“May I join you, or are you going to make me stand here all night?” he asked, smiling at his friends.
Dyla quickly ran to his side. “What are you doing up? You need to save your strength.”
Eclair leaned into Dyla and whispered in her ear. “I have a great deal of stamina left, and if we ever stay in one place long enough, I’ll be happy to show you.”
Dyla suppressed a grin, put her arm around his waist, and helped Eclair to a chair.
“I’m not quite as bad as you thought, and I’ve information that must be heard by the Council as well. Information that will exonerate these two scoundrels,” Eclair said, pointing to Darius and Dyla.
“What are you talking about?” Ty asked, perplexed.
“It’s the reason why we ran in the first place. I overheard a conversation between my father and Avikar. They said that Darius and Dyla were going to be framed for the Dalcon murders.”
Ty shook his head in disbelief. “What? Now I don’t understand. This is getting more incredible by the minute.”
“Wait a minute,” Darius said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I want to make sure I understand all of this before Eclair tells his story.”
“Go ahead, cousin. I think we all could use a recap,” Ty said.
“First, our mother has miraculously turned up alive, after being gone for nearly two years. She’s agreed to appear before the Grand Council. Her appearance will nullify Avikar’s petition to take the Telkur throne, but she has no memory, and no interest in ruling the duchy herself.”
Ty nodded in agreement.
“Second, you propose to present the gypsies to the Grand Council to give testimony that it was Avikar, and not my father, who was the leader of the smuggling ring in the Telkur Duchy. You have promised them safe passage during their testimony. In return for helping you and bringing my mother to the Council session, they demanded trade concessions as their price. Trade concessions that will, more than likely, generate a great deal of animosity between many of the powerful families throughout Otharia.”
Ty nodded again.
“And third, Eclair intends to present testimony to the Grand Council, stating how he overheard Avikar planning a malicious plot with his Father to frame Dyla and me for the murders of the Dalcon team. His testimony, hopefully, will clear us from any association with the murders once and for all, and implicate Avikar further in his treachery.”
Ty and Eclair nodded in unison.
“And when is all this supposed to happen?” Dyla asked.
“In two days,” Ty replied.
Everyone paused, trying to digest everything that they heard.
“And you people thought I was in trouble back on Earth?” Cat said, breaking the silence.
Excerpt from The Chronicles of Otharia during the reign of the First Vacancy:
Division I – The Rule of Otharia
Subsection II – The Grand Council
The Grand Council is made up of the seated dukes/duchesses from all of the duchies in the Kingdom. The meetings are held at the official residence in the City of Grandeur. To maintain its neutrality, Grandeur straddles the boundaries of three duchies: Jortac, Vogdo and Telkur. The Council is the ultimate authority of the kingdom, and its collective majority enforces the laws. Any house that chose to ignore a directive or edict from the Grand Council felt its collective weight. Sanctions were imposed on the house until it came in line with the Council ruling. The Grand Council maintained a military force at its disposal to enforce its commands, but the force was purposely kept small to minimize any threat it might hold for the duchies. The duchies could augment the force when it proved prudent, and was voted on by the majority. The Grand Council was formed to cover the prolonged absence of the King, and would be dissolved upon the coronation of a new King.
Chapter 41 - The Demise
The Grand Council chamber was located in the city of Grandeur. The council chamber was a cavernous amphitheater, filled with concentric rows of seats rising from a massive half-moon table at its center. Entrance to the chamber was through two large, bronze doors. At its highest point, the dome of the chamber rose to an impressive three stories, and was painted with frescos of the illustrious, and often savage, history of the kingdom. Fluted columns, supporting the dome, were arrayed in even spaces around the chamber. Archways were set into the spaces between the columns, and held crests representing each of the most powerful families in the kingdom. Through these archways entered the rulers of Otharia.
The seats at the center table were designated for the dukes and duchesses of the ruling families. The Grand Duke presided over the sessions, and sat in the slightly elevated middle seat. Directly behind these seats, among the next tier of rows, were seats reserved for lesser nobility, counts or barons, who joined their lords in sessions. The upper rows throughout the chamber were given over to the commoners on those days when an open session of the Council convened.
All citizens had the right to make a petition before the Grand Council. Petitioners were escorted through the double bronze doors by Royal Guardsmen, and brought to a podium twenty feet in front of the half-moon center table where they could address the Council members. It was a daunting task for most people, and only the most serious petitions were brought before the Council. After addressing the Council, the petitioners waited in the smaller side galleries of seats, on either side of the podium, while the Council decided on their issues.
The Council normally met quarterly, to discuss the affairs of state, and make decisions on matters brought before them. Emergency sessions were rare, and were only called under extreme circumstances. Today’s meeting was one such session.
Bang! Bang!
“This meeting is called to order,” the Grand Duke said, banging his gavel. “Master Clerk, what business is presented before the Council?”
The council clerk, seated at the end of the table, rose and read the petition concerning the throne of Telkur submitted by Baron Avikar Kantos.
Avikar, the current Regent, had petitioned the Council to accept his bid for the throne. With the heir-apparent Telkur twins still unaccounted for and not answering the call to reclaim their rightful seat, the Council must decide if their continued absence was an official abandonment of their duties. If the Council ruled against Darius and Dyla, the throne of Telkur would, by birthright, fall to Avikar, Lilliana’s oldest surviving cousin, and the twins would forever forfeit their right to rule.
“Thank you, Master Clerk. The petitioner may come forward and address the Council,” the Grand Duke said.
All eyes swiveled to the bronze doors where Avikar was standing. He was escorted to the podium by the Royal Guard and stood, preening, before the Council members and the gallery. He took a deep breath to steady himself and bowed slightly to the Grand Duke.
“My Lords, Ladies and guests of the Council; I, Baron Avikar Kantos, do request this august body render final judgment on the petition set forth to instate a new ruler for the Duchy of Telkur. I have tried in vain to locate Darius and Dyla Telkur, heirs apparent to the throne. To date, they have not answered the call to return to Telkur. In light of these circumstances, and as the closest blood relative, I offer myself as said ruler.”
“Well said, Baron,” Grand Duke Vogdo replied. “You may move to the side gallery while we review your request.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
Avikar bowed to the Grand Duke, left the podium, and walked to the seats in the side gallery. He had presented his petition in his grandiose style, and was quite pleased with himself. Now he must wait patiently while the Council members reviewed the petition.
The Council members talked amongst themselves for long minutes. Murmurs reverberated throughout the chamber while they debated. The upper rows were full, and not many were supporters of Avikar. Most prayed the Council would reject Avikar’s petition and give the twins more time to return. It was no secret that most of the people in the Telkur Duchy despised him. As Regent of Telkur, he was a tyrant and all feared w
hat he might become if he was named duke in his own right.
Vogdo banged the gavel for silence.
“We have heard the details of this petition, and shall now hear any opposing opinions. Is there any here who have further testimony or objections concerning this petition or any of the ascertains contained therein?”
Avikar’s outward expression of calm was but a façade for his inner turmoil. This was the final hurdle. He had been given assurances by Lucas that the review and subsequent vote were a mere formality. However, once the petition was officially read before the Council, any and all objections had to be given the chance to be voiced, before the Council could vote and announce their final decision.
Vogdo looked around the chamber to see if anyone was waiting to be recognized to speak.
“Hearing no further discussion on this petition, the Council will now render its decision.”
Avikar squirmed in his seat. The moment for which he had waited patiently for so long was upon him. He would finally ascend to the seat of power, and become the rightful Duke of Telkur Duchy. The smirk he wore spoke volumes, implying that nothing could stop him now.
“All in favor of ...”
The Grand Duke was interrupted by a commotion that could be heard outside the bronze doors of the chamber. Avikar looked to the rear to see what had caused the noise. To his surprise, the doors opened and a number of gypsies entered the chamber. To his further amazement, Eclasius Jortac followed closely on their heels. Finally, to his utter astonishment, the Telkur twins themselves entered, followed by three members of the Royal Guard.
At the front table, Marek Dalcon leaped to his feet and pointed to Darius and Dyla.
"Arrest those two! They’re murderers," he screamed.
The entourage had caused a significant uproar, and the chamber erupted with hundreds of voices.
Ty jumped up from his seat at the Council table. He had been waiting for this moment.
"Hold that order,” he shouted.
Vogdo banged the gavel repeatedly until silence was restored.
Ty turned to Duke Marek.
“Lord Marek, I understand your desire for justice, but I bring proof to this Council today that Darius and Dyla Telkur were not the ones who opened the death portal that killed your family members.”
Gasps could be heard throughout the chamber.
Marek was not appeased, and could barely restrain himself. He banged his fist on the table and turned to the Grand Duke. "Lord Vogdo, what is this nonsense? Are we to be governed by the actions of this young duke now?"
Vogdo glanced to his right to look at Ty, and then back to his left to address Marek.
"Duke Marek, please sit down. I will hear what Duke Tyrian has to say. Rest assured, no one will leave these chambers today until I’m satisfied that justice has been served."
Marek reluctantly took his seat, never taking his eyes off the Telkur twins.
In the side gallery, drops of perspiration broke out on Avikar’s upper lip. The twins’ appearance unnerved him. He reached for his handkerchief in his jacket pocket, and nervously blotted his lip. Things were not going as planned, and his stomach was rumbling with apprehension.
Remain calm. Lucas promised, he counseled himself.
Still standing at the Council table, Ty pointed to the band of gypsies at the back of the chamber, and addressed his fellow Council members.
“Grand Duke Vogdo, Lords and Ladies, these people are here by my request. I’ve granted them safe passage for the duration of this Council meeting.”
“Duke Tyrian,” Grand Duke Vogdo interrupted. “Please tell us your reasoning for such a rash act. You know full well that the gypsies are outlaws in this land.”
Ty bowed respectfully to the Grand Duke. “I understand, my Lord, but these men have vital information for the Council concerning Avikar’s petition and the Telkur Duchy. They’ve come forth to submit their facts and tell their tale.”
“I warn you, Tyrian, it had better be more than a tale. This is most unusual; but you may proceed for the moment.”
Ty nodded.
“We’ve all heard the shocking allegations of smuggling and wrong-doing leveled against former Duke Levon of Telkur. Unfortunately, since Duke Levon was killed in a mysterious and unexplained explosion, he has never been able to defend himself against these charges. This has not set well with me, nor with a number of you seated here today.”
Ty looked around the chamber to see heads nodding, and heard an equal number of murmurs in agreement.
“Because of that, I decided to conduct my own investigation into the events of that night.”
Avikar jumped out of his seat. “My Lords, I’ve already conducted a thorough investigation concerning Duke Levon and reported the results to this esteemed Council.”
All heads swung in Avikar’s direction.
Vogdo banged the gavel.
“Baron Avikar, you’ve already given your testimony in today’s proceeding. As petitioner, you will refrain from any further outburst unless called upon by a Council member. Do you understand?”
Avikar slumped back in his seat. “Yes, my lord.”
Vogdo motioned to Ty. “Duke Tyrian, please continue.”
“Thank you, my lord. All of you know that the Telkur and Persing families are not only blood relatives, but have been allies for generations. Those accusations of illegal dealings went against everything I knew of my aunt and uncle. In my efforts to find more information about that dreadful night, I needed to contact the smugglers directly. These men do not publish their whereabouts, and this was no easy task to accomplish.”
A few of the Dukes chuckled at the young man’s understatement, and Ty continued his narrative.
“Once I contacted them, it took a great deal of convincing on my part to gain their trust. I requested information concerning the night of the murders, and assured them I wanted nothing else from them. They responded in kind, requesting the same information from me as well. We agreed on a meeting to compare and exchange information. It was during the course of this meeting that I learned the truth; a truth so powerful that it had to be presented by the smugglers themselves to the Grand Council.”
Ty paused to let his words sink in.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Sardel Kell, a ship’s captain in the Band of Brotherhood from the Gypsy nation.”
Avikar jumped out of his seat.
“My Lords! I beseech you. These people are outlaws, and should be treated as such. They’re complicit in the murder of Duke Levon, and should be accorded no grace or credibility. They should be arrested at once!”
Vogdo glared at Avikar.
“Baron Avikar, one more outburst from you and I shall have you restrained. Guards, stand beside the Baron to remind him to keep silent.”
Two of the Grand Council guards positioned themselves in the side gallery, one on either side of the baron.
Avikar sat down. Drops of sweat rolled down his face, and he wiped furiously at them with his handkerchief. Events were beginning to spiral out of control. He tried, unsuccessfully, to capture Lucas’ attention, but he sat stoically, waiting for the gypsy leader to begin his testimony.
Sardel walked to the podium and stood before the collective Council of Dukes and Duchesses. He began his testimony without pomp or circumstance.
“It’s no secret that I hold you, and your ways, in contempt, but when the young duke was insistent in his requests to meet with me, I was intrigued. Why would a duke, even a rash, young one, want to contact the brotherhood? I agreed to hear what he had to say. When he requested information about that shameful night, I thought to kill him outright. Those cowardly murders have been a bane to the gypsy nation. We seek the truth of who betrayed our countrymen. Duke Tyrian also desired the truth and appeared sincere in his quest, so I agreed to help him.”
A wave of surprise radiated around the chamber. An offer of help from the gypsies was unprecedented.
“What proof do you give that this tale of yo
urs is the truth?” Duke Lucas asked.
Sardel sneered at the veiled insult to his integrity. “I have uncontestable proof that what I say are the hard facts of that night. I’m prepared to present my evidence once all the testimonies have been heard.”
“Please continue, Captain Sardel,” Grand Duke Vogdo said. “This Council will hear your testimony in full.”
Sardel nodded to the Grand Duke, and continued to relay his tale.
“First, I shall address the matter of Duke Levon and any illegal trade we might have had with each other. That is an outright lie. He was never, never, our trading partner in the Telkur Duchy. How he came to be at that meeting in the warehouse is a mystery to all of us.”
Sardel paused and looked at each Council member, letting his last point linger in the air. He continued with a flourish, pointing to the side gallery.
“It was Avikar who was our one and only contact for all trade in the Telkur Duchy. We never had any dealings with anyone except him and his man, Nils.”
Shock rippled through the collective body, and all eyes swiveled to Avikar, who was trying his best to shrink out of sight.
Sardel continued in a booming voice, recapturing the Council’s attention.
“That’s not all I have to say. When Avikar became Regent, we thought our trade would increase, especially since he no longer had an overseer to watch his movements. To our amazement, trade was halted completely. His explanation was that it was too dangerous to continue our activities, but he vowed they would begin again once he became the reigning duke. Of course, we questioned his assertion that he would become duke. We knew he was not next in line for the throne. We asked him how he would become duke. He told us that he had powerful friends in high places. As for any Telkur heir in the way of his ascension, he said tragic accidents happen all the time.”
Shock permeated through the chamber at the gypsy’s revelations.
Sardel nodded to Ty, and turned on his heel to rejoin his comrades at the back of the chamber.
Grand Duke Vogdo banged the gavel.
The Quest for Nobility Page 30