“You’re right. Still, I would be putting myself in the place of second-guessing the Crown.”
“General, when you served under King Olweg and King Eugene, did they ever give you military orders without first asking your opinion? And did they in their wisdom ever dismiss Duke Nelson’s thoughts on military maneuvers?”
“I see what you are trying to present to me, Duke Whitley, but it still makes me feel like I am putting my own desires before the Crown’s”
“General Clark,” the Colonel interrupted, “I told you recently that I have never known a strategic mind superior to yours. I meant it then and I will remind you of it now. Being loyal to the Crown means giving your best to Targa every bit as much as it means following the King’s orders. It the King ordered you to run him through with your sword, you would refuse. Why is this so hard to understand? You will be following his orders completely, but you will be deciding strategically how best to implement those orders.”
The General sipped his wine and thought. “You are right, gentlemen. I thank you for pulling me out of the murky depths of my own stubbornness. How can I ever thank you for not letting me do something stupid?”
“Well,” suggested Duke Whitley, “you could start by releasing Lord Habas. You did say he was not a criminal. If he has to be kept under guard, at least let him do it in his laboratory. The Colonel can even supply Red Swords to guard him. It would make me feel better about the type of treatment we give to loyal Targans who are being used as pawns.”
Before the General had a chance to answer, Colonel Gregor chimed in. “I agree. The General and I would certainly like to do any small thing we can for the King’s Advisor.”
“That’s excellent, General. Allow me to pick up the tab for your dinner. Just have it put on my room bill and please dally for a while. I am sorry but I must run.” Duke Whitley got up and quickly left.
Duke Whitley knocked on Oscar Dalek’s door. Oscar answered and showed the elderly Duke in. “How did it go, Duke Whitley?”
“It went very well, but I think it is high time you stopped calling me Duke Whitley, Oscar. My given name is Byron and I would appreciate it if you would use it. I like to think of you as my son and the court formality seems so cold and impersonal.”
“It is an honor to be considered your son, Byron. Does this mean that Lord Habas will be freed?”
“We will have to wait for the Colonel’s report, but yes, I think Lord Habas will be at least free enough to use the Door. General Clark will be leaving Tagaret tomorrow with six thousand men. The Red Swords will be in charge of the Palace. We still need to talk with Lord Habas to form a plan of uncloaking Mordac, though.”
“If we have access to the Door, we can get the advice of Jenneva and Egam, as well,” responded Oscar.
Jenneva and Egam walked through the Door to Atar’s Cove. “John, Callie, how good of you to come and visit. Is Oscar with you, as well?”
“No,” replied John. “They are in Tagaret, but I am certainly glad to see you. We have problems that require your assistance.”
John proceeded to relate the story to the two magicians. Jenneva and Egam interrupted several times for clarification, but tried to let John tell the entire story before the real questions started. The strategy session lasted well into the night without any firm plan to defeat Mordac. There were too many unknown factors involved and the safety of the citizens of Tagaret was a major concern.
The next morning everyone gathered again in the study to continue plotting the downfall of King Austin. Egam answered the knock at the Door and admitted Duke Whitley, Oscar, and Alex.
While Alex and Jenneva embraced, Egam summarized the extent of their knowledge.
“There have been further developments since John came here,” offered Duke Whitley. “King Austin has ordered the Army to the Cordonian border to stave off an imaginary attack. Colonel Gregor and I managed to talk General Clark into leaving the Red Swords behind. Whatever we do in regards to King Austin must be done soon or Targa will be involved in two wars. Our time limit is over when the King’s Army reaches the Cordonian border.”
“And we can’t try to take Mordac by force,” added Oscar. “His power could destroy half the city, not to mention the bunch of magical advisors he has imported as aides.”
Jenneva broke off from Alex’s embrace. “Then we will disrobe him in public and allow him to flee. He must be using Reflecting Pool to assume the appearance of King Austin.”
“What is Reflecting Pool?” asked Callie.
“Reflecting Pool,” answered Egam, “is a spell that allows you to assume another’s identity. To utilize the spell, the personage assumed has to be dead. There is a concoction that can counteract the spell.”
“Yes,” offered Jenneva, “it is called Passive Drain, but getting it to King Austin will be a bit of a problem. We need for his image to change in public and from what I’ve been told, he doesn’t care much for public appearances. If we can get the Passive Drain into him somehow, then the next time he uses magic, his facade will disappear.”
“He has food tasters,” mentioned Duke Whitley.
“Plus we need to make him want to flee rather than fight,” appended Oscar.
Alex walked over and joined the discussion. “Let’s not forget that when he flees, we want to know where he has fled to.”
The group continued debating potential scenarios for King Austin’s downfall, but they had no success in coming up with a plan. After a while they broke for lunch and the group split up for some private meditating.
Alex and Jenneva strolled down to the beach and sat on the sand, gazing out over the azure waters. Alex held Jenneva’s hand and stared into her sparkling blue eyes. “Jenneva, have you ever thought about having children?”
Jenneva squeezed Alex’s hand. “Alex, do you really think this is the type of world you would want to bring children into?”
“Jenneva, if they’re your children, I am willing to change the world for them.”
“Alexander Tork, are you proposing to me?” giggled Jenneva.
Alex brought his flushed face close to Jenneva’s and kissed her. “Jenneva, I have been proposing to you for years. I have always feared your rejection, but now I am more afraid of life passing us by while I seek the courage to risk your refusal.”
Jenneva rolled over and hugged Alex. “Save your fear for the enemies of your sword. I can think of no one I would rather spend my life with, Alex.”
Chapter 12
Scheming
Everyone reassembled in Jenneva’s study to resume the discussion of King Austin.
“What is it that Mordac wants?” asked Callie.
“Well,” answered Duke Whitley, “we know what it is he doesn’t want. He’s not interested in ruling Targa. The decisions that he is making almost guarantee that Targa will no longer exist.”
“Right, Byron,” added Oscar. “He is obviously just using his position of power in Targa to distract us from his real goal and that goal requires as many books as he can get.”
“He’s looking for a way to bring Sarac back,” stated Egam. “He figures that there is a book that will allow him to communicate with Sarac and perhaps even bring Sarac back into this Universe.”
“The Book of the Beginning,” whispered Jenneva. “I mentioned it to Sarac when I was portraying his student. I used its mention to distract him from destroying Targa. Mordac must have overheard or Sarac must have involved him in the search for it. Mordac has no idea where to look, so he has all of the Black Devils out collecting every book they can find.”
“Well, there aren’t as many of them out looking for the book anymore,” quipped Alex.
“The Rangers only affected those searching in Targa. There are reports of thefts from Cordonia to Lanoir.” Duke Whitley walked to the window and stared at the peaceful cove below. “Still, you must have made a large dent in his force.”
Oscar queried, “Couldn’t we get a message to King Austin that the Book of the Beginning
has been located in a certain place and then annihilate him?”
“No,” John stated. “King Austin has to be seen for what he is. The public has to know that King Austin doesn’t exist.”
“More importantly,” added Byron Whitley, “General Clark has to see him for what he is. We cannot have eighteen thousand soldiers fighting the Red Swords because the new King is dead. Civil war would destroy this country just as quick as the dual invasions would.”
Jenneva bounced from her chair. “Duke Whitley is absolutely correct and I have an idea. It is going to take all of our skills, but I think it will work. Egam, I am going to need a pair of Doors from you. Do you know the King of the Dwarves that Galdan mentioned to us?”
Egam’s old face brightened to a smile. “Yes, I have known King Tugar for many years. He has an ornery disposition, though. What do you need from him?”
“I’ll tell you in a moment,” sang Jenneva. “First, let me explain the plan to everyone so that we can split up and get things started.”
Oscar led the way as the Red Swords carried the Door out of the Palace and placed it in one of the Continental Shipping wagons. He climbed up with the driver, Terris Orba, and the wagon turned through the gate. “I will see you in three days,” he called to the Colonel.
The Colonel headed home for an afternoon nap. When he reached the Sword and Shield he went up to his room. Within a few moments, Larc arrived.
“On the good side of the General now, are you?” kidded Larc.
“The General has so few men left in the capital, he can not afford to waste them on me. Is Will Staton ready to proceed?”
“The Pawn Shop is ready. Just let the Duke drop the word and Will Staton will fill in the blanks,” stated Larc.
“Great!” exclaimed the Colonel. “Things are going to start rolling quickly from here on out. Get word to Alex that Oscar’s wagon just left the Palace.”
“Consider it done, Colonel.” Larc rose and crept out of the room.
Lieutenant Mitar Vidson watched his group of Rangers form up. “Okay, just so everyone is sure of our mission here, I’ll go through it one more time. I want two riders every four hours of hard ride between here and General Clark’s army. When the General issues his orders to turn around, I want it delivered at top speed. Two riders will carry the order to the next set of riders. If, for some reason, one of the riders is downed or incapacitated, the other will take the note and continue on. You can worry about your mate after you have handed off the orders. Is this clear?”
The Rangers shouted their understanding and started down the road. Mitar hoped the order came soon. He didn’t like having his men spread across the country as messengers, but they were among the best riders in the Kingdom.
Jenneva mounted the horse and rode up to where Alex was watching his men assemble. She reflected on how different Alex was with his men compared to his little boy attitude when he was with her. He was confident and sure with his men. There was no hesitation in his voice and he spoke with a tone of authority. His decisions were quick and never questioned. She could tell by the Ranger’s attitudes that his men idolized him. Here in the field, he was a king. At her side, he was a slave. He was the ultimate warrior with a compassionate heart. She prayed he would survive his coming encounter with Mordac.
“Okay, men, you know the drill,” commanded Alex. “Lieutenant Jaynes, lead your men off.”
Alex watched David lead his unit of Rangers down the path. His heart swelled with pride every time he saw his Rangers moving out. They were the best group of men he ever had the pleasure of serving with.
He readjusted his position on the horse. He wasn’t used to carrying his new shield. King Tugar insisted on meeting the man who would carry the shield. Alex was awestruck at the number of dwarves that lived under the Boulders. He had grown up in the shadow of the mountains and never had an inkling that the dwarves existed. King Tugar was an abrasive character, but Alex got the feeling that it was all for show. All of the dwarves acted that way, yet they all showed respect when Egam passed. It wasn’t a showy type of respect, like bowing and scraping. Rather, it was subtle. A quick nod and a shuffle out of the path or the stopping of a heated argument until the wizard had passed. They were an odd-looking bunch with their large noses and long beards, but Egam assured him that they were a breed of fierce fighters.
King Tugar’s men made quite a fuss of designing the shield to fit Alex and he had to admit that when he used it during practice it felt like an extension of his arm. Egam and Doryelgar, the dwarf wizard, had spent a bit of time with Alex’s sword and shield before he was allowed to depart. King Tugar invited Alex to return if he should live through his coming ordeal. Alex figured that it was just dwarf talk for come again, but Egam’s solemn facial expression indicated that the dwarf king had his doubts.
David’s column wound out of sight and Alex snapped back to the present. “Okay, Rangers,” he shouted, “for your country, forward.”
Jenneva rode along side Alex as he led his men north towards Miram.
Duke Whitley sat in the Royal Physician’s office with his shirt off. The doctor was listening to the Duke’s breathing and was measuring the noble’s heartbeat.
Sergeant Ferguson ran into the room breathing heavily. “Doctor, we’ve had a man fall off the wall. The Colonel ordered me to send you down immediately. He’s afraid of moving the man until you have looked at him. He’s in the Red Sword courtyard.”
“Goodness, if it isn’t one thing it’s another,” sighed the physician. “Duke Whitley, you stay where you are. I still want to examine you thoroughly before you go running off. I’ll not be having any nobles dropping dead today, thank you.”
As soon as the elderly doctor rounded the corner, Fergy joined Duke Whitley in rummaging through the doctor’s drawers. “Darn if this man doesn’t need an aide,” quipped the Duke. “Either that or he hasn’t learned the alphabet yet. These things are in no order at all.”
“Just make sure that they stay in the same non-order as we found them, Duke,” admonished Fergy. “The doctor may have a strange system of his own for finding things.”
It took them almost a half hour to find what they were looking for. Footsteps could be heard coming down the corridor as Fergy shoved the papers into his shirt. The physician turned the corner and strode into the room. “You didn’t have to stay, Sergeant. I don’t really think Duke Whitley would run away on me. Your Private is going to be all right. Nothing is broken. Didn’t really seem like he was hurt that badly. Still, better to check than not.”
Fergy left the room and headed for the Colonel’s office. He dropped off the papers and returned to the courtyard. The Colonel read the papers and found what he was looking for. He smiled and leaned back in his chair. For a long while the Colonel just relaxed, until his door sergeant stuck his head in the door and whispered. “It’s time, Sir. He just rounded the bend.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.” Colonel Gregor stood and walked into the corridor. Duke Whitley was coming down the hall and he stepped in along side of him. “Afternoon, Duke Whitley.”
“Good afternoon, Colonel Gregor. There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
The pair walked through the corridors towards the Council Chambers. They paused outside the King’s Chambers and engaged in idle conversation. Duke Whitley quickly picked up the conversation as Aurora approached.
“Absolutely absurd is what it was. It was a musty, old book, as old as the hills, and this clown wanted ten thousand crowns for it. All it had written on it was the Book of the Beginning. I’ll tell you, with prices like that I’ll never shop at the Pawn Shop again.”
“Well, I’m glad you told me that. I’ll look somewhere else for the gift,” replied the Colonel. “Thanks for the advice, Duke Whitley. Maybe I’ll try some of the shops down by the wharf. Their prices ought to be a little more in my line.”
The King’s aide had stopped walking and the Colonel strode down the hall smiling. Duke Whitley entered the Co
uncil Chambers and sat down.
The bell over the door rang loudly and Will entered the store area. A young man with long, black hair and a strange tattoo on his forearm entered the store. “Welcome to the Pawn Shop. Can I help you, Sir?”
Dalgar didn’t answer but surveyed the shop. He walked up and down the aisle quickly and returned to the counter. “I heard you might have a book that I would find interesting.”
“Yes, Sir,” beamed Will. “We get books in all the time and they go out again just as quick. What’s the title of the book you’re looking for?”
Dalgar looked around furtively. “It’s called the Book of the Beginning. A rather large tome of fairy tales. Do you have it or not?”
Will rubbed his black, leathery chin. “The Book of the Beginning. Sounds familiar. Oh, Yes, I remember now. A large volume, very old, looked expensive, it did.”
“What do you mean, ‘It did’?” snarled Dalgar.
“Well, I sold it just this morning, I did. Gave the gentleman a steal, too”
“Who bought it?” demanded Dalgar.
“Don’t rightly know,” replied Will. “I don’t ask questions of my customers.”
Dalgar’s fists were clenching. He felt like grabbing the scrawny, black man and draining his blood. “I want the book. How much will it cost to get it back?”
“Can’t get it back,” whispered Will. “But I know where it is and I might be enticed to share the information.”
“How much do you want?” uttered Dalgar.
“Well, a thousand crowns would be a proper commission, I assume. Course, you remember, I never said anything about it.”
Dalgar pulled out his purse and dumped a thousand crowns on the counter. Will reached for the money and Dalgar grabbed his wrist. “Where is the book?” he demanded.
Will pulled his hand free and glared at Dalgar. “Not sure I like your way of doing business. I don’t get the crowns, you don’t get the book.”
Dark Quest Page 14