The Dread King: Book One of The Larken Chronicles

by R. L. Poston

  Entering the High Council meeting room, Larken found himself the focus of attention as First Chair Henkri halted the meeting to recognize the kingdom’s newest Warder. Everyone stood to give him a round of applause, although Larken judged from the concerned looks of some that the applause hid a lot of questions and anxiety.

  The Council members were seated around a massive rectangular oaken table. King Andreas and First Chair Henkri were seated side by side at the head of the table. Behind the council members, against the walls of the room, were other men and women that Larken assumed were assistants to the Council members. Henkri indicated to Larken that he was to sit at the corner of the table near the king.

  First Chair Henkri had obviously been addressing the Council, and after the round of applause for Larken, he continued, “For Sub-commander Larken’s benefit, let me summarize the meeting to date.

  “Sub-commander, your unorthodox Bonding has caused us many hours of energetic discussion.” Henkri quickly brushed away Larken’s attempted apology. “Don’t apologize. You have passed a challenge that would have defeated many, if not all of us. After much debate, we have decided that it would be dishonorable for the kingdom to refuse your services and allegiance after you went through so much to Bond them to Shropanshire. We, therefore, have accepted you into the kingdom’s service as a Warder of the second rank. Your rank is a compromise between military tradition, which would have you ranked higher due to your Talent and practical concerns about your inexperience. As a result, you were given second rank, but you will not be directly supervising any personnel until your experience catches up with your rank. Usually it takes years for someone to attain that rank.” After pausing for a moment to allow a round of mild applause, he continued. “However, we have also agreed that your peculiar Talents are beyond our abilities to fully train and that the amount of power that you have displayed is beyond our ability to manage or contain. You must understand that you bring danger to us as well as opportunity, particularly now.”

  “Yes, sir,” Larken replied. “But, pardon me, why particularly now?”

  “Because of a phenomenon that has disturbed us during the last half century,” Henkri answered. “Sub-commander, what you are about to hear can be discussed only in the presence of the others in this room.” Larken nodded, and Henkri continued. “Unfortunately, for some years now, we have noted a marked decrease in both the number of Talented and their level of Talent. It has reached the point where, with the unfortunate, but normal, loss of a few Talents every year, the number of Talented is dropping in Shropanshire year by year. Most alarming is the decrease in Talent by those already Bonded. At first, the decrease was insignificant, and only careful records and tests showed us that it was there. We weren’t all that concerned, because Talent does fluctuate even among those already Bonded, and it looked like a very small decrease. Unfortunately, we have measured, over the last five years, a much more significant decrease in Talent levels in our Warders. Our Healers have experienced a similar decrease, but theirs is a harder Talent to measure.

  “Your level of Talent marks the first break in this pattern of decrease and is sorely needed by the kingdom. Unfortunately, we are not comfortable with the problems evidenced by your Bonding two days ago, and while we have agreed to recognize you as a Warder, we don’t quite know what to do about the rest of it. We have thoroughly discussed every aspect of this problem and have not been able to find a perfect solution. Perhaps you can add to our discussion with something more than a repetition of what we’ve heard before.” With that, Henkri gestured to Larken to speak, obviously tired and frustrated by the two days of debate.

  Larken pondered where to start as he rose to his feet. He didn’t want to let the High Council know that the Elves had already told him of the decrease in Talent. He decided to start by clearing up one confusing point that Henkri had made. “The Bonding was two days ago?” Larken asked. “Wasn’t the Bonding this morning?”

  “No, your Bonding was the morning before yesterday. You’ve been asleep for two days.” Several people in the room chuckled at Larken’s astonishment. “However, maybe it’s good that you were asleep. That gave us the time for serious reflections before you were available. Now, we need to know more of what happened. Would you oblige us with an account of what you experienced?”

  Larken related to the High Council all he could remember about his Bonding. After he was finished, various members questioned each part of it. The questioning forced Larken to reanalyze his memories and to make some associations that hadn’t been clear to him earlier. The Council seemed to believe that the darkness with which Larken had struggled came from within him. They were obviously anxious for Larken to tell them all that he knew about the matter, and Larken obliged them as much as he could.

  During the discussion, Larken learned for the first time about some of the actions of those around him during his Bonding. He shuddered to hear of how close he had been to being skewered either by Elven arrows or Warders’ Blades. Queen Aletha had restrained the Elves, while King Andreas had restrained the Warders. That they had been barely able to do so proved to him how close he had been to being killed.

  “Sire,” he asked of King Andreas, upon learning this, “Why did you restrain them? I mean, what made you think that I shouldn’t be killed?”

  Andreas smiled at Larken as he responded. “Son, Queen Aletha and I could feel your struggle. As long as you were fighting this thing, there was a chance of your winning. We had to give you that chance. Also, we could feel your true self at that moment, and you are not evil. There’s a lot of good within you, and we want that good on our side.”

  Larken was surprised to learn that Eleas and Elerdan had shared with the High Council their concern regarding the possibility that Larken might break through the barrier within him and become either deranged or corrupted by what might lie beyond it. Upon questioning, Larken admitted that he still could not remember his mother or the period before his home burned, so evidently the barrier and whatever it hid was still intact. Some of the Healers suggested that the bonds he’d used to control the power that had surged within him might be preventing him from seeing through the barrier. They believed Larken had reinforced the emotional barrier that hid some childhood trauma.

  Larken admitted to the council that he was still unsure of the nature of the force behind the barrier. The darkness with which he’d struggled during his Bonding reminded him of the anger that he had experienced during his initial testing, but it did not have the feeling of repressed memories. It felt more like an attack than the fear of repressed memories. Larken stopped short of telling the Council that there was a distinct possibility that his true father had been the Dread King. He still wasn’t sure that this was true, and, even if it was, he wasn’t ready to share that news.

  The Healers present argued that many people experienced the same feelings when confronted with repressed memories. They argued that most conflicts caused by repressed memories had an “other” feel about them. The Healers reviewed for the Council Larken’s early history—his being orphaned by a fire when only two years old. Without the support of those trained to help in childhood trauma, Larken could have easily become subject to strong, suppressed emotional conflicts, they argued.

  During the discussion, Amanda was being unusually circumspect with her comments. She supported the Healers’ official position that Larken suffered from a very intense case of memory suppression and trauma, but Larken sensed she was not convinced of that fact. Commander Jaris also seemed to doubt that diagnosis, but he was hesitant to verbalize his disagreement.

  “Look,” Jaris finally said. “It really doesn’t change our decision if Larken has suppressed trauma or some evil spirit lurking within him. We need his Talent. Furthermore, Larken has fought and won a battle that most of us would not have a chance of winning. We need to honor that. For those that disagree with me, let me remind you that we might not have the power to silence his Talent. I’m not fully convinced about this ch
ildhood trauma thing, but the point is that he has beaten it and we need his Talent.”

  Henkri finally cut off the discussion, evidently becoming impatient with a debate that was not producing any resolution. Following Henkri’s prodding, the Council agreed that they would officially accept the Healers’ explanation of childhood trauma. Neither Larken nor the Council was sure of this, but the need for a public explanation forced them to agree to this official interpretation.

  Discussion of how to coordinate with the Elves about Larken lasted well into the evening hours. Bread, fruit, and cheese were brought in and devoured as discussions and arguments continued without stop. During the discussion of his Elven abilities, Larken shared with the Council that the Elves had taught him how to send and receive mental messages, but he could only do so over a very short distance.

  Larken already knew from his discussion with Elias and Elerdan that some Healers had a similar ability, but he was surprised to learn that Tragen, another Warder of the second rank, also had that ability, which the Healers called telepathy. Finding that other Warders had this ability helped Larken feel less alone.

  First Healer Amanda astounded him by saying to the High Council, “Larken is feeling very unsure of our scrutiny and oversight over him.” Seeing Larken’s shocked expression, she laughed and then begged his pardon. “I’m sorry, Larken, but you need to develop more of the Elven ability to still your emotions to fool a Healer. And, to be perfectly honest, while your mental defenses are very effective in blocking your thoughts, they do not hinder us from sensing your emotions. We don’t know why that is. In any event, we owe you an apology for eavesdropping on your emotions during the last few weeks. We thought it best, however, to keep a watchful eye on you.”

  “Can the Elves shield their emotions from you?” asked Larken.

  “No,” answered Amanda. “Have you noticed that Elves avoid Healers like the plague? It bothers them not to be able to read our thoughts when we can read their emotions. On the other hand, they naturally suppress most of their emotions, so our abilities are somewhat stymied around them. Also, we envy their long-sending abilities. Those of us who are telepathic can only use that Talent within short distance.”

  “How much else do I not know?” asked Larken in genuine curiosity.

  “Much,” answered King Andreas. “And that also goes for everyone in the room, including, I suspect, me. Since some of our Healers can perceive our thoughts and emotions, most of us have learned to discipline our thoughts and emotions when they are around. Some secrets are necessary for the good of the kingdom, so they have agreed not to use their telepathy on Council members. But enough of that. Our problem today is what to do with you.”

  The meeting finally ended with the agreement that Larken would continue training with the Warders, both with and without Blade. In a few weeks, if all went well, he would begin to participate in Warder patrols and missions outside the castle grounds. In the meantime, Larken would retain his rank of sub-commander as Gahen’s peer but would be designated as a special aide to Commander Jaris. This would effectively remove him from any direct supervisory duties. A request would be made of Elerdan and Eleas that they continue to train Larken in his Elven abilities. Larken would be released from constant supervision but would be required to report to Commander Jaris each evening and to continue his counseling sessions with Leona. Larken left the meeting feeling very much relieved but very much determined to discipline his emotions in the presence of any Healer.

  Chapter 10: Larken’s Missions

  A few weeks after the High Council meeting, Larken accompanied Tragen and a squad of cavalry on a patrol of the area surrounding Sarkis. This gave them time to discuss Larken’s Elven thought perception. Larken was surprised to find that Tragen could differentiate between, and selectively use, the various portions of his thought perception Talent.

  “My Talent didn’t develop all at once,” Tragen was saying. “If it had, I would have gone nuts. At first, all I could do was tell if someone was upset or angry. Then I gradually developed the ability to feel other emotions. Finally, I was able to hear what others were thinking.”

  “How long did all that take?”

  “Oh, about six years in all. The emotion sensing came fairly quickly after my thirteenth birthday. Fortunately, it started sporadically and developed slowly over the next year. That gave me periods of normalcy to adjust to the idea. Then, right about the time I turned sixteen, I realized that I was sometimes hearing what others were thinking.”

  “How did you learn to turn it off?” asked Larken.

  “The first time I realized what was going on, I was so shocked that I sort of mentally jerked away from the Talent.”

  “Sort of like touching a hot iron,” commented Larken.

  “Exactly. I was kind of in shock. It didn’t happen again for over a month. The next time I sort of relaxed and let it happen. I finally learned to turn it off and on. I guess I just stumbled onto the right control patterns. It took me a long time to learn how to turn parts of it off while using other parts. From what you told me, you can turn it on and off, but you can’t use part of it without using all of it. Is that right?”

  “Right,” said Larken. “Pretty much all or nothing.”

  “Well, maybe I have something to teach you. It isn’t hard. It’s pretty much just like walking—hard to grasp at first, but then nearly automatic later on. Our first stop today would be a good time to see if you can turn off your thought perception and try to only feel violent emotions.” Tragen laughed and shook his head. “It should be pretty easy for you to do that.”

  “Why’s that?” asked Larken. “I thought that we were just going to witness a betrothal.”

  “Yeah, but I found out some things that weren’t in the official request.”

  “What’s that?”

  Tragen was obviously enjoying having the scoop on Larken. He was grinning as he explained, “OK, here’s the summary: It’s not just a normal betrothal that we’re to witness. It’s a pretty important event.”

  “I wondered about that,” said Larken. “It isn’t normal for Warders to witness a betrothal, is it?”

  “Actually, it isn’t all that abnormal,” answered Tragen. “We’re regarded as extensions of the king and official witnesses of the king’s business. If we’re in the area, a lot of people believe that it makes a betrothal or a wedding more official. We also get called on to witness business deals, agreements, and a bunch of other stuff. Just remember that no matter what happens, you can’t laugh.”

  “Laugh?” asked Larken. “Why would I laugh?”

  “Because eventually you’re going to be called on to witness something so silly that you’ll strain a muscle keeping your face straight. I remember the first time that I got called on to witness a pig weaning.”

  “A pig weaning? What’s a pig weaning?” asked Larken.

  “It’s when a farmer separates the piglets from the sow to sell them. Usually, he’s promised the biggest to a special friend or customer. I was called on to verify that the biggest piglet was actually the biggest piglet.”

  “And did you?” asked Larken.

  “Oh, yeah,” replied Tragen. “I solemnly and officially verified that the piglet that weighed the most by the scales was the heaviest piglet. I did it well and was thoroughly and solemnly thanked. Then I rode away and laughed all the way back to the castle. Anyway, just remember that your time is coming. You’ll have your own pig weaning soon.”

  “I guess so,” said Larken. “But what’s so special about this betrothal?”

  “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. The bride-to-be’s father has this pottery shop on the west side of Sarkis. The guy that she’s to be betrothed to is the son of a minor official at the castle.”

  “So, what’s strange about that?” asked Larken.

  “It’s just that this official is in charge of merchant licensing, and about two years ago, he brought the pottery maker up on charges of fraud. Seems that he was making some stuf
f and stamping it with a better-quality stamp than permitted by the clay that he used.”

  “Ouch,” murmured Larken.

  “It really wasn’t that bad,” said Tragen. “It’s only a moderate fine. The real trouble started when the soon-to-be groom’s dad decided to teach the soon-to-be bride’s dad a lesson for making the fake pottery. Evidently, he was having a bad day and decided to take out some frustration on the pottery maker.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He fined the guy and then had a herald parade through the streets near the pottery shop and announce the crime in all its gory details.”

  “Cute,” replied Larken.

  “Not cute by half,” said Tragen. “But then the bride’s father decided to get even. He started a rumor that the groom’s dad was taking bribes from all the merchants and had slandered him because he wouldn’t give him a bribe.”

  “But that wouldn’t work,” said Larken. “The Healers test the officials pretty regularly for honesty.”

  “You know that, and I know that, and everyone else should know that. But don’t underestimate the power of a rumor. It doesn’t have to be logical. In fact, the more illogical it is, the faster it will spread. In any case, the groom’s dad had to hold some public meetings with the Healers to deny the charges, and, when he was questioned about the severity of his reaction to the bride’s dad, he had to publicly apologize. He did it in such a way that reminded everyone that the bride’s dad was still a crook, but it still made the groom’s dad look like an idiot. So now they hate each other.”