The Merchant and the Menace

by Daniel F McHugh

Ader stroked the gray stubble on his chin and stared at Granu. The giant remained steadfast. His eyes searched those of the Seraph.

  “What do you recommend?” asked Ader calmly.

  “If they are transported to Zodra they will be executed for entering Zodrian land and betraying parlay,” stated Granu.

  “As they should be,” snapped Manfir.

  “This does no one any good,” said Granu.

  “Except the Zodrians they may kill in the future,” grumbled Manfir.

  Granu ignored him and turned to address the Keltaran.

  “You will carry one of two messages to the city of Keltar for me,” commanded Granu. “If you love your king and brethren, you will go to the city with news of my brother’s treachery. Fenrel is in league with the Ulrog and trades the future of the Keltaran people for conquest and revenge against the Zodrians. A deal struck with the Deceiver and his horde gains us naught but our own doom.

  “If you choose Fenrel over the king and his rightful heir, you may carry a different message of doom. Fenrel’s doom. Tell my brother I come for him. I’m uncertain of the time and I’m uncertain of the day. However, one thing I am certain of, Fenrel and I will meet and I will exact his penance for the treachery he commits.”

  Granu stepped over to Eidyn and grabbed the reins of the Keltarans’ horses. He led the mounts to the soldiers and handed the reins to them.

  “Either choice you make serves my purposes,” said Granu. “You are weapon-less strangers in a strange land. A long dangerous ride lies ahead of you. Now go, and may Avra guide your path.”

  The pair nervously glanced at one another, then back to Granu. Their faces were full of fear. Both of the soldiers grabbed the reins and readied themselves to mount. As the first threw himself into the saddle, the second stopped and turned to Granu. The soldier looked down to the ram’s skull tunic that covered his armored chest. He quickly tore it from his body and dropped to one knee before Granu.

  “My lord, I ask your forgiveness and that of my Creator,” sobbed the soldier.

  “I can only offer mine,” said Granu, “and that is freely given. Go now and serve your people.”

  The Keltaran leapt to his feet and swung onto the back of his mount. The pair drove their heels into the flanks of their horses and rumbled over the hill to the west. The dust cloud created by their departure settled and Manfir turned to face Granu.

  “I... I think you make a mistake,” said the Zodrian through clenched teeth.

  Granu smiled.

  “Vengeance and death are not the only tools of a leader, Zodrian prince. Compassion and mercy are a powerful ally. In your world, two more graves are filled and two more children of Avra are gone. No use to anyone,” said Granu. “In mine, I may add two more friends among my people. Two who strayed may take the path to righteousness. Two may be willing to turn their lives over to Avra.”

  “May,” stated Manfir.

  “What if they don’t? Then they will deliver my other message. A message almost as useful. They will set doubt and fear in my brother’s mind. Allies as strong as an armed man. The uncertainty Fenrel harbors will cause him to falter.”

  Manfir’s expression softened and he pondered Granu’s words.

  “You cannot win this war merely with daring and guile in battle,” stated Granu. “We are at war for the hearts and souls of our people. They must believe and be led by those who believe. When we capture their hearts, then we will raise an invincible army.”

  The group stood in silence for a moment and let the giant’s words wash over them. Kael tried to understand the incredible resolve Granu possessed. He wondered if he could ever commit himself entirely to a cause like this man.

  The group mounted. Eidyn led one of the Keltaran mounts to Granu.

  “I’m more comfortable on my feet,” stated the giant. “Besides, how could I disappear when the mood struck. The horse is more of a burden than a help.”

  The travelers set off down the road at a slow trot. Granu pulled a small book from his robes and stood over the graves of the Keltaran soldiers. Kael crested a low hill up the road and heard Granu softly chanting. The boy turned to see the giant, head bowed, outstretch one hand over the graves and hold it there as he sang. Kael frowned. Granu was certainly challenging the boy’s notions concerning the giant and his people. Kael spun his mount north and knew that no matter how hard Prince Manfir pushed the group, Granu Stormbreaker would join them eventually.

  CHAPTER 30: THE GATES OF ZODRA

  Several more days in the saddle passed. On the third of these days, Kael woke and prepared for the day’s ride in the usual manner. Ader stepped into the center of the encampment as saddlebags and bedrolls were tied onto the backs of the horses.

  “Manfir,” called the Seraph. “It’s time for you to lose the trappings of Rin the tinker. There is no hiding who we are now. The enemy knows, so let those we hope to call friends know as well. We’ll tarry here a short time longer for you to make the appropriate changes.”

  Manfir pursed his lips and contemplated Ader’s words. He ran a grimy hand across his bristly chin then pulled his tattered cape in front of him for inspection.

  “We will not make the same mistake in Zodra as we did in Rindor,” continued Ader. “We will not skulk into the kingdom in the dead of night. Today, the prince heir of Zodra returns from his long hiatus. Those who are present will see a man proud to have served, even if they know not how.”

  Manfir smiled and unstrapped a large pack from the back of his midnight stallion. The pack slammed to the ground with a loud clang. The Zodrian prince snatched the pack from the ground and spun toward a shallow brook running near the encampment.

  “I’ll be but a moment,” announced Manfir over his shoulder.

  He disappeared from sight behind a thicket of gorse bush. The men remained silent for a time then Ader turned to the remainder of the group.

  “It’s been a long journey, and you all performed admirably,” stated Ader. “However, we are now in Manfir’s land. If you know anything of Zodra, you should know this. She is a kingdom of contradictions. She is home to more people faithful to my Lord Avra than any other place in all the lands, yet she was thrust into prominence by the Master of Deceit. Her numbers grow tremendously as more and more seek her protection, yet she fears outsiders and treats them ill. Her streets are renown for safety and freedom from violence, yet her people have been at war with much of the known world for millennia. In short, you can never trust logic in Zodra. The moment you relax is the moment you falter.”

  The Guide paused and let his words take hold.

  “Therefore, I ask you all,” said Ader glancing toward Teeg. “To stand back and follow the lead of Manfir and myself. The prince heir left under secretive circumstance. His reputation suffers. The enemy exploits this occurrence and the rumors grow. It is Manfir’s time to claim his place. No other can do it for him.”

  Teeg bowed toward the Guide.

  “It shall be as you ask, my lord,” said the old Elf somberly.

  “Granu,” continued Ader. “Your disappearances are at an end. You arrive in Zodra as an emissary of the Elven kingdom and with all the protections such an office affords you. I don’t wish to parade you down the main street to the palace, but we shall not send you over the wall in the cover of darkness. Remain in your robe and cowl, but stay with the group as we approach the capital.”

  “As you command, Lord Ader,” rumbled the giant. “I lay my life in the hands of Avra.”

  “Actually, your life will lie in my hands,” came a voice from behind the gorse thicket. “A prospect you may find troubling.”

  Manfir stepped through the thicket and into the center of the encampment. His unkempt hair was combed and fashioned into a braid on the back of his head. His grimy, scruffy face was cleansed and shaved clean. A maroon cloak was clasped with an ornate silver hook around his neck. The cloak draped over his shoulders and bordered a polished, silver breastplate. Copper was fashioned on the center of th
e breastplate into the image of a diving bird of prey.

  “When you embrace a faith in the Creator, you find nothing troubling,” replied Granu.

  Manfir smiled and nodded to the giant. The Zodrian prince walked through the encampment to his stallion and threw the saddle pack onto the horse’s rump. He quickly secured it with straps and lifted himself onto the animal’s back. The others in the party did the same. Once they settled, Manfir kicked his horse’s flanks and the group started forward.

  Half a day passed and finally, Kael beheld signs of civilization. Homesteads and ranches appeared sporadically as the group crawled north. Periodic plateaus and ridges still broke up the countryside, but they were less pronounced. After climbing one of these low ridgelines, Kael looked to the north and saw the capital.

  Zodra was nothing like Rindor. The river city rose up to the clouds from the swirling mists of the Ituan River. Zodra, on the other hand, lay squat and wide across the arid, dusty floor of a huge plateau, encircled by a massive wall. Rindor’s structures increased in height toward the center of the city, culminating in the royal palace. Zodra followed no such plan. Buildings of all shapes and sizes stood buttressed to one another.

  The troop headed toward the southern wall of the city and passed weary workers exiting to their homes in the country. The Zodrians stared at the strange group and many broke into excited conversations. More than a few muttered Manfir’s name.

  Manfir led the group to within one hundred yards of the massive city wall. The structure stood at least twenty yards high, and was tipped by a row of three-foot iron pikes. It arched above the spot where the road entered the city. Two heavy iron doors stood wide open.

  Soldiers patrolled the top of the wall that lay thick enough to allow a cart to rumble across. More guards took stations atop the arch and stared at the approaching riders. They called to the gates below and another group of soldiers turned and moved in front of the gate.

  Manfir cupped a gloved hand to his mouth and called to the causeway above.

  “Sergeant of the guard! We seek entry to the capital!” shouted Manfir.

  The soldiers near the gate tensed and slid their hands over the hilts of their sheathed weapons. The travelers streaming from the city slowed and stared at the encounter. Manfir reined in his stallion and the entire group halted. A broad shouldered soldier on the causeway above turned and eyed the group beneath him. He stepped to the low, granite step that ran the length of the upper wall and removed his helm. Kael noted the weathered features of an old soldier.

  “The day grows long and an armored company requests entry into the capital,” stated the Sergeant. “Not altogether unusual, except that their leader wears the royal crest of the city and the cloak of a superior officer of the Guard. Why don’t you simply order the sentries to stand down and enter of your own volition?”

  Ader slid in next to Manfir.

  “Our group requests parlay with the house of Macin, King of Zodra,” called the Seraph.

  “Parlay!” exclaimed the sergeant. “Forgive me if I don’t make myself clear. I served his highness for almost forty years and I’m sure I’m not mistaken that I recognize his son Manfir.”

  A murmur ran through the citizens spread across the gate’s opening. Several travelers and soldiers alike dashed from the gate into the city’s interior.

  “What need does the prince have of parlay with his own house?” persisted the sergeant.

  Ader rolled his eyes and sighed.

  “Sergeant Deling, will you humor me and grant our group parlay?” asked Ader.

  The sergeant’s face broke into a broad smile and he nodded to Ader.

  “Well, of course I will, Lord Ader. I’m merely questioning the point of it,“ he mumbled.

  “Thank you, Sergeant Deling. How fare you?” asked Manfir.

  “No complaints,” smiled Deling. “Twenty years watching the north gate and welcoming back our men from battle. They said I was getting too old, inattentive. So they sent me down here to the south to keep an eye on wagons of grain and pickpockets. If you ask me, some of them don’t want my eye on what they’re doing up north.”

  The sergeant pointed to several guards on the road.

  “You and you! Clear the entryway to the city! Move those people back and let the prince heir and his companions enter!” barked Deling as he turned back to Manfir. “I’ll meet you ‘neath the gate your highness. Welcome home!”

  The sergeant spun and stepped from the edge of the wall. He disappeared from view and a few moments later he stood in the arching tunnel formed by the causeway. Recesses in the tunnel walls provided places for more guards. Zodrians attempted to exit the city, but slowed as they encountered the burgeoning crowd around the gate. Deling stepped into the road.

  “Clear a path there! Clear a path!” barked the sergeant.

  Manfir tapped his heels into the flanks of his stallion and the group trotted forward. The people backed away and a wide path opened through their midst. As Manfir passed Deling, the sergeant saluted. Deling cleared his throat and glanced at his troops. The guards who stood scattered throughout the tunnel stared in confusion at the event unfolding before them. The prince regent, unheard from in seventeen years, rode up in full regalia. One of the guards recognized Deling’s hint and snapped to attention. He joined Deling’s salute, and the others quickly followed suit. Manfir smiled at the sergeant and returned the salute.

  “Thank you, sergeant,” smiled Manfir. “I’ll be heading to the Hold before presenting myself to his highness. Perhaps a runner should be sent to inform my father of my return.”

  “It’s already been done, sire,” nodded Deling.

  “Always one step ahead,” laughed Manfir.

  The old sergeant leaned in and lowered his voice.

  “I waited on you for several days now,” whispered Deling with a wink. “When good old Brelg passed through a couple of days ago, then Cefiz the day after, I knew I would be seeing you shortly.”

  Manfir nodded and moved forward.

  “Good fortune to you, sergeant,” called the prince over his shoulder.

  “And to you, my prince,” replied Deling.

  The group slowly made their way through the city. Word quickly spread concerning the return of the prince regent. Zodrians crowded the streets along the path to the Hold. Kael fidgeted. The crowd acted uncertain and edgy. Manfir certainly wasn’t receiving a hero’s welcome. Many of the citizenry pointed and stared at the passing troop. Whispers and knowing looks passed between some of the Zodrians. Granu remained cloaked and hooded, but his presence drew many of the looks and whispers. More than a few catcalls were thrown in the troop’s direction. Kael drew in next to Teeg.

  “I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable,” Kael stated in a low voice. “These people aren’t ecstatic over Manfir’s return.”

  Teeg frowned and nodded to the boy.

  “I forced myself to ignore events in the capital recently, too much going on elsewhere. When last I left, feelings weren’t this sour,” replied Teeg. “I believe the enemy is busy spreading lies and innuendo about our loyal prince. Manfir returns now and only he may repair the damage done to his reputation.”

  The troop rounded a bend in the road and a group of horsemen raced in their direction. Manfir reined in and his body tensed. Zodrians straggling in the street jumped from the path of the cavalry. Others were knocked aside as the heavily armed soldiers roared to a stop ten yards from Manfir’s coal black steed. The Zodrian horsemen blocked the roadway. Several citizens in the crowd cheered as a pair of riders separated from the group. The larger of the two soldiers addressed Manfir.

  “I am Colonel Udas ...” stated the leader and he paused.

  Manfir remained silent and expressionless. The eyes of the smaller man at Udas’s side darted in panic and distress.

  “The hero of Rimdar Pass!” announced Udas’s aide.

  Another small cheer broke from the crowd. The colonel sat ramrod straight. One gloved hand rose and lightly
waved in acknowledgement to the crowd. The other lay stiff and immobile, folded over the horn of his saddle. Upon his chest he wore a gleaming gold breastplate. His red robe was immaculate.

  “A member of the General Staff in charge of supplies,” whispered Teeg to Kael. “His breastplate is engraved with the emblem of the supply staff.”

  Kael lightly nodded and noticed the other horsemen bore the same insignia on their vestments.

  “What is it you wish, colonel?” asked Manfir.

  “It has come to my attention that Sergeant Deling allowed a heavily armed group to enter from the South gate without first appropriately checking their credentials,” snapped Udas. “The old fool has spent too many years in the noon day sun. I’m afraid he neglects his duties.”

  Manfir pursed his lips and leaned forward in the saddle. He glared at Udas.

  “I ask again, what is it you wish, colonel?” growled Manfir.

  Udas sucked in a quick breath and arched an eyebrow at Manfir.

  “Put ‘im in his place, Udas!” shouted a Zodrian from a group of men in the crowd.

  “Show ‘em what a real fightin’ man looks like, Udas!” called another.

  Kael looked to Ader and found the Guide calmly sitting on the back of his stallion. Ader’s hands lay in his lap, subtly shifting. Kael’s eyes searched the crowd and immediately he found what he was looking for. A beautiful young woman with dark hair and blue green eyes stood on the stoop of a storefront staring at the Seraph. Ader’s hands worked a moment longer then stopped. The young woman nodded, then threw her green cowl over her head and turned. She hesitated a moment then spun back to the group and stared past Kael to the other side of the road. Eidyn sat on his Keltaran warhorse, eyes fixed upon the woman. She smiled and lightly bowed to the Elven prince. Eidyn’s face remained expressionless, but he returned her bow with a nod of his head. She quickly turned and disappeared into the crowd.

  Udas gained courage from the crowd’s comments.

  “You and your companions will be checked like any other unauthorized, armed party which enters the city,” blurted Udas. “Your weapons will be confiscated and you will be interviewed to determine your business here in Zodra! The majority of your group is not Zodrian and its suspicious constituency requires immediate attention. Those of you I determine to be enemies of the state, will be detained!”