by Andrew Wood
After a brief breakfast of dried fruit and a mug of strong, sweat tea to help warm them up, the group rode out once more. Their destination New Easton was still over half a day's ride. As the previous day, Darak and Taylor rode at the head of the group, and once more Luca and Oliver bought up the rear. The road on which they travelled was well maintained. The holes, which would have come about by the winter weather, had been filled in and rolled flat to keep the surface relatively flat.
The only drawback with travelling long distances was that it gave too much time for thinking. As a result, Luca, for the first time since the incident, suddenly felt overwhelmed. His sister had been taken, and it was his fault. No matter how many times, people had reassured him it wasn't, he knew had he not panicked he could have stopped it. He hoped the light drizzle that was in the air would hide the tear rolling down his cheek. The sound of the horse's hooves on the road surface would certainly drown out his sniffling. He was surprised when a hand clasped his arm, and he turned to see Oliver trotting his horse close to his, with a look of concern on his face. "We will find her Luca Sir," he said with a warm-hearted smile.
Taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes Luca gave a wry smile, and wiped his nose with his sleeve. The enormity of what was taking place was finally sinking in. This was not some child's adventure he was undertaking, he was on this trip for a reason. If this Dalia was indeed magical, then he was there to counter that, just as his father had done. Luca however, knew he was not much of a fighter. Great powers he may have, but using them to kill innocent people, such as Oliver, for that is what he could have done when Hope was taken, was not yet something he was overly keen on. A thought even more shocking struck his mind. His father had been set this very same task, and although victorious, it had cost him his own life in the process.
The rest of the trip seemed to pass as a blur to Luca, his mind now filled with worry and regret for letting Hope slip through his grasp. It was a shout from the front of the line that changed his direction of thought. He looked up to see the tree line clearing and the familiar sight of the River Fivan Bridge and its gatehouses come into view. Beyond that, stood the massive grey stone walls of New Easton.
Darak passed through the first of the gatehouses, the sound of his horse's hooves changing as they clattered against the stone of the bridge. The waters below flowing rapidly and a little higher than normal for the time of year. The guards on duty, dressed in the colours of the King, stood at attention as he passed. Word had been sent to expect him it seemed, and they let him and the group behind pass through without question or hindrance.
His mind was thrown back to the moment he almost died here. After initially offending the young Prince Luken, he had redeemed himself with an act of selfless bravery. That act had seen him save several people from the attacking Darekian forces, and one that had seen him on the brink of death. Only the healing powers of Luken had saved him that day, something not dissimilar to what Luca had done for Oliver.
They approached the city gates, and once more, the guards let them pass unhindered. Luca looked over, and could tell by Oliver's face that the young man had never seen such a place. He supposed coming from a farming community, even Forwich must have seemed large to him. He afforded himself a smile, as Oliver seemed thrilled by the simplest of things. The main street was cobbled and clean, and areas set aside for pedestrians were bustling with people.
Luca had not been here for over a year, and though he was familiar with the capital, even he was always amazed by the sheer number of people that lived and worked here. They passed houses, apparently designed by his father, or at least that is what he had once been told. How true that actually was he was uncertain. If these stories were to be believed, his father had also devised the sewerage system, the water system, rebuilt the dock area and completely refurbished the main keep. To top all that of course, his father had also almost singlehandedly defeated the entire attacking armies of Darekia, the Besemian Traitors and even the Orlacs. If all this was indeed true, he knew there was no way he could live up to that, yet he worried that one-day people would expect as much.
Once through the keep gates and in to the main courtyard, several stable hands rushed towards them. Their horses were taken away, tired and sweating, for a well-deserved brush down and rest. Luca waited for Oliver to dismount and remove his travel gear from behind the saddle. He noticed Darak staring at him, and wondered what he done wrong now. Why would he look that way at him, it was clear he was angry or upset about something. Then Luca followed his gaze, straight to Oliver. Luca sighed, he had hoped his adoptive father had accepted the young Darekian, but it was clear he had not.
The moment was thankfully interrupted by Luca's uncle making an appearance. The King was first through the keep doors, and was already halfway down the steps before his Queen had made it into view. "Darak, it is good to see you," Caldar shouted out, holding out his arms. Luca watched on as the two gave a short hug, before Queen Vanessa doing likewise.
Luca could see Caldar looking amongst the mass of people and horses moving about. That was until his eyes met his. The king smiled and rushed straight for him. "Luca, my dear boy...Look how you have grown," he said gesturing with his hands. "Luca gave a warm smile and wrapped his arms around his uncle, "It is good to see you too," he said in a muffled voice. After the welcoming embrace, Caldar looked at the young Darekian beside his nephew. "This is the prisoner you healed?" he asked in a more serious tone. Luca nodded, "Yes Uncle, this is Oliver. Oliver this is his Royal Majesty King Caldar of Corlan...my uncle."
Luca could tell Oliver was completely overwhelmed, and could not help but laugh as his new friend attempted a bow. His mirth was cut short however, "Guards put this one in chains," he heard his uncle saying and pointing to Oliver. Luca was shocked and for a second was speechless. Why would his uncle command such a thing, after all, Oliver had not shown any sign of malice to anyone. "No...Stop...Please Uncle, do not do this," he heard himself saying jumping to Oliver's defence.
As was typical in these awkward moments, a complete silence fell over the courtyard. Luca was not sure what to do; after all, he had just openly defied his king. The guards however did not listen to him, and two of them grabbed Oliver's arms. To his credit the young Darekian did not resist, but looked straight to Luca for help. "Please Uncle," he reiterated once more, "There is no need. I can vouch for him." Caldar looked at his nephew, "Luca this man is our enemy. Was he not one of the one's responsible for taking Hope?" Luca could not deny that he was, but he was still not going to let Oliver be chained up like some animal again.
For the first time in his life, Luca felt this injustice needed to be righted. "I will not let you Uncle...Please do not make me do something we will all regret," he said with anger in his voice. He could feel the rage getting the better of him, and he could feel his hands shaking. Openly defying the King was bad enough, threatening him was paramount to a death sentence. Fortunately, for Luca, Caldar was not as stubborn as his adoptive father was. The king laughed, lightening the mood a little, "Just like your father, kind to a fault. If he thought there was someone being wronged, he would stand up for the cause. Very well Luca, Oliver is to be left alone. Any friend of yours is welcome in my home."
Oliver was released and allowed to continue indoors with the rest of the group. Luca remained very closely at his side; no one was going to take him. The soldiers travelling with them were all ushered to a room on the third floor, to dine and rest in comfort. Darak, Taylor, Luca and Oliver continued up to the top floor with their hosts, to the area of royal residence. It was clear to Luca that Darak was not pleased with what had taken place in the courtyard just a few minutes earlier.
Once in the main hall, servants were busy placing refreshments on two long tables set aside one wall. The doors were closed behind them leaving them in relative privacy to talk. Caldar turned to the others, "Right, let us all be calm. Darak I know you do not like my decision to allow him," he said pointing to Oliver, "to be here." H
e then faced Luca, "I trust you know the trouble you have caused me. People will be gossiping all over the city now," he chuckled.
After they had helped themselves to food and a little wine from the table, the group moved onto to a side room. Here the furniture and decor was designed more for relaxing than formality. Luca found a soft cushioned chair, and gestured for Oliver, who was completely out of his depth, to sit beside him. Caldar watched with interest as the young Darekian always did as Luca instructed. After several minutes of general chat, mostly regarding their journey, the topic moved on to more troublesome affairs.
Caldar stood and asked Luca to join him for a private chat. Luca nodded and stood up to join his uncle. Oliver did likewise, "Perhaps Taylor you would be kind enough to show Oliver around the keep," Caldar suggested. Once more Oliver looked to Luca for direction. Luca looked at Caldar, "I promise no one will hurt him Luca," the king said noticing his nephews concerns. "Go on Oliver, I will see you again in a little while. Go with Taylor and look around." The Darekian nodded, "Yes Luca Sir," he replied with disappointment in his voice. Vanessa remained seated, "Lovely, that just leaves me and you Darak. We can chat about other matters. Firstly, you can tell me about how Sarena and that darling little daughter of yours are getting on."
With the group split up and heading off in different directions, Luca felt the need to check back and look if Oliver was okay. He turned to see he was, as Taylor was leading him off down the stairs. "The bond between you is strong," Caldar said, making him turn his attention back to his host. Luca explained how he had healed Oliver, and then tried to remove the compulsion spell, but only achieved replacing it with one of his own. "I feel responsible for his situation," he said, with sadness in his voice. The king stopped and turned to him, placing a hand on Luca's shoulder. "Do not ever stop trying to do the right thing Luca. It is what makes a man. Just in future, try not to embarrass me in front of so many people in my own courtyard," he added with a smile. Luca smiled back, "Sorry Uncle," he replied noticing Caldar had a tear in his eye. "Is everything alright Uncle?" he asked.
Caldar nodded, "You are so like him Luca, in every way. Not only are you the spitting image of him, but even your actions are the same. You standing up for Oliver, reminds me of how he found Taylor. I am sure you have heard that story so many times before." Luca smiled, it was clear his uncle must have loved his brother so very much. Seeing Luca must bring back so many memories. Caldar wiped away the tear, "I still miss him so very much. He was not only my little brother, but also my very best friend. Losing him in the way I did broke my heart." There was short silence, as the two walked slowly onward, Luca unsure of where he was being taken.
The two went through a narrow door and up a few winding stone steps. The walls here were not like the others. These were bare, unpainted and dirty. After passing through an even smaller door, one he had to crouch to get through, he felt the fresh air on his face. He stood to see they were outside, and on top of the keep roof. In all his visits, he had never been up here. Strange he thought that his uncle should do so now. "Your father used to come up here, before the work was even complete. He said it helped him think, clear his mind. So from time to time I like to do the same."
Luca had to admit the view from the roof was nothing short of stunning. He could see to the north, the main road they had travelled to get there stretching miles into the distance. "Look to the south," his uncle asked. Luca did so and was shocked at what he saw. Not so far off was the training camp for new recruits to the Royal Guard. Where normally there were a few permanent buildings and about forty or so white canvas tents, there were now at least two hundred times that number. "I have called the reserves to arms," his uncle said standing behind him. "I fear the same thing is happening again. I cannot be unprepared," he added.
Luca tried to estimate how many men were actually down there, "About a thousand or so?" he enquired. His uncle shook his head, "Not even close. Beyond the tree line," he pointed, "Is an even bigger camp. I have mobilised my entire army Luca. I have over three thousand men just here, ready to deploy if needed." Luca was shocked, but Caldar explained to him that it was necessary. The people had been told it was a massive training exercise, and it was hoped this would avoid any immediate panic. The garrisons had all been sent orders to be on a state of alert, and to even march out if required to do so.
"If this situation escalates, I must be able to protect my people. We came so close to losing last time Luca. If not for the actions of a brave young man, we would have been wiped out." Luca knew immediately to whom his uncle was referring. "I know you hear all the stories Luca, but your father was truly the one man who saved us." Luca turned his head to look at his uncle, only to see him drop his shoulders and sigh deeply. "I fear Luca that you are going to be tasked with the same thing. I have a horrible feeling history is going to repeat itself. The last war was not won by men and swords, but by magic. I hate to say it, but you Luca must carry this burden as your father once did."
Luca could see his uncle was upset. He had never seen the man openly cry before today. Many might have thought it a sign of weakness. Luca thought it a sign of a man who cared. It was clear his uncle was torn about Luca travelling to find Hope. Although he knew, just as he did, there was little choice. If the enemy had magic, which had already been proved, then Luca had to be the one to counter it. "I feel I am sending Luken away again. Your mother has never really forgiven me, and now I am asking her son to do the same thing." Luca placed a hand on his uncle's shoulder, "I have been given this gift for a reason, and just like my father I will do as I must to protect those I love," he said showing a maturity beyond his years. Luca looked at his uncle, and felt emotion get the better of him, and his own tears started rolling freely down his young face. He held out his arms, and his uncle gave him a hug. They stood atop the keep comforting each other for a few minutes, whilst the rest of the world continued oblivious to them.
After a short while, Caldar suggested that they had better go back down, before Vanessa sent a search party after him. Luca laughed, and once he was happy both he and Caldar had regained some element of composure, he suggested they did just that. Once back into the main part of the keep, where the walls were elaborately decorated and the floor carpeted, they noticed Taylor and Oliver walking towards them. In a strange sort of way, Luca felt glad to see his Darekian friend once more. "How did you two get on?" Caldar asked as they approached. Taylor chuckled, "Oh fine, Oliver and I went out and looked at the barracks and stables. Although he did get quite agitated for a time...as if...I don't know really...something had suddenly worried him."
Caldar placed a hand on his chin, scratching it whilst thinking. "I wonder if this link with Oliver is far more than just a compulsion Luca. From what little I've seen, the two of you seem to react to the others moods." Luca nodded his agreement, "I've been thinking that also, but I am not sure why it has happened." Taylor suggested they go back to Darak and Vanessa, but Caldar shook his head, "No leave them a little longer. Vanessa wants to catch up with all the latest gossip, and as Sarena is not here, we can let Darak do it," he said mischievously. Taylor laughed, "Then perhaps we should go for a sit down and another drink."
In the lounge beside the main hall, Vanessa and Darak had moved on to the subject of Oliver. "You do not like nor trust the boy, do you?" she asked him. "No I do not. The two are getting...well how should I put it? Unnaturally close; and I do not like it. I have no love for any Darekian, especially one who took part in my daughters kidnapping." Vanessa tilted her head slightly surprised a little by the hatred Darak was showing. "So even though it is apparent he was under a compulsion spell when he did so, does that not change anything?" Darak did not even wait to think of a reply, "No it does not."
Vanessa however was not going to let the subject drop. "Darak let me give you some advice. If you continue to persist trying to pry Oliver and Luca apart, I feel you will only push them closer. As regards your worry Luca is becoming unnaturally close as you so crudely pu
t it, may I remind you of my own brother. Although I am quite certain that Luca prefers the company of girls, not boys Lord Darak, if that helps put your mind at rest." Darak stuttered his reply, regretting his choice of words and forgetting the queens own brother preferred men to women; this had not even been the point Darak was getting at. Thinking she had made her point, Vanessa suggested they find the others.
Chapter 11.
Hope opened her eyes, her head was thumping and she was unsure as to why the room she was in was rocking. It took a while to gather her bearings, rubbing her head. It felt as bad as the one time she woke up with a hangover. A few years ago, she had found Darak's brandy and decided to help herself, something she had sworn never to try again. Looking around she could see nothing but plain rough wooden walls. With the whole place swaying, she established she must be in a cabin aboard a ship. She quickly checked she was in possession of the ring. This she found still on her thumb and sighed with relief.
She was surprised to see she had no bonds, tethering either her hands or feet. Then again, she supposed if she was indeed on a boat of some description, how far could she actually go. The room she was in was very small; in fact, apart from the simple bed on which had been placed there was nothing else of note within it. Hope sat up, kicking her feet off the edge of the bed and onto the bare wooden floor. She tentatively stood, but the rocking movement of the boat sent her tumbling back down, forcing her to bang her head. After releasing several expletives, she decided to try once more. This time placing a steadying hand against the wall as she got up, groaning due to her head still aching.
Pushing the door to her small room open, Hope held her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright daylight. Judging from the sun's position she guessed it was afternoon, meaning she had been out for several hours. She was trying to recall her last memory, and remembered thinking she had been drugged. She had barely taken two steps out of the door before she almost bumped into a familiar figure. The huge frame of the Orlac stepped in her path, blocking her from progressing any further. At least with the creature in the way, she did not have to shield her eyes from the light. "Oh hello Orlac," she said sardonically, "I'm glad you are still here." The beast looked down at her, and slowly showed her its teeth.