Heir to the Throne

by Andrew G. Wood

  As two cultists had already broken into his home and attempted to kill the Crown Prince, Lord Oakley was confident in his assumption that these cults and Lord Elthan were connected. He had recently received several reports from other nobles of strange activity concerning these cultists. Apparently, in several regions, they had merely just left the area, but as to where they were heading, no one was as yet quite sure. Being as some had already headed his direction, Lord Oakley was now concerned that many more were indeed coming his way.

  While many of the cultists donned black robes and hence made themselves easy to identify, he was not so naive to think that was only the case. If indeed these cultists were all heading his direction, then his job of keeping the prince safe would be made much harder. Take away their black robes, and they could dress as anything. A cook, a maid or even a soldier and he wouldn’t know. While he attempted to only keep his own loyal men close to the prince and around the house, there were now so many others in and around Garley. Large numbers, both from his own lands and Lord Dalby’s most of whom he wouldn’t recognise at all.

  Realising that his own men might be infiltrated by the cultists, much like the events at the palace, Lord Oakley now needed to make an important decision. Gazing, deep in thought out of the window in his office he waited somewhat impatiently for Lord Dalby to arrive. He was distracted from his thoughts as he watched a flock of birds swirling in the air. Like a swift dark-cloud, they twisted and twirled as if connected together to form one vast flying creature, before moving away from his line of sight.

  A Knock sounded at the door, and Lord Oakley turned to see his good friend Lord Dalby peering through.

  “Come in,” he said glad to get things started.

  “Drink?” Lord Oakley added walking slowly over to where his brandy bottle and two glasses were placed.

  “It’s a little early, but go on then,” Lord Dalby replied taking up the seat that had been placed for him.

  Lord Oakley duly poured two glasses of brandy, before walking back over to his desk and placing one down for his guest, before returning to his own seat.

  “Problems?” Lord Dalby asked, lifting his glass up to his mouth but pausing to speak before taking a drink.

  Lord Oakley was quite the opposite and gulped his drink back in one go before giving any reply, a sign that he was perhaps starting to feel the strain of all the recent events.

  Listening carefully to what his friend had to say, Lord Dalby understood the threat that was now coming their way.

  “Perhaps it is time we moved the prince,” he suggested.

  “I think so,” Lord Oakley admitted somewhat regretfully.

  While thus far, he had managed to protect the boy and had taken some pride in doing so. Now, it seemed he would have to pass the duty on to somebody else, and there was no one he would trust more than Lord Dalby.

  “I’d like you to take my family with you,” Lord Oakley said, already resigned to the fact he might not see them again for some time.

  “It would be best if they were out of harm's way, should trouble come this way.”

  Lord Dalby gave a single nod of his head, “I will gladly see them safe. I would like to leave half of my soldiers here with you, under your command. If trouble is coming, you must be able to defeat it.”

  Lord Oakley managed a smile, “Thank you,” he replied. “I suppose we should give the others the news then.”

  The two lords walked side by side as they sent word for both their respective families to meet in the dining room, and they sent one of the house staff to request that the young prince also join them. Lady Oakley was first to arrive, quickly followed by Lady Dalby, as the pair always seemed to spend most of their days together. The younger members all arrived some five minutes later, with Edward and Luca being the last two to make an appearance.

  Lord Oakley calmly asked the serving staff to leave the room and asked that they not be disturbed, before making sure the dining room doors were firmly closed. Several pairs of eyes followed him as he walked around the room, although nobody spoke as they clearly sensed something important was about to be revealed. Without going into too much detail, Lord Oakley explained that he thought trouble was heading their way.

  “We have decided that it would be better for you all to go to the Casillian Isle until other arrangements can be made.”

  “Us as well?” Nerina asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

  “All of you!” Lord Oakley replied quite sharply in a tone that suggested it was not a matter for further discussion.

  “I would like to stay with you and help, Father,” Samuel said seemingly ignoring the comment.

  “No, Samuel, you will go as well.” Lord Oakley replied, although clearly not cross or angered by having his request questioned. In truth, he would very much have liked to have had Samuel stay with him. However, while it might have been a good experience in the way things were run, the dangers far outweighed any positives there might have been from doing so.

  Samuel, seemingly disappointed, did not argue with his father, but merely gave a single nod of his head to indicate that he understood.

  “The ship will leave on the tide this afternoon,” Lord Dalby then added to the conversation, “So we’ll need to get busy packing.”

  “Am I coming too?” Luca asked, unsure whether he was part of the group.

  “Yes, Sire. Sorry, we have made this decision without first discussing it with you, but we feel it is for the best.”

  “Won’t that mean I’m even further away from the palace?” Luca replied.

  “For now, yes, Sire.” Lord Dalby replied. “Rest assured that as soon as it safe to do so, we will return you to Miranor.”

  Luca thought he heard Nerina mumble something under her breath, but ignored it as he was certain it was probably just another snide comment. While he wasn’t keen on travelling so far from the palace, it quickly dawned on him that by doing so might see him have a little more freedom of movement. Trying not to sound overly excited, he sighed before replying, “Very well, I understand.”

  Lady Oakley gave her husband a hug and a kiss, causing all the youngsters in the room to turn away awkwardly as they tried to avert their gaze.

  “Take care,” She said softly, placing her hand upon his face.

  “I’ll be fine, Dear,” Lord Oakley replied.

  While the man tried to make out he was okay with everybody leaving, Luca could almost feel his pain at having to let them do so. Yet one more thing that he was, at least in some way, responsible for. The conversation was all too brief, and with no one feeling much like adding anything more to the discussion, Luca soon found himself back in his room. Although only having a fraction of the clothes he once had, he was actually surprised by how many items he now owned. Mostly thanks to Lady Oakley and Lady Dalby, who had seen that a constant trickle of new items had come his way, Luca only just managed to get them all into the wooden chest he had been given.

  Edward, who had been in Garley as long as Luca was all but packed within a couple of minutes, having no more stuff than when he arrived. With his trunk packed, Luca sat down upon it and looked around the room he had called home for the past several weeks. As much as he had hated it all when first arriving, Luca found himself feeling kind of sad that he was leaving. It may well have been small and sometimes feel overcrowded even with just the two of them in it, but in all fairness, it wasn’t a bad place to call home. He looked over to the shelf where the small vase of flowers stood. Freshly picked each and every day, he presumed by Clarissa although he was certain he had seen Nerina doing it once. However, when he had walked in on her, she merely told him she had just added more water to the vase and then quickly left in a huff.

  Two of Lord Dalby’s soldiers carried Luca’s trunk out of the bedroom, and after taking one last look around, both Luca and Edward followed. The pair found Theo waiting for them in the foyer and noticing he had no luggage with him, Luca assumed his stuff had already gone on ahead.

 
“When you’re ready, Luca. Father has eight soldiers waiting out in the yard to escort us down to the docks.”

  “Is the ship ready?” Luca replied.

  Theo nodded to the affirmative, “Father has had it close to readiness since Lord Oakley rode out to deal with Lord Merrington and his lot.”

  Luca gave a shrug, glancing around at the décor, as if unsure he would ever see it again. It seemed no sooner was he finally settling into these surroundings when he was being forced to move once more. At least in Port Exley, he might be afforded a little more freedom, although he doubted he would be allowed to go anywhere without a multitude of guards tagging along behind him. While Lord Oakley had gone to great lengths to ensure his safety, it seemed the mantle was now passing to his uncle, Lord Dalby.

  As Theo had told them, there were indeed eight soldiers all bearing the colours of house Dalby waiting for them in the yard. However, it was not to these men that Luca turned, but to the man standing alone.

  “Lord Oakley,” Luca said as he approached.

  “Yes, Sire.”

  “I would like to thank you… and your family for going to such extreme lengths,” Luca said finding it hard to put in words what it was he wanted to say.

  “Doing my duty, Sire. Though you are most welcome,” Lord Oakley replied standing upright with a touch of emotion sounding in his voice as he spoke.

  “Take care, my Lord,” Luca said. “What are you going to do with Lord Merrington?” he added although in truth wasn’t sure why that question had just suddenly popped into his mind.

  “I’ll keep him safe, Sire.”

  “Don’t be too mean, I want to see him punished when I am king, so I can pass sentence.”

  “In that case, Sire, it looks like I’ll have to keep him alive a bit longer,” Lord Oakley replied with the hint of a smile on his face.

  Though very much a long drawn out farewell, Luca eventually said his goodbyes to the man that had saved his life. Only now he thought about it, did he realise just how much this nobleman had done for him and was still doing. Just because he and the others were heading to the Casillian Isle, did not mean that the enemy would just turn around and forget he existed. No, Lord Oakley would still be a target. Not only would the cultists start arriving in Garley very soon, but there was every likelihood that those southern lords from Brenthellin would try again, especially once word got out that Lord Dalby had gone and taken many of his soldiers with him.

  With a slight breeze blowing, Luca was escorted through the gate and down the sloping track that led to the quayside. Out on the far pier, he could see Lord Dalby’s ship just rocking gently on the water. People were still busying themselves around it, as he could see a multitude of crates and chests being loaded aboard.

  “What are you like on a ship?” Theo asked as he walked alongside him.

  “How do you mean?” Luca asked, unsure as to what his cousin meant.

  “Are you someone who suffers from seasickness?”

  Luca didn’t really know what that was, having not been on a ship before, but had a general idea.

  “I’m not sure, to be honest,” he said, suddenly thinking that perhaps this was not going to be something he was looking forward to.

  Theo just laughed. An infectious sound that had Luca smiling along with him even though there was no doubt in his mind it probably wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience.

  “You’ll be fine,” his cousin said, slapping him on the shoulder as they turned once more along the path.

  Now that Luca was on the quay and standing right beside the ship that would apparently take a day or two to get to Port Exley, the realisation of just how big this thing was dawned upon him. The two main masts stood as tall as any tree, and even the smaller third one must have been three or four times taller than he was. As to why they were different Luca didn’t know, and at that moment in time didn’t feel much like asking to find out. Theo led him over a narrow walkway made from timber which seemed to bounce up and down with the ship, causing Luca to grab his cousin’s arm to steady himself.

  “You okay?” Theo asked.

  Luca just nodded but felt a little relieved when he actually stepped off the walkway and onto the deck of the ship. He looked up at the raised part of the vessel near the back and could see Lord Dalby gesticulating with his arms, clearly giving orders to the three men standing with him.

  Luca noticed several men staring his direction. Hard, rough-looking men, broad in the shoulder with worn faces that suggested a tough life.

  “They’re the crew. A nice lot really and very skilled sailors,” Theo explained as they headed towards the cabin doors, built into the area beneath Lord Dalby’s current position.

  “Good to know,” Luca replied glancing back over his shoulder one last time to make sure none of them was following him. While he was certain each and every man was probably known and trusted by Lord Dalby, to him, they were just more new faces and ones that didn’t look particularly friendly.

  Chapter 3.A Hostile Encounter.

  Although the sea was apparently calm, both Luca and Edward had deposited their breakfasts over the side of the ship. While feeling a little better after doing so, Luca still felt a little queasy, much to the amusement of the others; all except Edward who had every sympathy with the way he was feeling. Assured that his sickness would soon pass, Luca tried to focus on something else and had spent the last hour or so sat in the cabin reading a book.

  Probably the most basic living accommodation Luca had ever spent his time in, it consisted of two sets of bunks and a small table that was bolted to the bare wooden floor. Here, there were no decorations of any kind, nor anything that was so much as painted. Everything was just brown plain timber, and rough at that, not even polished or stained to enhance its appearance. Apparently, ships had no such luxuries and comforts, and this cabin had been handed over by the captain of the ship to allow Luca his own space. Or at least a space he was to share with Edward.

  A knock sounded at the door, causing Luca to look up from the pages of the novel he had been given to read by Samuel. Although not usually his thing, it was basically a story about some boy who attended a guild to learn his magical craft. In truth, the book was okay, even if it was a little predictable, although he was certain there would be some turn or twist in the plot he had not seen thus far. The door creaked as it swung open on its hinges, and the familiar face of Theo and Edward appeared in the opening. While Theo, much like Clarissa, appeared completely unaffected by the rocking motion of the ship, Edward’s face betrayed the impression he tried to give that he was over his sickness. In truth, Luca was a little better, although was unsure about stepping out of the cabin and watching the waves lap against the side of the hull. However, it seemed the pair had called on him to see something else.

  “You can see Lord Elthan’s lands from our current position,” Theo explained, pointing out with his left hand, although Luca couldn’t see where it was he was pointing to.

  Placing the book down on the small table, but not before folding the top corner of the page to keep his place, Luca somewhat cautiously headed outside of the cabin. The light was much brighter than expected, and he immediately had to squint and cover his eyes as they struggled to make the adjustment. His senses were suddenly inundated with smells and sounds. The waves against the hull sounded different out here than they did inside the cabin. The wind, although only slight, was still enough to move them along at a good pace as it rattled and filled the canvas sails. The air, although cool, was refreshing with the smell of salt quite strong and prominent.

  Luca spotted Lady Oakley standing up above them on the raised part of the ship, chatting to Lord and Lady Dalby as if this were just an everyday occurrence.

  “Over there!” Theo said once more, pointing to a thin dark line on the horizon. “That is Endallen.”

  Luca gave a single nod of his head. In truth, he wasn’t quite so sure what his cousin was getting excited about. It wasn’t as if he could actual
ly see much, but Luca pretended to at least look as though he was bothered, if only to please his cousin.

  Suddenly, a shout came from somewhere above causing Luca to glance that direction. He hadn’t even noticed that a man was sitting in a small circular area at the top of the masts.

  “He’s spotted another boat,” Theo said, his voice suddenly filled with excitement.

  Luca glanced out across the water but couldn’t see anything, so strained his neck to gaze back up at the man at the top of the mast.

  “I’m glad I’m not up there,” he mumbled to himself as people on the deck suddenly became much more active. As if woken from their slumber, dozens of figures started running about as if making preparations for something.

  “I think you need to go back into your cabin,” Theo said placing his hand on Luca’s shoulder.

  Unsure as to what was going on, Luca did as was asked, and although Edward wanted to see what all the fuss was about, he too was also asked to remain inside the small room with Luca. While Lord Dalby remained on deck to command, his family and Lady Oakley and her children were quickly ushered below deck into the area they were using as their quarters.

  “An Endallen craft, My Lord,” the Captain of the ship said while peering through his small brass telescope.