by Kris Hiatt
“I’m sorry old friend, but as Kaden’s descendant, the Church sides with Shamir,” Vrindel said to Liernin, not surprising Treace. He knew it was really the only way, and whether or not Shamir was really a descendant of Kaden or not didn’t matter. It just made the decision easier for Vrindel to live with.
“You’re the odd one out, Liernin,” Shamir said. “Now leave while you still can.”
“You know this is an act of war,” Liernin told him.
“Is it? Really? The leader of the College, which up until recently was not under either of our control, agreed to join my city, be under its protection. Now that you are on my land, I want you off. How is that an act of war?” Shamir asked.
“Him being named can’t be known as the truth,” Nimbril managed to say.
Brental pulled his arm around the old man’s face, using his robes to muffle him, probably suffocating him.
“It’s already accepted as the truth,” Shamir said.
“You’re holding my son hostage,” Liernin pointed out.
“Only because of him,” Drokier said, pointing at Treace.
“If I leave, will you let him go?” Treace asked Drokier.
“Once you are outside of the College grounds, I will let little Liern go and happily watch him run to meet you,” Drokier said.
Treace knew the man was being a coward. Hiding behind the boy proved it. Drokier knew he couldn’t beat Treace, so he prevented the fight altogether. While it was a smart move, one that enabled Drokier to keep breathing, it was still cowardly.
“So you’re with them then?” Liernin asked.
“Obviously. You cast me out, he gladly took me in. I guess I’m not as washed up as you thought I was, huh?” Drokier asked. “I should thank you for sending me home, without going there I never could have helped Brental plan this.”
“You’re choice Liernin. Leave and agree that the College and the Church both side with me, or stay and not only start a war, but get yourself, your son, and your men slaughtered with you,” Shamir said, smiling. “I would prefer you to stay, then I would be the only leader of the land. But, I’m a man of honor and this meeting is a peaceful one, so I’ll let you leave in peace, but only if you accept my generous offer now.”
If Vrindel was put in a tough spot, Liernin was put in an impossible one. He could either hand over the upper hand in the world, or die refuting it, all while killing his son at the same time. He knew both choices were terrible, but there really was only one; they had to leave. Liern’s life was more important.
“Let’s go,” Treace said, grabbing Liernin’s arm.
“Get off me!” Liernin screamed, still looking at Liern.
“They will let him go; Drokier at least has that much honor left in him. Don’t you?” Treace asked, hoping Drokier would agree.
Liern was crying, and rightfully so, tears streaking down the boy’s face. Treace knew the boy must be terrified. Not only did he have a dagger at his throat, but he was being held hostage by a man that he knew, and knew very well. He was supposed to have been protected by The Wolf, but when he needed him, Treace wasn’t there. He felt so badly for the boy, and felt like a complete failure. He looked at the sword on Liern’s side and hoped the boy wouldn’t try to use it. He stood no chance against Drokier with a sword, and in attempting to fight him, the boy would probably get himself killed.
“I’ll let him go, unharmed, as I promised,” Drokier said.
In the end, even though Treace knew he didn’t want to leave his son, Liernin relented and started to follow him out the door. Drevic made them pause when he spoke.
“What about Nimbril?” Drevic asked.
“I’ll let him go too,” Brental said. “Just leave first.”
Drevic nodded and started to follow Liernin out the door.
“Oh, and Liernin,” Brental said, stopping them.
Liernin didn’t respond, but did turn to regard Brental.
“You should keep better company. At least pick friends that don’t conspire against you or lie and spy on you,” Brental told him.
Liernin ignored the comment and continued out the door.
“Ask Brother Treace!” Brental yelled after them.
Treace heard it, and didn’t doubt that Liernin heard it as well, though the man didn’t acknowledge that he did. Treace decided to leave it alone for now. He knew he was given up, and he would have to admit to it sooner or later.
Treace looked over the railing, and wasn’t surprised to find Primain disarmed and standing at the gate with several other brothers, Heral and Kelvrin included. There were several of Shamir’s men standing around the courtyard, weapons drawn.
“We’ll escort you out,” one of the four soldiers that were stationed near the door said. Treace wasn’t sure how they missed so many of Shamir’s forces, and hoped they didn’t hurt any of the brothers upon entering.
“We’ll leave peacefully, won’t we Treace?” Liernin said, apparently thinking The Wolf might act.
“Yes, we will,” Treace said.
They were escorted to the gate, with Drokier following with Liern in front of him. At least he no longer held a dagger to the boy’s throat. They were led out and then shut behind them and Treace realized it was the first time he had ever seen the gate closed. He looked through the gate, back inside, and noticed pity on some faces, happiness on others. And those were just the faces of the brothers. He couldn’t believe it at all.
“Give me my son,” Liernin commanded.
“Move back further,” Drokier said, and all of them did.
The gate opened slightly and Liern was shoved through. The gate closed immediately behind him, and the boy ran to his father, sobbing in his arms.
“Move along to your ship,” a soldier inside said.
“Take him with you,” Brental yelled from the second story.
Treace looked up and watched helplessly as Nimbril was thrown from the window, his white robes fluttering in the wind on his short, but awkward fall toward the ground.
As he neared the ground, he somehow managed to place a barrier around himself. No small feat for anyone to do in such a short amount of time, let alone someone falling from that kind of distance.
Nimbril landed hard, mostly on his head and neck. Treace could hear bones break on the impact and he instantly knew that there was no way the old man survived the fall. He fell in a large puddle of mud that Treace didn’t notice when he walked through and his once white robes were now completely soiled.
“No, no, no,” Drevic said repeatedly as he rushed to the old man’s side.
“Heal that, Brother Drevic,” Brental called down.
“You’re a barbarian,” Liernin called, holding Liern tight.
“Perhaps, but as this is Kadenton’s area, you have no jurisdiction to judge my actions,” Brental called back down.
“Is he alive,” Treace asked Drevic, ignoring the exchange.
He didn’t need to reply with words, however, the tears that rolled down Drevic’s face and the way he looked to the sky were answer enough; Nimbril was dead.
Treace knelt and felt for a pulse anyway, pressing his fingers against the old man’s neck. He didn’t feel anything, which wasn’t surprising given the angle in which Nimbril’s head rested.
“Is he?” Liernin asked.
Treace looked over his shoulder at the baron, closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Damn it!” Liernin cursed and stomped around.
Treace looked back to find Drevic’s eyes closed and he knew his friend was trying to heal the broken man. A few minutes, which seemed like hours, later, Drevic opened his watering eyes and fell over his mentor, sobbing. He clutched at his robes and buried his face in his chest.
Treace didn’t realize the two were so close, but understood grief all too well. He sat on one side of Nimbril, Drevic on the other. He was fighting back tears while Drevic let them fall freely, though they were caught by the robes of the fallen Archmagister.
Treace loo
ked up and regarded the two men that stood at the gate. One of them wore a smug expression on his face, while the other looked shocked and may have even had a little shame mixed in, which Treace gave him credit for.
He ignored them and looked back at Nimbril.
It wouldn’t be the last broken body Treace held in his hands, although while this one wasn’t by his own hand, many of them in the future would be. He would never feel as bad for them as he did for Nimbril, however, and this one would stick with him for the rest of his life.
“Come on, let’s go,” Treace said. “I’ll help you carry him.”
“I’ve got him,” Drevic said, standing up and lifting the thin old man.
Drevic carried his mentor through Kilindric and all the way to the ship without complaint or rest. Treace guessed it helped that Drevic was solidly built and several inches taller than he was, but he knew it was mostly pure determination that allowed him to carry the body so far.
Once they arrived at the ship, Drevic sat down, still holding Nimbril in his lap, and cradled the man.
The rest of Liernin’s men busied themselves by helping the remaining sailors get the ship ready to sail. Treace was saddened to see that most of the men were killed. He guessed the men protecting the ship must have decided they weren’t going to surrender their weapons. While he admired their bravery, he couldn’t help but to blame himself for their death. If he hadn’t challenged Drokier, none of this would have happened. The day went from bad to worse.
“I’m so very sorry,” Treace said to Liernin, who wore a grim look on his face as he looked over his dead men.
Liernin nodded in response.
#
“So, Brother Treace, huh?” Liernin asked after the ship had been at sail for a while.
“I can explain,” Treace began.
“Keep in mind, you’ve lied to me already,” Liernin said, gently stroking Liern’s hair as the boy nestled against his father’s breast, most likely asleep.
“I know, but please understand, I didn’t do it with any ill intent.”
“Then why?”
Treace thought for a minute. He knew he would have to answer for his lies sooner or later, but he didn’t think it would be on this trip. He wanted to make sure he got this right; he wanted to make sure Liernin understood the situation that led the brothers to their plan.
“We wanted to remain independent, as you know, but we had to prepare for what would happen if we couldn’t.”
“So you were spying on me in hopes to find leverage against me?” Liernin asked, face going red.
“No, no! Not that. Listen,” Treace said, sighing. “We needed to know how the people of each city felt about our order in case we needed to choose a side. It had nothing to do with you specifically.”
“So you want me to believe that you weren’t spying on me?”
“I want you to believe the truth, that’s all. Nimbril intended on siding with the city who’s populous was more favorable to our cause to remain independent from the Church, even if we had to pick a side; yours or Shamir’s.”
“Even though Drevic was an ambassador, you still couldn’t trust me enough to just ask?”
“You preside over Haven, that is true, but you can’t think that you speak for every member of the city.” Treace pointed out.
“I do speak for every member of my city,” Liernin said.
“That’s my point. You can’t begin to presume to know how every one of your subjects feels about the College. I can tell you from experience that most of them don’t know much about us,” Treace said, at first not realizing he included himself as a member of the College, but then feeling relieved when he did.
“Us,” Liernin said, catching it as well.
“That’s right. I’m proud to be a member of the College, just as I am proud to be a member of your guard.”
“You’d probably be telling Shamir the same thing right now if he were in my shoes,” Liernin said, which stung Treace.
“That’s not fair and you know it Liernin. I may not have told you that I was part of the College, but I did nothing to harm you, your family, or Haven.”
“Not that I know of,” Liernin said.
This didn’t start off the way Treace thought it would, and it was only getting worse.
“Where I came from doesn’t change the truth of who I am. I’ve never once spied on you. Ask anyone where I spent my free time. I spent it at the bar talking to commoners, trying to find out how they felt about the College. When I wasn’t there, I was working for you. Not spying, working.”
“You could have been doing both at the same time.”
“Like Drokier, you mean?” Treace asked, getting to the point he thought Liernin was skirting.
“Yes, like Drokier,” Liernin admitted.
“I am not your enemy. We are not your enemy,” Treace added after looking at Drevic. “If we were, we would have just left with Shamir and Brental. But we aren’t, and we didn’t. We are with you Liernin.”
Liernin put his head in his free hand, and continued to stroke Liern’s hair with the other. He remained quiet for several minutes before raising his head.
“I know, Treace. I’m not myself right now. I almost lost Liern, someone I trusted with my life turns out to be my enemy, and it seems I have lost the battle with Shamir.”
“You’re right, you’re not yourself. The Liernin I know would realize that he holds his son tightly, that an enemy has revealed himself, and that the battle has yet to begin. The Liernin I know, and have come to trust, would put the people’s needs before his own. To make sure that they were taken care of he would fight if that’s what it took,” Treace said and then paused before finishing. “What will you do?”
At that, Treace got up and walked away, leaving Liernin to his thoughts.
Chapter 24
Treace looked over the courtyard of the baron’s palace, thinking of the one at the College that he had left only a few days ago. It still pained him to think of it, and of how he had failed. Had he kept Liern safe, had he not let Drokier take him hostage, the outcome would have been much different.
The boy hadn’t spoken much since the incident, but at least Liernin stopped blaming Treace for what happened. Treace wasn’t ready to relinquish that blame yet, however. In fact, he held it tight, a warning for his future endeavors.
“It’s not your fault,” Liernin said, coming up to join him on the balcony.
“Yes it is, you said so yourself only days ago.”
“They were hasty words and words of a grieving man,” Liernin said.
“You hardly knew Nimbril.”
“It doesn’t mean that I can’t grieve the death of a good man.”
Treace knew there was truth in that, and wondered if Shamir or Brental were grieving. He knew the answer was no, but he thought it didn’t matter that much. Even if Shamir was the heir to Kaden, Liernin was the better man; he knew that in his heart. But if word got out, and proven, that he was the heir, it would be difficult for Liernin to oppose him.
Treace thought the world would be a terrible place if Shamir managed to control all of it while Liernin was cast out. Bloodlines aside, Liernin was by far the better leader and the better man.
“Liern doesn’t hold it against you,” Liernin said. “And neither does his mother.”
“He’s speaking now?” Treace asked.
“Since yesterday.”
“What about you?”
“I told you it wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, but just because you don’t feel it wasn’t my fault doesn’t mean you don’t hold it against me.”
“I don’t.”
“Me either,” Drevic said, joining them on the balcony.
“We don’t hold it against you, so neither should you,” Liernin said, offering Drevic a nod.
“He speaks the truth,” Drevic said.
“How are the preparations going?” Treace asked, changing the subject.
“Going well, I suppos
e,” Drevic said.
“Anything I can help with?” Liernin asked.
“You’ve done quite enough already,” Drevic said. “Thank you.”
“It’s a beautiful place,” Treace said, gesturing to the courtyard. “Nimbril will rest well there.”
“It’s the least I could do. He died trying to make Onneron a better place. His courtyard is not available, mine is.”
“We appreciate it and are in your debt,” Drevic said, bowing.
“I’ll remember that when it comes to fighting Shamir.”
“You’ll fight him then?” Drevic asked.
“If need be, yes. A friend reminded me that sometimes you have to fight for what you want,” Liernin said, looking at Treace.
“True,” Drevic said. “Have you thought any more on where we could rebuild our order?”
“Actually, I have,” Liernin said. “Since Vrindel sided with Shamir, I don’t think he’ll need the priory anymore. It’ll be a fine place to rebuild the College.”
“That would be perfect, though I don’t know how we’ll repay you,” Drevic said.
“All I ask is that the brothers fight with me against Shamir, if it comes to that.”
“What about the current residents?” Treace asked.
“I ask that you allow them to stay, if they choose. I know many of them will join Vrindel in Kadenton, but some will stay. If the ones that stay want to join your order, I’m sure your ranks could use some bolstering.”
What he was saying was true, that was for certain, but Treace also thought it would be difficult to teach adults how to master The Calm, and the other Paths.
“We accept,” Drevic said.
“Glad to hear it. Haven will be better off with a strong brotherhood at its back.”
“I’ll walk over and take a look at it later. We can start rebuilding once we properly mourn Nimbril,” Drevic said.
“Now that we know where he’ll rest, we’ll mourn him for thirteen days, and celebrate his life on the next,” Liernin said.
“Thank you again baron,” Drevic said.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Liernin offered. “And we’ll hold the celebration here as well.”