Dark One Rising

by Leandra Martin

  “My marriage to Melenthia, of course. She will run my household while I’m freed up to run the business end of things. She will be a tremendous asset, I’m sure. I will be most happy to see her.”

  Kevaan looked over at his father, who had remained silent most of the time Kevaan and Fallon were discussing things. He was straight faced and mostly just nodded. Kevaan suspected that whatever was happening, it probably had to do with Fallon’s ad-visor. He didn’t trust Fallon, but he trusted this Jaron even less. The room felt eerie, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, almost as if the room had been hit by lightening.

  The king stood up from the table and pulled the call for the servant. It took a couple of minutes, but then one appeared in the doorway, and bowed.

  “Please fetch my daughter. We’re ready for her now.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” he said bowing again.

  He left the room, and Randor sat back down at the table. He looked in Kevaan’s direction. “While we are waiting, what do you think of the arrangements, my son?”

  He glanced quickly at Fallon and then sneaked a peek at his advisor, his hands clasped neatly on the table. He was looking at Kevaan, and the eerie feeling got stronger. He felt himself starting to sweat under his leather.

  “I don’t like the fact that we’ll have no access to our own accounts or have someone from our house even be able to examine the books. I also don’t think extra patrols on the river are necessary. The toll that is being charged is already too steep for the legitimate fishermen who bring in their catch once a week. I don’t think raising the price will help the businessmen of this kingdom who work hard to survive.”

  “Times are changing, Your Highness. Your kingdom is small, but eventually you will not be able to provide for your people if the pirates and brigands continue to come up the river and take business away from those who are legit. You must see that some things have to go up in order to provide more security. I think raising the tolls, rather than the taxes, is a fair compromise.”

  “I understand the process and the reasoning behind it. What I’m opposed to is having you in charge of it. We’ve been able to handle our books just fine. We don’t need an outside party to have their hands in our affairs.”

  “That’s not a nice attitude toward your future brother-in-law.”

  Kevaan’s teeth were gnashed together. “If Melenthia is happy about the situation, then I will give my blessing, but I think you’ll find that she won’t be.”

  Fallon looked at his advisor, then laughed loud, his advisor smiling now for the first time since he had come into the room.

  “Her happiness about this arrangement has no bearing on it, Kevaan. She is a woman, and her hand has been given over to me by your father. She is a princess and has a duty to the crown.”

  “And I have a duty to it as well, and one of my duties is to make sure that my sister is taken care of and that whatever arrangements are agreed to are beneficial and fair to both sides.”

  “This small kingdom needs the income, Kevaan, and this will insure a steady stream of it.”

  “Well, I’m not willing to just hand over the family’s business so easily, however, marriage or not.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, but unfortunately there’s nothing I can do about it now. This meeting is just a formality. The deal was already made. Your father and I have already come to an agreement, the papers have already been signed.”

  Kevaan looked sharply from Fallon to his father. “Is this true, father? Have you already signed the papers without discussing this with me?”

  “Yes. I didn’t feel it was necessary to involve you this time.”

  “What is wrong with you? This will be my kingdom in the future, and I share responsibility of it now. You should have consulted me, father. It’s bad enough you handed Melenthia over without talking it over with me, or her for that matter, but this is wrong.”

  “I’m only thinking of the future of this kingdom, your future kingdom. This will make it stronger for years to come. As far as Melenthia is concerned, this meeting is solely for the purpose of Fallon and Melenthia meeting each other before their nuptials next month. The deal is done.”

  Fallon was trying not to smile, but Kevaan could see the corners of his mouth turning up, his advisor as neutral as before. The king was straight faced and stiff. Before Kevaan could say anything else, the servant returned, his face flush, brow furrowed. He bowed to Randor and spoke, panting for breath as if he had run the entire way.

  “Your Majesty, Your Highness. It seems that the princess is not in the castle at this time. We have looked in her usual places, trying to locate her, but she’s not in any of them. We checked in the stables. Her horse is gone. No one has seen her since last night when the servants brought dinner to her rooms.”

  “What? Where could she have gone?”

  “We don’t know, Your Majesty. No one has seen her. Gerard said that no one has come through the gate since Kevaan.”

  Fallon spoke up, a menacing tone in his voice. He was calm, but Kevaan suspected he wouldn’t be for long. “Is there a problem, Your Majesty?”

  Randor looked to Fallon, his face ashen now, the sweat beading on his forehead again. “I don’t know. She didn’t tell me she was leaving, and it’s not like her not to tell someone where she was going.” He looked at Kevaan. “Did she say anything to you?”

  “No, sir. I saw her after you, and she was upset and said she wanted to be alone, but I don’t know anything about her leaving.”

  Fallon looked at Jaron, then back to Kevaan.

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re keeping something from me?”

  “I don’t pretend to understand your feelings, Fallon. My sister is a bit hot-headed and she often does what she wants without telling anyone about it. Perhaps she has decided to take a ride through a countryside she may never see again.”

  “You sound like she’ll be a prisoner in my house.”

  He ignored Fallon’s comment and concentrated on the king. “Father, I will go out and find her. I’ll bet she has only gone into town for some things and lost track of the hour.”

  Fallon interceded. “No. I will take care of it, Your Majesty. I will send Jaron. That will give us the freedom to continue our talk.”

  Kevaan was about to protest, but his father spoke up. “Thank you, Your Grace. I would appreciate that.”

  Fallon leaned over to his companion and whispered in his ear. Jaron rose quietly and tossed Kevaan a look that was unreadable, but it was what he felt that mattered. He felt fear, cold raw fear, not only for Melenthia, but for himself.

  “Well since these negotiations need to be paused for the time being, why don’t we take a break for a bit. I would like to see about getting my men settled for the night. Jaron will find Melenthia. I’m sure she hasn’t gone far. When she returns, we can reconvene at that time.”

  “That sounds fine. Kevaan, would you see to it that the duke and his men are comfortable. Ask Gerard to put his men-at-arms up in the guest bunkhouse. The duke can have the guest quarters in the east wing.”

  Fallon smiled arrogantly at Kevaan. Kevaan held his tongue. He would say no more until he was out of hearing range from his father. Kevaan motioned for Fallon to follow him from the conference room. Fallon was not behind Kevaan for more than a few footsteps then brought himself up equal to him.

  “I so look forward to meeting lovely Melenthia again.”

  “You should have told my father that you were already acquainted.”

  “The brief interlude her and I had was between us.” He changed the subject. “From what I noticed last time we met, she is quite a spit fire. Of course, I cannot have that kind of behavior in public, so she will learn to act properly in the presence of others. Maybe your father has tolerated it all these years, but I will not. I won’t be embarrassed in front of anyone by my wife, and she will soon learn that.”

  Kevaan stopped short, his ears were burning and his heart was pounding.
Fallon noticed he had stopped walking and turned to him. They were just outside the main doors, at the top of the steps. Kevaan moved forward and got in Fallon’s face.

  “I don’t know what you have done to my father to bend him to your will, Fallon, but it will not work on me.”

  “Your father understands the inner workings of a kingdom, Kevaan. As you are not yet king, there are many things I’m sure you have not learned. He knows what this kingdom needs and has decided to go forward. Perhaps he doesn’t think you’re ready.”

  “Don’t patronize me, Fallon. You’re a duke, given more land than you’ve earned, but don’t pretend to know how a kingdom is run or what a king needs to know. Melenthia will never let this happen. She would rather be stripped of her title and be banished rather than marry you. You are manipulating my father. He would never have left me out of the decision making if you weren’t controlling him.”

  He laughed. “Do you think I’m some sort of sorcerer or something that I can bend people to my will? What’s next, I can move mountains and make the stars fall?”

  “I know the stories about you are true, and I will find proof.”

  “Why do I get the idea that you had something to do with Melenthia’s disappearance?”

  “Maybe I did. I have vowed to protect her. I won’t allow her to be a slave in your house, to treat her however you choose. Maybe that works for the common street trash that you seem to find so appealing, but it won’t work for my sister.”

  “No matter. Jaron will find her and bring her to me.”

  Kevaan got closer to Fallon’s face. “If he, or you, do anything to harm her, you will wish you had never stepped foot over the border. I will hunt you down, and your puppet as well.”

  “As I warned you before when you tried to interfere in my affairs, you would do well not to threaten me.” His eyes turned dark and cold.

  “That’s not a threat, Fallon, it’s a promise.”

  Fallon merely leered at him and walked away, leaving Kevaan shaking at the top of the stairs. It was now very dark, and he prayed his sister was okay, hidden somewhere from spying eyes.

  He watched as Jaron and two men-at-arms galloped out of the courtyard past the gates. He looked toward the Dark Woods, hoping that Alek would be able to find her before they did.

  ***

  The sun hadn’t even started to show itself when Garreth was pounding on Melenthia’s door. She sat up in bed startled, kicked off the covers and unlatched the door. Garreth pushed his way in and grabbed her by the arms.

  “Melenthia, you must leave now. Hurry up child, get your things together.”

  She set to work gathering her belongings and stuffing them into her bag.

  “What is it Garreth, what has happened?”

  “Someone has been asking about you.”

  “What, already?”

  “Word has gotten here that there was a stranger in town last night, asking about you. Bale, the shopkeeper on the south side, sent word to me that there was a stranger asking him if he’d seen you.”

  “How did Bale know I was here?”

  “I have eyes keeping watch for me, in various parts of the city.”

  “Can this Bale be trusted?”

  “Yes, he and I do exclusive business with each other and have been friends for years. He can be trusted not to betray you.”

  “What happened?”

  “He sent word that a stranger pounded on his door an hour ago. He needed supplies and seemed in a hurry about purchasing them and moving on. Bale didn’t think anything about it at first, then the stranger started asking if he’d seen anyone come into town last night that was trying not to be noticed. Bale told him that most folks notice everyone, and if it’s someone unknown to them, they tend to ask a lot of questions. He told the stranger that he didn’t know of anyone, and he didn’t see anyone come through himself. The stranger paid for his supplies, thanked him, then moved on. He suspected that he could be making his way to this side of town. He will probably start asking more questions as soon as shopkeepers and merchants start opening their doors. I want you far away from here before he does.”

  “How could Fallon’s men be looking for me already? He was not supposed to have arrived at the castle until last night.”

  “Are you sure your timing is right? Perhaps he was even closer than you thought.”

  “No, he was spotted by our border patrol. They saw him pass the night before I left. Even at a steady pace he wouldn’t be able to get there before then.”

  “I won’t take any chances. You need to get going.”

  “How am I going to get out of here without being seen?”

  “We’ll take the back stairs and get you out the back door through the kitchen. Conor will get you out by wagon. He already has your horse just inside the woods waiting for you. It’s usual for him to fetch supplies from Brookhaven, and he always leaves before dawn in order to get loaded and return before the afternoon rush. It’ll work.”

  “You can’t send Conor out, Garreth; he’s just a boy.”

  “He’s older than most. He’ll know what to do. I don’t worry about him, but if you don’t get out of here now, I’ll have to worry about you.”

  “Did the stranger identify himself or whether he was with Fallon or not?”

  “No. Bale said he seemed anxious to find you, but didn’t get any sinister feelings about him. But I won’t take any chances. People would recognize your brother, and since he’s the only one that knows you’re gone, anyone else asking for you has to be trouble.”

  “But Garreth…”

  “Let’s go child, time is running out. I want you out of the city and into the Dark Woods before first light. Now. Let’s go.”

  He grabbed her by the hand, and together they rushed down the stairs and out the back door to the waiting wagon.

  CHAPTER 10

  Garreth led Melenthia out the door and down the corridor to some stairs that ran along the back of the building. The only other two people staying in the inn were still asleep, and no one was in the tavern at this time of morning. They went through the tavern, through the kitchen and out the back door. Kya was waiting for them just outside the stables. They went through the stables to a wagon with a tarp covering the back cargo area. Conor sat in the driving seat.

  Garreth helped Melenthia up into the back of the wagon. He tried his best to smile.

  “Stay covered until Conor tells you it’s clear. He’ll take you to your horse. From there, stay to the woods until you get to the Xanthe. There’s a ferry that will take you across into Isamar. The ferryman is expecting you, and he’s already been paid. Be careful, Melenthia, and God speed.”

  She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, then hugged Kya. She then laid down, and Garreth and Kya covered her with the tarps. They were dusty and smelled like tubers, but she hunkered down as best she could and did her best to be still.

  “Whatever you do, Melenthia, don’t move. Kya’s cousin knows Conor is coming through and will make sure his pass through the gate is speedy, but whatever happens, stay down and don’t move.”

  When she was settled in a relatively comfortable spot, she told them to go; she felt the wagon lurch forward and start down the street. She lay on her back, with the tarps falling on her, the rough surface of them scratching her face. The wagon ride was bumpy and jostled her around quite a bit, but she stayed very still. She thought about what Garreth had told her about the stranger. She knew that if Fallon was on to the fact already that she had run, she would not have time to get enough of a lead on him. She knew he was early, but could he have possibly been that early? There were strange things happening around the kingdom; perhaps he had learned to play with time, too. She admonished herself for being silly but then remembered that people had said he was known for playing around with dark magic. Anything could be possible, she supposed, and the thoughts of what he could do if the rumors were true frightened her beyond sanity.

  The wagon plodded along, and soon s
he was so used to the up and down movement of the wagon wheels on the dirt road, she allowed it to hypnotize her, and she drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Melenthia awoke to Conor shaking her urgently. “M’lady you must get up, now! Please, Melenthia you need to go.”

  She jumped from the rear of the wagon and looked at him.

  “What is it, Conor? What’s happened?”

  “Someone is taking an interest in you, m’lady. They’re coming back for us.”

  She looked in the direction where Conor was pointing and saw three horsemen heading in their direction. They were trotting, not seeming to be in that much of a hurry and thought perhaps Conor was just being paranoid. Until she felt a chill run from the top of her spine all the way down to her toes. She felt somehow violated, like something was digging down into her heart and listening to all her desires. She felt cold and scared. She squinted in their direction. The lead horseman was covered; he was wearing a cloak, and the hood was pulled up. The other two men had on mail and wore the colors of the Rommel house, black tabards over mail with green gryphons embroidered on the front, silver piping along the edges. She suddenly decided Conor wasn’t being paranoid. She scrambled down from the wagon and started pulling Conor toward the woods. He was pulling back.

  “Conor, let’s go, we have to run.”

  “You have to run, Melenthia. They’ll catch you if you don’t.”

  “I’m not leaving you out here.”

  “My father made me promise to get you to your horse safely, to make sure you escaped. I won’t let him down.”

  If they were not being pursued by enemy horseman she would have swooned with honor, but time was short. She kissed him on the cheek.

  “If anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”

  “I’ll be fine. Go, now, Melenthia, before it’s too late.”

  She let go of his hand and raced into the woods. Her horse was waiting for her just inside the trees, the bags weighted down with supplies. The horse lifted her head when she approached, nickered, and rubbed her nose against her.