“They’ve moved quickly.”
“Yes, Morschcoda. Almost four hundred leagues in twenty days.”
“What news of Dothoro?”
A tall, thin man answered. “Chief Rider, Prince of Dragons, Dothoro is under the Banner of Drogoda. From what I saw and heard while in the country, Daliana is alive, but confined to the palace, and has no say in anything that happens in her country. A regent has been appointed ‘until such time as Daliana Marcarry is once more deemed fit to rule.”
“Until she bows to Taren, you mean.”
“Yes, sir. Rumours claim that the regent is a member of the Half-Elvin, but I believe that the regent is Makret Druoth himself. His banner flies over Eshtam-Nis and many lesser holds throughout the forest, beside Morschcoda Garrenin’s and Drogoda’s. I was unable to find out anything more.”
“No news of the Caladrim returning to Ra-Diavere?”
“None, Chief Rider. It seems that Morschcoda Garrenin has sealed that border, though the road through Storinea remains open.”
“That is interesting, though I can see no reason for it.”
“I know Taren better than you do, Galeth,” broke in Daken. “He closed the border to try to force Ranny and the Rayed Sun to return home the long way, through Storinea and Armanda, so that they will not be here when – if – Taren does invade.”
“Then we must waste no time in pressing on to Ra-Diavere.”
The third Rider, who had come from the city, a short man who looked a little like Daken, broke in. “Chief Rider, Prince of Dragons, if I may speak, I would not be so hasty.”
“Oh? What can you tell us of this, Rider?”
“I have been observing the city for the past day, and there is much that I do not understand happening within its walls. What first struck me as odd, the Caladrim pride themselves on rising with the sun, yet there was almost nobody in the streets, not even shopkeepers or merchants. More peculiar, there were an unusual number of guards at each gate of the city, and each door into the palace and the barracks of the Rayed Sun were guarded as well. I would also guess that these soldiers were wearing armour that was dark in colour. It did not look like Drog armour though, but I know that it was not the yellow of the Rayed Sun, or even just the plain steel of the city guard. There is something strange at work in the city.”
Galeth and Daken were silent for a long time. “If Taren had taken Ra-Diavere” began Daken uncertainly, “then we should be able to tell for certain. You should have had a sighting of a Mordak if nothing more.”
Galeth brushed a strand of his long hair out of his eyes. “I agree, Morschcoda, something is strange in the city, but our orders have not changed. Queen Guinira ordered us to defend the city from Taren.”
“That does not mean that if the city is taken already, we must fight for it.” After a few more minutes of silent thought, he spoke again. “Chief Rider, ready your dragon. You, I and these three are going to Ra-Diavere.”
* * * * *
The five dragons circled high above Ra-Diavere, their Riders inspecting the city. Daken could see for himself the unusual number of guards at the doors of the barracks, as well as the unreported patrols through the all but empty streets. But he could see no Mordak, and he knew he should be able to if Taren had taken the city. “Land in the courtyard in front of the palace. I do not want to give anyone time to attack us before we see whoever is in charge” he shouted as his white dragon started to dive. Repeating the maneuver he had used in Airachni, and many other places, he landed on his feet, with the four other Riders surrounding him. Immediately, they could feel the watchfulness of the city.
“Something isn’t right here, Daken. The city is too quiet.”
“We still need to know what is going on.”
As they walked through the deserted courtyard toward the palace, its doors swung open, and out walked a woman to meet them. She wore no armour, but the sword on her hip and her appearance marked her as no Caladean. Daken felt, though, that it was safer for the moment to feign ignorance. Bowing her head slightly to indicate one of little lower rank than a Morschcoda, and with her sword arm crossed over her chest to say that she meant no harm, she greeted them.
“Welcome to Ra-Diavere, Prince of Dragons. And to you, Chief Rider.”
The welcome was lost on Daken, who merely crossed his arms. “Who are you?”
She bowed her head again. “I apologize for assuming you would have been informed of certain details, details which Queen Guinira obviously thought you would not need. I am Edya Reeshnar, Regent of the Sun Throne. I apologize also that no one of higher rank than me is here to greet you, but with Dothoro closed to us, Morschcoda Marsharin was forced to march south through Storinea and Armanda.” Daken knew immediately that it was a trap, so he said nothing. After a short pause, she spoke again. “I think, if I may be so bold, that you were wise, Morschcoda Calmi, to come ahead with few men. The people here are unused to being without so many of the Rayed Sun to protect them, so any force or show of arms tends to frighten them, even from our allies. It was rumoured that several thousand Drogs were marching on Ra-Diavere, which is why we were forced to take these measures. I can see you are confused by them.” Daken snorted. “Yes, it seems excessive, but it was a better option than people running around the city, scared to death and spreading their fear to others who might not believe such rumours.”
Daken looked around. Extra guards, patrols, imposed curfews; it seemed extreme for a mere rumour of an army. He knew his next question would spring the trap. “Where is Ranny now?”
“I believe her and her army to be near the border of Storinea and Armanda, but by this time, she could be well into the Ashnora Desert. More precise information I cannot give.”
“I see.” Obviously his pretend ignorance was believed, but the woman, who he thought seemed familiar, was on guard against any falsehoods. “Now, where is she really?”
“Near the border of …”
“No. She is not. I have seen you before, Edya Reeshnar. You were among the Morschcodal Escort of Taren Garrenin. Now, what is going on here?”
As soon as Daken said “Taren Garrenin,” ten archers appeared, above the doors, on the roofs behind them, and from both sides. All had bows drawn, and all were aimed at the five Dragon Riders in the courtyard.
Nobody moved for three long minutes. Daken noted the skill and discipline of the Drog archers. He could also tell that though they did not want to release their arrows, they would obey the order without question if it came. Edya Reeshnar was clearly a trusted commander if Taren had given her such soldiers. But, Daken still felt sure of his position. Once he was on his dragon, there was no way that Edya could stop him. One of his Riders, the tall man who had spied on Dothoro, had the same thought. His dragon came down and flew low over the city. The man jumped, as high as only a Ringlord of Air could jump, almost thirty feet straight up. Two of the Drogs followed his leap, and he crashed back to earth barely a second later, two arrows through his chest. The man’s dragon roared, in rage and pain. A third Drog released her arrow. It was aimed with as much skill as any of the Eagle Eyed could have mustered, and passed straight through the dragon’s eye. The mighty beast reared in the air, flailing for height, but it was a fatal wound. It crashed to the earth, shaking the whole city, crushing a section of the southern wall as it died. Daken stared in horror, first at his dead Rider, and then at the empty space in the sky that the dragon had fallen out of, and finally at the woman who had shot the arrow. She drew a small knife from inside of her boot and cut off the last finger of her left hand. She let the wound bleed through her clutched fingers instead of binding it or healing it. Daken did not understand, but he was still determined to escape.
“I am sorry that that had to happen, Morschcoda. Drogs have much respect for the dragons. Killing one, for us, is a mark of dishonour. That woman will forever be known as a Dragon Slayer by that finger she just cut off. Had it been a Mordak she had had to kill, it would have been up to Taren to decide her fat
e.” Edya sighed and drew her sword. Though she kept it pointed at the stone steps on which she stood, they could tell that if she had to use it, more blood would be shed and it would not be hers. “I am sorry, Morschcoda, but you are under arrest, by order of my king, Taren Garrenin.”
“How? I could easily escape this.”
The woman in front of him looked tempted to laugh, but her voice was heavy when she spoke. “You think that you are so different from the man that just died? He had as much faith in his power as you do in yours. His was misplaced. Do you really want to find out the same way that yours was also?” She stopped listened to a soldier who walked out of the palace doors behind her and said something back. He disappeared back inside, and then she continued. “Drogodan War Bows have slain many overconfident Meclaryan Ringlords. Morschcoda have been among that number, Daken Calmi. They believed that they could summon a strong enough wind to blow these arrows off course, but even were the bows or arrows affected by magic, they had almost no time to react. I have seen these bows launch arrows over a mile in a mere ten seconds, and with enough force to completely pass through an armoured man. I don’t want to be the one to explain to my king that you are dead, but I will not let you escape this city alive.” Thirty Mordak Riders appeared in the courtyard behind them. Daken looked around him, wondering where they had hidden and frightened for one of the first times in his long life. Daken and Galeth walked into the palace under Edya’s guard.
* * * * *
Deep within the castle, Taren sat, with Ranny and Daken facing him.
“Why are we here, Taren?”
“The two of you are here because, since she took the throne, you have been Guinira’s strongest supporters.”
“So why are we really here?”
“Words may have their own meanings here, not like in the Council Chambers of Pentalia Morschcoda. Just because I trapped you here doesn’t mean that I particularly want you here. So you can believe me when I say that I wish much of what has happened in the last few years had not, but I can’t undo time.”
“How did you know I would even be here, Taren? I can understand how you captured Ranny, but to know that I was on my way south, you would have … had…” he dared not finish the sentence.
Taren set his elbows on the table and tented his fingers, cracking each knuckle one by one as he did so. “Yes, Daken. I gave the orders that brought you to Ra-Diavere.”
Ranny quietly waited as Daken debated why that could not be so and as Taren answered each point in exacting detail, going as far as describing the woman who had taken the orders to Agrista. She was impressed with Taren’s answers. He seemed to be the only Morschcoda to have gotten spies within the Dragon Riders. The only thing harder was getting spies into Dothoro’s Half-Elvin, as she herself could testify.
“All right Taren. You have convinced me. Name whoever it is that helped you arrange this.”
Taren said nothing. Instead, a man stepped out of the shadow behind him; a man Daken almost did not recognize, and had not realized was no longer sitting next to him.
“It can’t be” he said, finally recognizing Galeth Tendornin.
“Prince of Dragons” returned Galeth, bowing as Edya had when she had first introduced herself.
“Well, I wish I could remain for what I am sure will be an interesting discussion, however, I’m needed in the west. Captain Reeshnar, you and Galeth will explain everything to Daken and Ranny. After that, Galeth, you will take the Meclaryan army, and Daken, back to Airachni. Send Dragon Riders you can trust ahead with Daken, and when you arrive at the city, take command of it. My men there know that this is going to happen and will understand that they are to follow your orders. Captain, you will remain in Ra-Diavere until I recall you to Alquendiro. If you need more men, you have but to ask.”
Galeth bowed. Edya did also, attempting to appear more loyal by adding “Your Majesty.”
“Galeth, what is going on?” Daken had not even looked at Taren or Edya since Galeth had emerged across the table from him.
Taren looked back and forth between Daken and Galeth. “I will leave you to explain.” With that, he left.
Daken looked expectantly at Galeth to start, but Galeth looked at Edya. Edya began by explaining how Ranny and what was left of the Caladean army had been captured in Dothoro and then brought back to Ra-Diavere. And then Galeth took up the tale.
“I don’t want to stop for anything, so if anyone has questions, make sure you remember them. To understand everything that has happened to Meclarya, Caladea, and Anaria these last few days, I need to go back about six hundred and fifty years, when I first became a full Dragon Rider. Your father, Daken, sent me as a messenger to Taren. He wanted to tell Taren that Meclarya would stand by him against his father’s supporters. Taren had just defeated his four siblings in the Drog Civil War and wielded enormous influence in the surrounding countries. His influence was especially potent in Meclarya. You wouldn’t remember, as it was before you were born, but we were almost in a civil war of our own at that point and your father hoped for Taren’s support, and possibly Makret Druoth’s aid as a military advisor should war break out. I was terrified of meeting Taren because of that. He was already one of the most dangerous men in Anaria, mostly because he had just defeated an army that outnumbered his three to one. But, I had no choice. My first impression of Taren was a calm man, confident in his power. I thought that was strange until I remembered what he had just been through. Two of his brothers were dead, as well as his father. But as Taren and I talked, he and I found something we agreed would be beneficial for everyone. Well, his desire awakened the same beast within me. We both desired to truly unite Anaria in a way that it had never been before, under one banner. So, whenever your father wished to send a message to Taren, I volunteered. In return for my help influencing your father, Taren engineered my rise through the ranks of the Dragon Riders, despite my family’s lack of influence. At first, I was just to find Riders who could be trusted to keep our plan a secret. And then your father died, you were named Morschcoda, and I was given the title of Chief Rider. After that, I could send Riders I thought could be trusted to Taren. I apparently showed good judgement. Taren used those Riders to communicate with men and women like me that he had found almost everywhere. Barish Revdark, Atalin Danalath, and Erygan Dalrey all eventually joined with us, to name only a few, though they were his main supporters. We have steadily worked to bring Anaria under the rule of one banner, by the sword if necessary. Erygan and Taren eventually went different ways, both wanting to be that banner, Atalin was executed by Guinira, Barish died, and his son Garneth disappeared. But now we come to recent events. Erygan controls Eschcota and Torridesta, and until recently, he controlled Noldoron. Taren controls Storinea and Drogoda, and effectively has taken control of Dothoro and Caladea, and within the next few days Meclarya will join that growing land. He only waits for those rulers to bow to him of their own free will, and he is willing to wait as long as necessary.”
Daken sat for several minutes as he tried to take in all of what Galeth had just said. “So, the Dragon Rider that gave the orders from Guinira …”
“Actually came from Taren, yes. As he already proved. Shortly after he captured Ranny, he sent those instructions.”
“Where is Taren going now?”
“He is on his way to Noldoron. Gelida is several days from Galzeen, and he hopes that he can convince her, if not to join with his empire, to at least not join with Erygan or Guinira. I believe that he also hopes to stop another war from beginning in Galzeen. But for reasons unknown, to me at least, the two of you are the ones Taren most hopes to win over.”
Throughout Galeth’s explanation and Daken’s questions, Ranny had remained silent, trying to think of a way out of this, but she could not. And then another thought, a different thought, came to her. Why was she trying to get away? Taren wanted nothing more than she had given Guinira, and he was, as she knew well, a much more skilled leader, politically and militarily, than Guinir
a could ever hope to be. Taren knew the value that the former Morschcoda would have in controlling their countries. He would not have forced Dalasin into the position Guinira had. That was something Ranny had disapproved of, forcing Dalasin’s death, but she had not dared speak against it then. But now, Galeth had made a mistake, a small one, yes, but a mistake nonetheless. He had left one small door open, a hole she could wiggle through.
“Why does Taren want the two of us? More than others, I mean.”
Galeth started to answer, but Edya shook her head at him. Then she started. “Taren, it seems, wants more what the two of you represent than you personally, I think. I think, also, that he does not want to waste the lives of skilled leaders, especially former Morschcoda, who, though if they wished could turn countries against him, could be instrumental in keeping order in those same countries.”
“That says nothing, Edya.”
“What would you have me tell them, Galeth.”
“Taren wanted them to know the truth.”
“That is the truth.”
“Part of it.”
“Well, then, by all means go ahead.” Edya stepped away from the table and walked out of the room, leaving an annoyed Galeth to deal with the two Morschcoda by himself.
After a short pause, Galeth began. “I really should not be that hard on Edya, but I have been with Taren longer than she has. Taren wants the two of you to join with him because it is you; former Morschcoda he has worked with for centuries in some cases, and with whom he shares many memories, whether those memories are pleasant or not. He considers you and the rest of the Morschcoda among his closest friends, which may go a long way towards explaining his personality. But Edya is partially right. He wants you two specifically because you are Guinira’s strongest supporters.”
Daken shrugged, and Ranny laughed. “How are we Guinira’s strongest supporters? Surely Xari is closer to the throne than us.”
“Yes, and no, Morschcoda. Yes, Xari is closer to Guinira than either of you, but no, because Xari has no real choice in the matter. Guinira has taken almost absolute control of Armanda for herself, ordering things the way she wants to without even bothering to pretend that Xari even knows about her plans. According to Taren’s spies, the title of Morschcoda is all that has kept Xari’s head attached in the past few years.” He paused to let that sink in. “Which leaves the two of you. And it is not so difficult a stretch to make that the two of you are the real backers of Guinira’s power. After all, besides Armanda, your two countries are the only ones to move soldiers through to other countries to help maintain her holdings.”
Rising Vengeance (The Anarian Chronicles Book 1) Page 14