“I would estimate he could kill every living thing somewhere between a ten and twenty span radius of where he currently stands,” Simon must have thought it amusing to throw out that fact.
Every man’s hand flew up and well away from their swords and clubs, so the information was more helpful than not, but Sherree needed to speak to her mother alone and explain the situation before introducing her husband or Simon, who might choose to throw out another one of his thought-to-be-helpful facts. “Hue, I would appreciate it if you would escort me to the receiving room. My companions will stay here, yes, you too Daniel, and the rest of the Men-at-Arms can go about their business. My friends will sit on the benches over there and wait until you or I come and get them, depending of course on my mother’s wishes.”
Hue nodded his head. “It is a reasonable request, Mistress Sherree. You men, get back to your posts. Not you Jonny or you Scott; stay here and entertain our guests.”
Daniel shrugged his shoulders, went over to the nearest bench, and sat down. In moments he had the guitarn out and was lightly strumming the strings. Simon, Sero, and Carlos went and sat on the benches next to his, while David and Silvia remained standing, one on each side of the Chosen Vessel. The Men-at-Arms who had been dismissed did not run from the terrace, yet they did move swiftly. Jonny and Scott stood ridged, hands at their sides, and staring straight ahead, and even so she knew they preferred to be somewhere else, anywhere else. Captain Tollkay continued to sleep at the arrival point.
Hue needlessly led her inside as if she might have forgotten the layout of the mansion. While it was true family ties were cut when a member was discovered to be an Aakacarn, even so the memories linger for a good many years. Even being weeks away from the nineteenth anniversary of her birth, and her Potential having been discovered at the age of fourteen, the majority of her years of life had been spent living in this mansion. She chose not to say anything to him about it as they travelled the halls.
Gabriella, Sherree’s governess as a child, exited the door of the receiving room. With gold silver-streaked hair, white livery spotless as ever, chartreuse eyes wide as they could go, she called out, “My golden girl!” and moments later, closed the distance, and drew her former charge into a warm embrace.
“Gabby, it is good to see you again,” Sherree said as the years seem to melt away and her eyes became misty.
“Let me look at you,” the elderly woman said while holding her at arms’ length and looking from shoes to plumage. Her eyes lingered on the diamond-bladed knife. “That is an interesting piece of jewelry. I not sure your mother would approve if it wasn’t clearly worth a fortune.”
“I came on a matter of urgency and need to speak with my mother,” Sherree decided to go straight to the point.
Gabriella began shaking her head. “My golden girl, from what has been reported you have in deed gotten yourself into serious trouble. I can well imagine the matter is urgent and I am sure Lady Sheena will do what she can, yet even the Queen may not be able to mend the breach between you and Aakadon.”
Sherree could well imagine the stories being circulated at court and in the business community about her and the resulting embarrassment brought to her family. Rumors were one thing, but confirmation from Aakadon turned hearsay into undeniable fact. “The gap between me and Aakadon must eventually be bridged,” she replied while thinking of Silvia’s revelation concerning Daniel’s learning to trust the Grand Maestro. There will be no mending until that day comes. “I am here to warn of a dire threat to Lobenia. Fon Kay has allied with Pentrosa, Demfilia and Zune. Their goal is to overthrow Queen Clarees or force her to surrender Lobenia to Queen Gloria like what happened in Battencay. Their navies are preparing to attack the coasts and their ground forces, fifty-five thousand strong, are in the wilderness, five days march from this city. Queen Clarees must be warned of this and she will need the help of Daniel Benhannon and the Atlantan Guild or this kingdom will fall.”
“You mean the Dark Maestro who has stolen Mount Shantear,” Gabriella only reacted to the last sentence, evidently dismissing the rest as too fantastic and beyond belief.
“Gabby, the Ducaunan Lord of the Land is resting on the terrace. That alone is reason enough to bring this matter to Lady Sheena’s attention,” Hue confirmed what he knew, causing Gabby’s face to grow pale.
“Daniel is not going to kill you,” Sherree assured both of them. “Can I go in?”
Gabriella shook her head. “My dear, she is hosting some of the most prominent women of the city, and this was quite an achievement to bring about after news came from Aakadon.” She did not have to say it was the news about Sherree betraying the Aloe Guild, but it was clear that is what she meant. “I think it best if I go have a quiet word in her ear. You run along to the parlor and I am sure she will come to you there.”
Sherree nodded her head, “Thank you Gabby,” she said, and then headed straight to the parlor with Hue trailing behind her. It was silly of him to think she needed to be led anywhere in this house.
Paintings and valuable sculptures decorated the room and she sat down on one of the two plush crimson couches while Hue stood to the left by the wall. The door opened after a relatively short time and Lady Sheena Oben Jenna entered, yellow-gold hair woven into a silver coronet, and behind her came Sharon Oben Jenna Clowen. She looked pretty with her red-gold hair up and clustered with diamonds. She had a bold nose, hazel eyes, and a round face like Father’s, while Sherree’s was more angular and delicate like Mother’s.
“Oh, how the golden girl has tarnished herself,” Older Sister gleefully stated, her belly swelled in late term pregnancy. She placed both hands on her tummy. “Everything you have ever done has been whole hearted, at first in your success, and of late in your failure. You not only disgraced yourself, you have disgraced the entire family, Oben and Jenna. You should have seen the look on Father’s face when Accomplished Hanja Toweran delivered the news about your treachery to the Queen at court.”
“Sharon, that will be enough,” Mother spoke with the voice of authority, which is the only tone she ever used, except possibly with Father. “Gabriella told me you have news concerning a threat to the realm. This we will discuss after you explain why Daniel Benhannon is on my terrace.”
“What!” Sharon blurted with eyes so wide it was a wonder they did not pop out of their sockets. “He could kill us all!”
“Oh, Sharon, don’t be so dramatic, Daniel would never kill his in-laws,” Sherree said, and watched as the unflappable Lady of CriJenna plopped down, speechless, on the opposite couch.
Sharon’s mouth opened and closed several times but no sound came out. It took a few moments for Mother to find her voice and say, “Daughter, would you clarify that last statement?”
Sherree hardened her resolve and thought of the man she loved. “My name is Sherree Oben Jenna Benhannon, and I am a Ducaunan Lady of the Land, among several other titles accorded me. I asked Daniel to marry me, and he, after a little persuading, accepted according to Lobenian custom. Then he, according to Ducaunan and specifically, Tannakonna custom, invited me into his cabin, an invitation I accepted. Technically, he does not have a cabin; it was a fairly large holding in northern Ducaun he invited me into. The district, over which he is the lord, is on the opposite end of the kingdom, and I did not want to wait for us to travel all the way to his mansion to consummate the marriage.”
“But, Aakacarns are not permitted to marry,” Sharon was quick to point out. “You were always such a stickler for the rules, why would you break the biggest one Aakadon has?”
“Explain yourself.” Mother spoke in a voice full of strain and eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“I love Daniel, he loves me. Frankly, I was attracted to him from the start, and I’m fairly sure the feeling was mutual. Even though my sentiments grew more intense as time went by, I stuck to the rules. It was only after I was captured and Condemned by Serin Gell, an Accomplished of the Serpent Guild, that I realized my greatest regret
was not marrying Daniel when he first, ignorantly, proposed to me.”
“The rogue,” Sharon labelled him, a sentiment shared by many. Daniel’s inappropriate proposal seemed to bother her more than the behavior of the evil Accomplished.
Sherree went on with her explanation. “I vowed to propose marriage if ever the chance came to change the decision I made in turning him down. After being trapped in a tortured and twisted body that could only do what it was commanded by the caster of the spell, time passed, and the only thing I had to look forward to was death. Daniel heard of my plight and came to the Serpent Nest where I was being held. He killed Serin Gell and restored me to what you see now. How could I not marry such a man, especially when my heart is full of so much love for him?”
Mother began rubbing her temples. “I well understand how Aakacarns are to place all family concerns aside, that is probably why you did not think of the effect giving into the gratitude and passion you obviously feel for this man would have on us. You did not consider the shame your father and I experienced when your abandoning of the Aloe Guild was announced publicly, and you obviously did not think of the consequences to the Jenna family. You are an Oben and while your actions are being thought of as scandalous, the royal name will continue to be respected. As a Jenna, you have cost your father the custom of nearly every noble family who frequented the Bastion. Even now the hotel is only half full and not one of the guests is of noble birth.”
No, “I am sorry you experienced Condemnation and happy to see you restored,” came from her lips, but Sherree knew that would come later, and after the initial shock wore off.
“I am sorry to have cost you and Father so much,” Sherree replied, truly saddened by what her family endured because of her. Shame, prestige, and profits aside, the losses were small compared to what would happen if Daniel does not win the War of the Champions. The thought gave her strength and led her back to why she had come. “If Daniel does not win the trust of Queen Clarees this day, New Oben will fall, and what was lost to you and Father over my actions will be small compared to losing everything.”
The silence was palpable as the moisture in Mother’s eyes evaporated and she took a deep breath as if drawing strength. She forced her hands to rest in her lap. “Hue, send someone to the palace. Clarees must be informed of the situation. The conversation must be in private and do mention our guest, and for heaven’s sake, leave out the part about him being a member of our family,” she said and then glanced upward. “Please, Creator, let me deal with one scandal at a time.”
Hue went as directed and later came back with Gabriella. They stood quietly. Too bad the same could not be said for Sharon.
“Mother, do you actually believe her. I mean, I don’t think she is lying to us. My little sister annoys me tremendously, yet it breaks my heart to see her bound in this way. It is said this Daniel fellow turns people into mind-slaves,” Sharon spoke her concern. A tear trickled down her cheek. She really did care, even being wrong about Daniel, and yet her feelings were genuine. “It would explain the decisions she made.”
“The beast,” Gabby cried out and began weeping.
Sherree wanted to hug Sister for the sentiments and snap at her for implying Daniel had compelled her to marry him and leave the Aloe Guild. “Daniel has never forced me to do anything. Have Hue fetch him here and you will see the kind of man I married.”
Mother fixed her eyes on the Senior Man-at-Arms and nodded. He returned the nod and exited the parlor. She then focused those emerald eyes on Sherree. “Daughter, a dog fetches,” she said and shook her head as if unable to believe a child of hers could use such common terminology.
Hue returned with Daniel, the others either stayed on the terrace or were taken somewhere more comfortable. The effect the Chosen Vessel had on people while in his presence was always remarkable to see, love him or hate him, no individual can ignore him, but one glance at the tall handsome man in the clothing of nobility had even Gabby on the verge of swooning. “If I were just a few years younger, I would not mind being commanded to marry him,” she mumbled, and then turned to Sherree and spoke in a voice meant to be heard. “My golden girl, I cannot possibly see what you saw in this young man.” And she said it with a straight face. Who knew she had such a droll sense of humor?
Daniel’s eyes scanned the room, assessing the situation, while his mind no doubt noted every nuance. She had seen him do that when preparing to launch into battle and was amused to see him do so now. “Mother, Sister, I present to you Sir Daniel Benhannon Oben Jenna, a Ducaunan Lord of the Land, Maestro of the Atlantan Guild, a Seven bolt Accomplished. Daniel, this is my mother, Lady Sheena Oben Jenna, and my sister, Lady Sharon Oben Jenna Clowen.”
There was a sparkle in Daniel’s eyes when they met hers and Sherree knew he was pleased by the introduction. Those beautiful dark orbs of his widened just a little when she added the last two names onto his. It probably never occurred to him that was his legal name in Lobenia.
He faced Lady Sheena first. “I am pleased to finally meet you, though I wish the circumstances could be more pleasant. It is clear from whom your daughters inherited their beauty. May I call you, Mother?”
“Not until I am sure this marriage was not forced upon her,” Mother replied, unaffected by the compliment, and her face became fierce as a she-bear whose cub has been hurt.
The smile vanished from his face, but not from his eyes. Clearly, he expected the reaction.
Before he could answer, Sharon imposed herself. “Rogue, you have made my sister a mind slave to your filthy desires.”
Daniel removed his hat and fixed his eyes on her. “I’m pleased to meet you too, Lady Sharon. As to the matter of a mind slave, Sherree gets her way more often than not. I think that is proof of independent thinking.”
Sharon chuckled, “She always has,” and then seemed shocked to find she was no longer mad at him.
“Besides, over ten thousand Accomplisheds are associated with me, so technically I am no longer a rogue,” he corrected the record.
“A rogue no, but definitely an outlaw of the first order,” Mother chimed in and her voice was beginning to once again hold the quality of authority. “I can see the love for you in my daughter’s eyes and yours for her, those emotions can be mistaken for nothing else, but think what you two have done in marrying each other. Sentiment is fine, yet it cannot be held higher than responsibility and duty.”
He seemed to bristle a little at being accused of not placing a high enough value on duty and responsibility, but he kept a respectful tone when he finally spoke. “I am the Chosen Vessel, the Creator’s Champion, and my responsibility is to overcome the Champion of evil, Tarin Conn. I am well aware of the fact that most people believe Efferin Tames is the Vessel, and some misguided souls think Tarin Conn is the Creator’s choice. Be that as it is, I am who I am, and what people believe about me does not change the fact. My plate is full of responsibilities and one of them is to secure this kingdom and another is to earn the trust of its Queen. Sleeping on the terrace is, Captain Tollkay, a man who can verify the threat.”
The following was a long account of what transpired from his first spell cast on Tannakonna to the claiming of Mount Shantear, and ending with the forces currently arrayed against Lobenia, with details Mother did not need to know left out. By the time he finished, Father arrived along with Sir Brandon Oben Careen, a man in his late thirties, and a Lobenian Royal Knight of the Realm.
Father, in his four piece wool suit, stood glaring at Daniel while Cousin Brandon, broad-shouldered and dressed in his uniform of red and blue wool with gold and silver striping, kept a firm grip on the sword at his hip. Mother went to her son-in-law and turned her head up so she could look him in the eyes. “You may call me Mother.”
Daniel smiled and against all decorum, hugged her. When released, she began straightening her wrinkle free dress. “Uncouth boy,” she mumbled but did so with a smile. “Well, since you are here, Clarken, I can go back to my guests. The
ladies have probably finished the refreshments and will be wondering about my absence. Sharon, you come with me and for kingdom’s sake, do not speak of invasion or the newest member of our family.”
As Mother and Sister went back to fulfil their roles as hostesses, Sherree smiled, inwardly pleased at the acceptance of Daniel being a part of the family. One parent won over and the other yet to persuade.
Father took a little longer to convince, after hearing the same report given to Mother, and he grudgingly accepted the fact that Daniel was now part of the family and the threat to the realm was dire, in that order. “It will not be easy for us to get you a formal audience with the Queen, and near impossible to get you a private one. I fear half the city will panic just knowing of your presence in the area, but I will try to get you to Clarees.”
Brandon was shaking his head. “Cousin Daniel, I believe your report, and yet must tell you few others will. Something like this needs verification and no one will let you get any closer to Queen Clarees than you are right now.”
Emotions swelled in Sherree over the use of the word, “let,” as if they could stop her husband. “Let, what do you mean, let? We could be in the palace quicker than you can step out of this parlor and there is nothing anyone in this nation can do to stop us.”
“What you say is true, my love,” Daniel said, and his eyes were so loving she stopped speaking, and the irritation slipped away. “Even so, I am not sure appearing in the throne room uninvited would set the right tone for the audience.”
She laughed. “No, but it would sure shake up poor old Hanja. There is a warrant for your arrest and he would be derelict in his duties if he did not try to enforce it.”
Daniel shrugged his broad shoulders. “I am not overly concerned about the warrant or his feelings, but I would like to make a favorable impression on Queen Clarees.”
Cousin Brandon was nodding his head vigorously. “Precisely, and breaking protocol would make a very bad impression, as Cousin Sherree well knows. What I propose is for me to report the matter. You can awaken Captain Tollkay and I will take him under guard to provide testimony. We are both knights of our respective realms and so I know you are aware, seeing as you have already done so in Ducaun, a Royal Knight of the Realm can declare a Realm Alert.”
To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) Page 38