by Duncan Lay
With Fallon were his friends, as well as six of the biggest villagers. All of them were dressed in mail shirts, with Prince Cavan’s surcoat over the top. The mail was heavy, especially on the shoulders, and they had to wear tight leather belts to try and bring some of that weight off their shoulders and onto the backs. He also had Caley by his side, the dog unwilling to leave him.
With so much weaponry in their hands, Fallon was tempted to strike at both Aidan and Swane. But Kelty had three score of his men on the balcony above, all armed with crossbows, with another score of them lining the walls. Even the nobles wore swords, although many of them looked ridiculous as they tried to walk without being tripped up by unfamiliar scabbards.
He stood behind Swane, imagining ramming his shillelagh into the bastard’s face.
All seemed ready – until Regan raced into the throne room and up to the King’s side.
“Sire, Prince Kemal is on the way, but there is a problem,” he said softly, his voice nevertheless carrying easily to Fallon in the silent throne room. “The Prince is bringing an army with him. The people are cheering the display but the Kottermanis are equipped for war.”
“How many?” Aidan demanded.
“At least three companies, sire,” Regan replied.
“Then let us go see this. All of us,” Aidan commanded.
There was something of a crush at the doors, as nobles tried to be close to the King and Kelty tried to surround him with guards. Swane took his place at his father’s shoulder and Brendan’s bulk kept some space around them, at least.
Swiftly they all filled the battlements above the castle gate, where they could hear the approaching Kottermanis. The sound of drums and trumpets was echoed by the thump of marching feet and overlaid by cheers of the people, who were obviously enjoying the sight.
“Why has he brought so many, do you think?” Duchess Dina whispered, moving in close to Fallon’s left shoulder.
Fallon was very aware of Swane just a pace away.
“He wants to make a point. I am not sure what it is though, Duchess,” he said carefully.
There was no time for anything more, for the Kottermani vanguard stamped into the square facing the castle. The front rank all carried bright silken banners, while many down the sides of the column also waved colorful flags. The soldiers were in perfect formation, each rank taking a step at exactly the right moment, thumping their boots into the cobbles in perfect time.
Fallon watched them carefully, trying to see how they would fight. Their armor was far different from the gray mail he was used to seeing. Instead it seemed to be a series of overlapping leather patches, each one studded with small metal squares to make a coat that looked something like a fish’s scales. The leather was brightly colored too, a mixture of red, black and blue, so each company looked the same, yet different. They carried no shields but they all had long, curved swords at their sides. Their helms were different as well, conical and rising to a point, with a metal tail of chain mail that covered their necks. None of them carried crossbows but one of the companies, the ones in black, had a quiver at their hip and over their shoulder something like a hunter’s bow, the long, straight piece of wood that only a handful of Gaelish knew how to use, except the tips of these ones curved strangely. The men with their strange armor and swords held little fear for him. He was confident his crossbows would wreak havoc among them. But the strange bows were another matter. A hunter’s bow could release six arrows in the time it took to reload a crossbow.
He thought about that as the procession formed up into three squares, with much banging of drums and sounding of horns. With all the flags, the colors and the noise, it looked like a festival, and the people of Berry were treating it as such, waving and dancing and cheering.
Finally, with a last flourish from the drums, the flags were dropped, the soldiers stamped to attention and the Kottermani Prince, decked out in the same armor except that the leather showing beneath his mail was gold, stepped to the front of his men.
“Prince Kemal, welcome to Berry. And please thank your men for such a wonderful display!” Aidan shouted down. “But I am afraid we do not have a room large enough to hold all of them! Perhaps you would care to enter with merely an honor guard?”
Prince Kemal signaled and half the men in red marched forwards to form a new square.
“Would you like to send the rest back to your ships? I am afraid I am unable to offer food and drink to so many,” Aidan called down.
“That is not necessary. They will wait for me for as long as it takes,” Kemal called back, his voice deep and his Gaelish only slightly accented.
Aidan waved. “Bastard,” he said softly through his smile. “Regan, escort him in.”
Fallon took one last look at the Kottermani soldiers. They all looked strong and disciplined and the thought of taking them on in a straight fight made him uneasy.
*
The throne room was crowded with men.
On one side was the Gaelish nobility, as well as Fallon and his friends, while the other side was taken up by the immaculate ranks of the Kottermani soldiers. Up close, they looked even more impressive. Fallon would have liked to inspect their armor closer still – while it could not hold out a crossbow bolt, he wondered how effective it would be against a sword. But he could see there was going to be no chance to find out. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
It was not helped that the balcony above was filled with Kelty’s guards, but the real reason was King Aidan’s obvious anger. Usually that meant something bad was about to happen and, with only a handful of guards actually on the throne room floor, the nobles clearly did not like their chances of getting out of there if Aidan did explode.
But if Prince Kemal and his Kottermani soldiers felt the same tension, they showed no sign of it. They did not even seem concerned by the number of crossbows above them. They might as well have been in their own capital.
“We welcome Prince Kemal and trust he had a good voyage,” Regan announced.
To Fallon’s eyes, it looked as though Aidan would have been happier if they had all drowned on the way over.
“We return the warm welcome of King Aidan,” Prince Kemal said, his voice even but still reaching into every corner of the silent throne room. “It is a pleasure to see so many noble faces here to greet me.”
Aidan looked, if possible, even sourer at those words.
“Thank you again, Prince Kemal. King Aidan now invites you to join him for a private discussion, with just our personal attendants,” Regan said, bowing low.
Prince Kemal inclined his head in acknowledgement. “I would be pleased to do so, as long as Crown Prince Cavan is there.”
The throne room went very still and Aidan’s face glowed red. “This is a discussion just concerning you and me,” he said through gritted teeth.
If Kemal was affected by Aidan’s obvious anger, he did not reveal it. “It was not a request. It was a requirement. We do not talk unless the Crown Prince is there.”
For a moment Fallon thought Aidan was going to explode with anger and he nodded to his friends, thinking this could be the time to make sure Aidan and Swane did not survive the vicious battle that surely had to erupt between the Kottermanis and Gaelish.
Then the King bottled up his anger with a visible effort. “So be it,” he said. “Cavan, bring two men only.”
Swane did not look around but Fallon knew it had to be himself and Brendan, or people would know something was wrong. As Swane strode after his father, Fallon nudged the big smith and they followed.
Fallon was actually delighted he would be there to hear what was happening. And he was not the only one. A hand plucked at his sleeve and Duchess Dina looked meaningfully at him, then towards the massed nobles, each of whom was looking like a small child being deprived of its favorite toy.
He nodded to show he understood she wanted him to be her eyes and ears in there, then hurried to catch up with the others.
&nb
sp; In contrast with the packed throne room, the audience room was much quieter. A table and chairs had already been set up, with jugs of water and wine and glasses ready. But there were fewer people than chairs. Apart from the King, Swane and Kemal, there was a plump Kottermani with a huge moustache, Kelty and a hulking guard and a pair of Kottermani bodyguards.
Fallon was fascinated by them. Each was as big as Brendan and they both carried huge swords strapped to their backs. Aidan and Swane sat down on one side of the table, Kemal on the other. Regan hovered behind the King and the plump Kottermani waited behind his prince. As to Fallon, Brendan, Kelty and the other guards, they lined the wall on their respective sides of the table.
“What was the meaning of speaking to me like that in my own throne room?” Aidan growled before Regan had even had the chance to offer anyone a glass of wine.
Kemal looked almost bored in the face of Aidan’s obvious anger. “I said it because I can. You no longer have the power here,” he said coldly.
Aidan’s meaty fist thumped onto the table. “Is that any way to start a discussion between our two countries?” he snarled.
“No,” Kemal agreed. “But then this is not a discussion.”
Before Aidan could say anything else, Kemal held out his hand and the plump Kottermani chamberlain placed a thick scroll into it. Kemal then rolled it across the table, where it came to rest against Aidan’s fist.
“We have lived up to our part of the bargain that was struck the last time we were here,” Kemal said. “Now it is time for you to live up to yours. Inside are the conditions you must comply with.”
Aidan ripped open the scroll and began to read, his face losing its ruddy color almost immediately. Fallon craned his neck and leaned to his left in a vain attempt to see what was on the scroll. Whatever it was, it was having a powerful effect on the King. He would have loved to know where Aidan planned to place that on his shelves – and what the Kottermanis’ part of the bargain had been. He silently urged Aidan to rage and demand answers, so more could be revealed.
Instead, the King rolled the scroll up and tapped it on the table. “All of these?” he demanded. “What if we were to—?”
Kemal held up his hand. “Again, you misunderstand me. This is what you have to do. There will be no discussion and no changes possible.”
“And if I am not happy with that?”
Kemal shrugged. “That is no concern of mine. But if you attempt to break this agreement then you will face the full force of the Elephant Throne. As it is, I will stay here with nine companies of my men for the winter, to await my father’s arrival in the spring. We shall then take over this castle. You and your court must move out.”
Then he stood. “Send me your reply when you are ready, and specify whether you require me to also address your nobles. But do not leave it too long. I expect a reply within two days, or I shall come back to find out why.”
Aidan did not even bother standing; he just waved the scroll in Kemal’s direction.
Swane, however, stood and Kemal paused for a moment.
“Crown Prince Cavan,” he said. “I do not recognize your new bodyguards. Won’t you introduce them?”
Fallon glanced at Aidan but the King was slumped at the table and not seeming to pay any attention to what was going on.
Swane looked at Fallon and then back to Kemal. “These are my Captain Fallon and my bodyguard Brendan,” he said, his voice soft and without its usual mocking tone.
Fallon found himself almost nose to nose with Prince Kemal. He locked eyes with the man and found it strangely disconcerting. Kemal seemed to be weighing him up, as if he were some sort of prize animal. And Fallon did not like the calculating look in the Kottermani’s eyes.
“Is this the Fallon we have been hearing so much about, who has inspired all Berry?” Kemal asked conversationally.
“The same,” Swane confirmed.
Kemal nodded, a slight smile playing around his lips. “You seem smaller than I expected,” he said. “And a little older.”
Fallon bristled instantly but Kemal turned aside from him to place a hand on Swane’s shoulder.
“Prince Cavan, send your agents to meet mine tomorrow, the usual place,” he murmured, his words just reaching Fallon’s ears.
Fallon kept his eyes on Swane, who bowed his head.
Kemal nodded, then looked at Fallon and smiled slightly, a secretive smile that Fallon did not like at all.
“Until I hear from you then, King Aidan,” he said, then signaled to his bodyguards.
The Kottermanis walked out, leaving the Gaelish standing alone, except for the King, still slumped over the table.
“Sire?” Regan asked tentatively.
“Get those rutting Kottermanis out of my home before I do something I will regret!” Aidan snarled. “Go!”
Regan scuttled off and Swane cleared his throat. “Father?” he began.
“Leave me!” Aidan thundered. “Kelty, take my son back to his room. Fallon, you and your man wait there for a moment.”
Fallon stopped still as Kelty waved Swane out through a different door from the one Kemal had used. He tracked Swane with his eyes but the prince did not even glance in his direction. Fallon had not found out nearly as much as he wanted from this meeting but he had at least one nugget of gold. Back when Cavan was alive, Gallagher and Devlin had followed a group of Kottermanis to a secret meeting with Swane’s agents. It seemed Swane’s men had been pretending to be Cavan’s agents, because Cavan had certainly never asked them to do that. Now Kemal wanted to talk secretly with the man he thought was Prince Cavan. That gave Fallon an idea and maybe a way out of this trap.
Aidan waited until the door was shut before looking up at Fallon. “So Fallon, are you ready to defeat the Kottermanis for me?” he asked brutally.
Fallon squared his shoulders and hid his misgivings about what was going on. “Of course, sire,” he said. “I will need more men though. And I will need to start training them again.”
The King nodded slowly. “Fallon, you have earned my trust, lived up to your promises,” he said. “I respect that. Trust earned is rewarded. I shall have the guards removed from your door and the locks as well. You are free to come and go as you need to get men ready to fight the Kottermanis. And there will be more men coming.”
“And, sire, what about our families if we start a war with the Kottermanis?” Fallon asked, knowing it was a risk but unable to walk out of there without an answer.
Aidan paused for a moment. “They will be part of a peace treaty. I give you my word,” he said.
Fallon saluted. “Thank you, sire!”
“I shall call for you again when it comes time to explain how we shall crush the Kottermanis. For now, you are dismissed, Fallon,” Aidan waved his hand.
Fallon nodded to Brendan and the pair of them hurried out of the room, although he could see Brendan was not happy.
“What do you mean by agreeing with that man? Making our families part of the peace treaty? That wasn’t the plan!” he growled.
“I know,” Fallon said. “We have to act ourselves. Let’s get everyone together and I’ll explain.”
CHAPTER 14
“I learned more from what the King did not say than from the things he did say,” Fallon told the others, looking around Cavan’s table, gathered to plan as they had many times before. But this time Duchess Dina and Gannon had joined them. He had made sure Rosaleen was sitting next to them, with instructions to reveal if they were attempting some sort of trickery. It made things feel strange, having them there, but he could feel the pressure of what he was about to do and knew he would need all the help he could get. The rest of the rooms were empty. The rest of the men were out practicing with the crossbows. The King’s promise had obviously spread to Regan because both the locks and the guards were gone from their door.
“He made some sort of bargain with the Kottermanis. We don’t know the details but the price of what they want is too high for the King to pay.”<
br />
“Aye, you should have seen it,” Brendan put in. “That Kottermani Prince treated Aidan like he was a fat dog turd – and the King just took it, as well! Let the man insult him to his face and swallowed it down like it was nothing!”
“Surely not,” Rosaleen put in.
“I never thought to see the like. If anyone from Gaelland had attempted to do that, they would have been rewarded with their head decorating the castle gate,” Dina declared.
“It is no tale,” Fallon confirmed. “He treated Aidan like a rude child. But while the King might have taken it in the room, he is planning to give it back. He wants me to destroy the Kottermani force the Prince plans to leave here over the winter.”
“And our families?” Padraig asked.
Fallon sighed. “You were right, old man. He merely told me they would be part of the peace treaty. But, after the way the Kottermani Prince treated him, I can’t see them agreeing to any of his demands anyway. You should have heard it. ‘This is not a negotiation,’ he tells the King. ‘I will take over your castle.’ And all this right to his face!”
Padraig grunted. “Believe me when I say I take no pleasure in being right.”
“So what was the bargain the King made with them? What did they do for him that they demand such a high price in return?” Gallagher asked.
“That is the real question,” Fallon admitted. “To me, it has to have something to do with the families being taken. We always thought it was the Kottermanis behind that, but why would that be the result of a bargain with the King? What did he get out of it?”
“We’ll probably never know. But, for Aroaril’s sake, what are we going to do now?” Devlin asked.
Fallon rapped the table with his knuckles. “To business then. And we had a real stroke of luck in there. The Kottermani Prince thought that Swane was indeed Cavan. And, better yet, it seems Swane’s men have been meeting with the Kottermanis in secret but claiming to be from Prince Cavan. That was the purpose of the meeting Dev and Gall discovered last moon, when they followed Kottermanis to a house in Berry.”