will on the world and reshape it as I will it. There will be no peace any other way.
I told Warwick peace is beyond me, but I was wrong. Peace is beyond those who serve the Gods. I must not wait for the other Chosen. No more half measures. I must do it.
The thought led him to Lord Marlan.
Turin’s Chosen stood on the other side of the conference table, watching Obdurin.
The cadre of bondsan who had arrived with Marlan advanced on Vincent d’Rhyne now that the sorcerous mist had cleared.
“Leave him,” Obdurin told Marlan.
The first-sworn glanced at Marlan. Marlan gave no visible sign, Obdurin wouldn’t have either, but the cadre retreated, leaving Vincent where he was.
“Your alliance with Rarick ends now,” Lord Obdurin said.
Marlan flinched at the fury in Obdurin’s words. “It cannot. I am committed. I am sorry, Obdurin—”
“It ends now,” Obdurin interrupted. “Or I will replace you with somebody else.”
“We’ve already played that game, Obdurin,” Marlan said. “You cannot use the same bluff twice.”
“I’m not bluffing,” Obdurin said, and Marlan flinched again at the tone in Obdurin’s voice.
The dimin who had flanked Marlan glided forward, and the bondsan retreating from Vincent readied themselves. Even Siaveen’s cadre stirred and tried rising.
“Doran,” Obdurin called.
The teenage girl stood from Corsari’s body. There was blood on her hands and shirt.
“She is your sorcerer?” Marlan asked.
“She is,” Obdurin said.
Marlan thought for a moment. His head turned toward the throne room as though he remembered the carnage they’d passed through earlier. He held up a hand. “My alliance with Lord Rarick is over.”
Obdurin continued without hesitation. “Turintar is now under Rhyne’s protection.”
“Protection?” Marlan paled.
“Turintar will be bound to honor Rhyne’s alliances and treaties. Turintar will be at Rhyne’s disposal.”
“Obdurin, you go too far. Turintar will not become Rhyne’s vassal,” Marlan said.
“That’s exactly what it will be,” Obdurin said.
“No,” Marlan said. “We can negotiate a truce that is beneficial to both states.”
Obdurin slammed his hands down on the conference table. “This isn’t a truce. We’re not negotiating anything. I will make this very simple for you, Marlan. You will do exactly as I command or I will replace you with somebody who will.”
Marlan looked at Doran again and seemed to weigh the odds, but in the end, he nodded his consent.
Unrelenting, Obdurin said, “I need a hostage.”
“What? No. I agreed to your terms. There is no need for this.”
Obdurin considered Marlan for a moment. He stepped back from the table, relaxing. He thought, It all comes down to this. He said, “You’re correct. If you say there is good will between us, I believe you. If you ever have a child, the child is to be bound into a cadre that is bound to me. On the child’s seventeenth birthday they are to be sent to Rhyne where they will serve as a bondsan to strengthen the ties between our countries.”
Marlan looked up sharply. “You know that Olinda and I have tried to have children and cannot.”
“I know,” Obdurin said.
Marlan’s face turned red in anger. “It’s despicable to use our misfortune this way.”
Obdurin said nothing, but he thought, It’s much worse than that.
“I understand the need for a symbolic gesture,” Marlan said. “Is there anything else we—”
“Do you agree to these terms?” Obdurin demanded.
Marlan wrung his hands for a moment and looked around the conference room as though searching for an answer. His hands dropped to his side, and he nodded. “It’s agreed.”
“Your word?”
“I give my word,” Marlan said. He went quietly to the conference room door.
“You’re to send your troops to Peak City,” Obdurin said. “Do not signal our arrangement to Rarick or indicate that anything has changed. Ignore any contact from him.”
Marlan stood frozen with his back to Obdurin.
Obdurin continued, “At Peak City, your troops are to behave as if they will join the attack, but they will not.”
“I understand,” Marlan said stiffly as he left the conference room. His dimin and the cadre of dark haired young men followed him.
“Well played,” Valan said from his seat at the long table when the last of the bondsan had left. “I suppose I should go after Marlan and be the first to congratulate him.”
“What are you talking about?” Obdurin snapped.
“I imagine very soon he will receive some exciting news from his good lady wife.”
Valan’s smile infuriated Obdurin, but he tried his best to ignore it. “You told Marlan I was coming here.”
Valan nodded, “Of course. Rarick planned to put Rhysin’s heart on his brother’s wrist as soon as the siege at Frake’s Peak was broken. Bringing Warwick here allowed us to control the crucible.”
“I could have controlled it at Frake’s Peak,” Obdurin said. “If you hadn’t brought him here and if Walden is successful in Damar, there wouldn’t have been any need to deal with him at all.”
“That’s a lot of ifs,” Valan said. “Somebody needed to deal with Warwick, either here or at Damar. There is one less obstacle for Walden in Damar now.”
“You complicated things unnecessarily.”
“No, I merely pushed the pieces into play earlier than you expected. All you had to do was play along until one of your men were in a position to kill Warwick, but instead, you considered their ridiculous proposal.”
“Have things turned out to your liking?” Obdurin asked.
Valan shrugged. “I am relieved Warwick isn’t now Rhysin’s Chosen.”
“What’s your game?” Obdurin asked.
“We’re free to proceed with our plans in Damar,” Valan said. “Tell me, this cadre that will include Marlan’s child. What are your plans for it?”
“The deal is symbolic,” Obdurin said. “It will strengthen the ties between Rhyne and Turintar.”
“Of course.” Valan smiled. He winced and raised a hand to his swollen cheek. “It’s an interesting idea, though. Imagine if you could bind children from all twelve Chosen.“
He’s quick. He’s always been quick, Obdurin thought. Quick but wrong. “I don’t understand. What good would that do?”
Valan shrugged. “It was just an idea. Silly, really. It would assume you’re able to manipulate every other Chosen into binding an heir into your cadre.”
“Impossible,” Obdurin agreed.
“And an heir of your own,” Valan said. “Do you have a mistress these days?”
Obdurin returned Valan’s gaze but said nothing.
Valan chuckled, “You could always interview paid contractors for the position.”
“Is everything in Damar ready?” Obdurin asked.
Valan nodded and held up a hand. “It was a joke. I’m sorry.”
“Is everything ready?” Obdurin asked again.
“Yes. Everything is in place. Rarick’s reign will be over by nightfall.”
Valan stood and limped to the door. He stopped and looked back at Obdurin. “You would have gone through with it wouldn’t you, if not for Vincent?”
“It was Rhysin’s will,” Ob
durin said.
Valan waited for more, but Obdurin remained silent. Finally, Valan said, “After tonight we should talk more about this cadre of yours.”
Obdurin kept his expression neutral until Valan had left, but he cursed himself for letting Valan stay to hear about the cadre.
“Sorros,” Obdurin called the immortal’s name and turned to look for him, but Vincent d’Rhyne was on his feet and had moved away from Corsari’s body toward Obdurin.
Siaveen’s cadre was also on their feet now and moved to intercept Vincent.
“No,” Obdurin said. “Vincent is himself again. Please don’t hold his actions against him. We are all susceptible to the whims of the Gods.” To Vincent, Obdurin said, “It’s all right, you did the right thing.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Vincent said.
His anger was unmistakable. Vincent had stood before Obdurin eight years ago on the night Obdurin had killed Lord Benshi and become the Lord of Frake’s Peak and Rhysin’s Chosen. Then he’d been angry but determined to face the fate he believed Obdurin had planned for him, the fate he perhaps thought he deserved, but instead Obdurin had let him live. Obdurin had never believed the son should be punished for the father’s crimes. How could he?
Obdurin had seen Vincent occasionally in the years since that day. He’d seemed happy with his wife and his daughter before the Cleansing, but even then there had always been a smoldering anger beneath the surface. Vincent had covered it well, but Obdurin recognized it. It matched his own. Looking at him now, Obdurin thought Vincent’s anger was quite different. It was hot and present, not hidden from view.
Vincent said, “I will do as I promised and go to Damar with Walden, but after that, I won’t come back.”
Obdurin nodded. Beneath the heat of Vincent’s present anger, Obdurin thought the slowly consuming, smoldering anger was gone. He hoped it didn’t come back.
Does he understand how Rhysin tried to use him? Obdurin wondered.
In that other place Obdurin had sensed Rhysin’s triumph when Vincent had killed Warwick and tried to take Rhysin’s heart. Obdurin had realized then that Rhysin didn’t want peace. Today was just another game. Rhysin sought to foil Maiten’s plans by appearing interested in the alliance and going along with the proceedings.
Obdurin wondered, Was it me who spared Vincent eight years ago, or Rhysin?
“Before I go to Damar, I will return to Frake’s Peak to bury Corsari,” Vincent said.
“I’m afraid there is no time, I have people who can—”
“I insist,” Vincent said. “I owe it to her.”
Obdurin thought for a moment. He knew Vincent wouldn’t be swayed. He glanced past Vincent to the place where Doran had knelt over the corpse. “It’s too late.”
Vincent turned and saw the empty floor. Doran and the corpse were both gone, only Corsari’s blood remained. Vincent sagged a little, but then he straightened. Obdurin suspected Vincent had just realized Doran wouldn’t be going to Damar, and he was pleased. Vincent strode away without another word.
“You put him in a hard position,” Sorros said.
Obdurin turned to face the immortal across the table. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“Really?”
“I meant it when I said we are all susceptible to the whims of the Gods. Even me. Possibly even you,” Obdurin said.
“All of us.” Sorros’s smile was tight.
Obdurin leaned across the table. In a voice meant only for Sorros, he said, “I have learned a valuable lesson today. I am disposable.”
Sorros leaned forward and matched Obdurin’s tone, “As are we all.”
“Rhysin does not need me, and as long as the Gods are in control, there will never be peace. Rhysin can’t hear me now, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say it again, so I am saying it now. Let’s be rid of these parasites that call themselves Gods. Let’s play their games and advance Rhysin’s cause, but let’s do it in a way that positions us to end the games and destroy the True Gods, all of the True Gods, forever. Let’s be better at this game than they are.”
Sorros nodded and asked, “How will you keep your intentions from Rhysin?”
“I spent over half a century meditating in a monastery before Lord Benshi burned it down. My mind is the sharpest weapon I have. I know when Rhysin is looking and when he isn’t, and I can control my thoughts when I need to. After today, I will watch for Rhysin’s manipulations.”
“What next?” Sorros asked.
“Do you know Tralit d’Arathan?”
“Of course.” Sorros tried to hide it, but Obdurin thought he detected a hint of apprehension at the mention of the terrible black dragon’s name.
“I need you to take him a message. You’ll find him at Fralit Mars.”
“I know it.”
“You’ve been there before?” Obdurin asked.
“What’s the message?”
“I need you to give him the name of the man who killed his wife.”
Sorros nodded. “Lord Rarick?”
Obdurin returned Sorros’s nod. “Do you have any questions?”
“No. Yes.” Sorros smiled at his own unfamiliar indecision. “I have questions, but I think it’s best to ask them after I have delivered the message.”
Obdurin smiled at the answer. “Tralit must agree to my price for the name of his wife’s killer.”
“And you will tell him the price yourself?” Sorros asked.
Obdurin nodded again.
“There is one thing you can tell me before I go,” Sorros said.
“Yes?”
“If I wasn’t here, who would you have sent? Tralit isn’t known for his patience.”
Obdurin was silent for a moment as he looked around the room. Eventually, he said, “I would have gone myself.”
“That would have been risky.”
“A couple of hours ago you placed a dagger against my throat because you wanted to see if I have the courage to play this game even when my life is in the balance. What did you see?”
Sorros said, “A man who isn’t afraid to play.”
“Now I am determined to not only play but to reshape the game as well,” Obdurin said. “Like I said, I learned a valuable lesson today. I won’t be distracted again. Mattatan will be here soon. His cadre will take you to Fralit Mars.”
“Any chance they can land me inside the mountain?” Sorros asked. “It’ll be a hell of a climb.”
“Mattatan will know if it’s shielded or not. He can tell you,” Obdurin said. “When you’re done with Tralit, I hope you will come back to Frake’s Peak. I could do with somebody to remind me once in a while that I am a God’s fool.”
“Gladly,” Sorros said.
Gordon’s cadre skimmed into the chamber. Obdurin met Gordon’s eyes for an instant and then turned to other matters. Siaveen crossed the room to Gordon.
Walden sat at the end of the conference table, and Obdurin joined him.
“So this is it,” Walden said.
“Yes,” Obdurin agreed, sensing Walden had more to say.
“It’s a bold plan. Do you still think our only chance for peace between Rhysin and Maiten was to give Rhysin’s heart to Warwick?”
Obdurin sat down next to Walden. “My mind is clearer now. I think that would have resulted in peace of a kind, but not the lasting peace we desire.”
“Rhysin and Maiten seem to like being at war. The chances are that you and I will end up at war if we succeed.”
“If two men can hold the peace I believe it’s us,” Obdurin said.
Both men were silent for a moment, aware that by the end of the day if their plan were successful, Walden would be Lord of Damar and their relationship inextricably altered forever. Between them, they would have the responsibility of forging a lasting peace.
After a moment, Walden said, “Protect my daughters.”
“No need. As soon as you’re installed in Ardel, I will have Sarin and Carla sent to you.”
“I mean if things go wrong. Protect them. Send them somewhere they will be safe.”
Obdurin reached out a hand and gripped Walden’s shoulder. “I will care for them as if they were my own.”
Walden’s brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he spoke in a quiet voice, “No. Not as if they were your own. Send them somewhere safe.”
“Explain,” Obdurin said, his hand fell away from Walden’s shoulder. When Walden hesitated, Obdurin persisted, “If our plans are successful, you and I will be equals. Let’s speak as equals now.”
“As equals, very well.” Walden straightened. “You’re a good man, Obdurin. Possibly the best man I have ever known. If you succeed in your ambitions, the world will be a better place for it.”
Obdurin raised one eyebrow and asked, “But?”
“But, as much as you care for the people of this world, I am afraid you’re incapable of caring for my daughters the way a father cares.” Walden took a deep breath. “I am afraid you’re not capable of caring for individuals the way they need you to.”
Obdurin took a steadying breath. He knew this about himself, but he didn’t think other people did. He tried to keep it from them.
As equals, he thought. “My ambition does not allow me the luxury of caring for children or putting one person’s needs above another’s. After today, I am committed, completely committed, in a way that wasn’t possible until now, and I will do whatever it takes to succeed in my ambition. I will use every resource and person at my disposal to achieve my goals, because in the end, if we succeed, the world will be a better place for our efforts. I promise your daughters will be sent to you when you’re in place as the Lord of Damar, but that is the only promise I am willing to make.”
“And if I fail?” Walden asked.
Obdurin’s smile tasted bitter on his lips. He stood up to leave and said, “Don’t fail.”
Author’s Note
As always, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story.
It was fun playing with familiar characters from a different angle. We’ve seen Pete, Fahlim, and Obdurin (and even Sorros and Ethan) from Avril’s perspective (Dune’s perspective in Pete’s case), so it was fun to show different sides of these characters and cast a little light on what they’re up to.