by Guy Antibes
“But I will have to look over my shoulder to make sure the Sun faction isn’t going to attack.”
Mirano nodded. “There is that. They weren’t so militant when I did my studies.”
“The Suns don’t get many recruits from the Ring Hospital. Healers are predominantly Greens.”
“Like Hemo and myself,” Mirano said.
“And me,” Ricky said. “Some of us are going to travel to each country in Kerrothia and remove the sterility spell that I imagine has been laid on all male heads of state.”
They didn’t talk much longer. Merry took her bags and asked Pira to join her in her apartments. Ricky led the rest to the Bisiccia building. Everyone stayed on Ricky’s floor. He went into his rooms and let them all decide where they would spend the night.
Are you settled in? Pira asked after she initiated a link.
Ricky smiled in the darkness. I am. Are you in a nice bedroom?
Nice enough. Merry has been very nice. I’ll miss her when we leave.
Ricky thought Merry was likely treating her like a niece, similar to the way she treated Ricky as a nephew. Suddenly, Ricky was shocked.
What is the matter? You seem upset.
I wondered what King Leon is going to do to your family.
No family, Pira said. I’m an orphan like you are.
King Leon is the culprit?
He’s the one, Pira said. I’m sure he facilitated the deaths of my parents by poisoning. There was an epidemic of shaking sickness in our town. My parents hadn’t been near any of the victims, and yet they mysteriously came down with a different illness and passed away, along with my baby brother. I was very young and can remember little of my parents and our home.
And your father was in line to the throne? Ricky said.
My mother was the king’s cousin, by blood. She projected a deep sadness as she said it.
I thought you weren’t related.
I lied, Pira said. I didn’t want to think about a connection to my guardian. He is an odious man, only made worse by aligning himself with the University sorcerers. Mirano called them lost souls.
Twisted is a better word, Ricky said. We can’t stay in Tossa more than a day or two. Rest up. If any of our band wants to stay in Tossa, they can. You and I will have to leave.
Nania will come with us.
That means Nemo Mattia, Ricky said. Even though I interrogated him, I don’t know if I trust him.
She said that you can.
So Hemo, Mattia, Nania, and you at the least.
Mirano will come. He said he is fascinated by you and your story. He wants to see it unfold. Mirano told me that while we were traveling from Applia, Pira said. I want to see your story unfold, too, my lord.
Ricky felt her feelings swell. It was a heady feeling, especially as he couldn’t help respond to her emotional state through their deeper link. Then it will unfold a little all the way to Samira. You better rest, my princess. Ricky grimaced when he said it. At least she was in a different building. That reduced his anxiety.
~
Nemo Mattia spent most of his travel time clutching to Ricky’s hand, tightly. Naparra was a beautiful domain. Ricky looked down at green fields surrounded by leafy, dark-green trees. Sheep dotted the countryside in clumps as the group flew over hilly country. Ahead, the hills calmed down, and farmers had begun to work the fields.
They set down on their last stop before they would reach Samira, the summer castle of the dukes of Naparra. After killing Mara and her henchmen, Ricky never imagined returning so soon.
“It is good to be home,” Nemo said.
“Home?” Siria said, holding Mirano’s hand.
The man nodded. “I’m originally from Firali, Naparra’s capital. I’ve even been past the road leading to the summer palace, but I’ve never been inside. Naparra is Paranty’s most beautiful domain.”
“You’ll get more than enough of the castle,” Ricky said. “It’s time for our last leg.” He stood and clasped Mattia’s hand before rising into the air.
Mattia saw the castle before Ricky noticed it. They flew high above the road that led to Firali after they had intersected it south of their intended destination. Ricky linked with the different flyers, and they put down on the road.
“We are here to see the castle, again,” Ricky said, nudging the sleeping guard at the open gate to the summer castle.
“You!” the guard said. “Go on in. Turn my life upside down again.”
Ricky didn’t understand what the guard meant, but he led his group down the leafy lane towards the castle. He was the only one of their group to have visited the place.
“This is cozy,” Pira said, threading her arm through his as they walked past the village houses and looked up at the castle.
“What a nice village,” Nania said.
“Nice?” Ricky looked around. The cottages were freshly painted, and the grounds looked much better than before. He smiled. Toracci, the housekeeper’s husband, had heeded Ricky’s words.
“Let’s go inside,” Ricky said. He led them into the courtyard.
Torraci showed up, wearing a male version of the uniform Danna Torraci, his late wife, had worn.
“Lord Valian,” he said. “I have been expecting you. A little birdie said you would arrive with guests.”
“You have been well-informed,” Ricky said. His friends had already gone ahead, looking up at the castle and approaching the outbuildings. “We hope to be staying here longer than a few hours, like the last time.”
“I can provide you with refreshments. I took the liberty of stocking the kitchens and hired more staff.”
“Good. The village looks nice. Are the houses filling up?”
Toracci shook his head. “The duke said the village will fill up in time, so the single servants reside in the castle, and the married staff have taken houses or lodgings in the village to the south.”
“We will see about that. How about a tour of the castle and the grounds? You’ve done an admirable job,” Ricky said.
Toracci bowed to Ricky. “I hope I have heeded your counsel. I will notify the everyone that their lord has arrived. If you would like to start on your own, I will join you.”
The tour went well. Toracci showed him areas of the castle that his wife hadn’t shown them. By the time they made it to the lower levels, they all were happily surprised by the feast set out in the lower dining room of the duke’s residential quarters.
“Impressive for a first house,” Nania said.
“Actually, it is my third,” Ricky said. “I owned my own shantyboat and a house along the Ring Road in Duteria.”
“Ring Road, eh?” Mirano said. “I never could afford one.”
“Princess Pira held a certain contest that I won,” Ricky said. “The prize was more than enough. Fortune smiled, and there was a house available when we arrived. Tobia and Minnie, my former servants and currently my business partners, reside in the place.”
“Business partners?” Mattia said, as he put a morsel of bread in his mouth.
Ricky told them the story of his trip from Torak to Duteria and his relationship with his servants.
“Are they coming to join us?” Siria asked.
Ricky shook his head. “Hopefully not. It depends on how aggressive the Sun faction becomes in the city.” Ricky looked at Hemo. “I would be worried about your family.”
Hemo blushed. “It’s not my family,” he admitted. “I’m an adopted uncle to another healer’s family. He has the five lovely children, and I do spend time with them. I was so embarrassed, talking about my old relationship with Minnie, that I might have intentionally caused a misunderstanding.”
Ricky sighed. “I thought all along that you were leaving them all alone in Duteria while you were in Naparra.”
“They are like my children,” Hemo smiled. “I do miss them, too.”
“Any other secrets?” Ricky said, looking at the group.
“Probably a few that will never leave my lips,�
�� Pira said.
Nania laughed. “Me, too. I’m with Princess Pira.”
“Pira,” the princess corrected. “I’m not a princess, anymore.”
Nania pursed her lips. “That can change, you know, Pira,” she emphasized the princess’s name.
“I have my own secrets, too,” Ricky said.
He looked at Mattia and wondered if he could pry any more secrets from him. When he interrogated the man, Ricky didn’t spend much time doing anything but questioning his motives.
“So, what do we do after our meal?” Mirano asked.
“We will enlist the services of Toracci—I don’t know his first name—to find us all places to live.”
Pira grinned. “I claim the castle,” she said.
“There is room enough for us all, here,” Ricky said, “but some of you will want some privacy, so there are the cottages in the village. I am going to live on the lower level, so if any of you wish to live in ducal splendor on the upper floors, those are open.”
“You won’t take what you should by rights?” Mattia said.
“You and Nania know better than any others what I can tolerate. I’ll only miss the view living down here,” Ricky said spreading his arms. “I can’t call this deprivation, can I? This dining room will serve as our conference hall.”
Mattia frowned. “I forgot what kind of a person you are.”
Ricky knew Mattia well enough not to take offense at his remark. “Is everyone finished?” Ricky didn’t know how to summon Toracci or any other servant, so he escorted them out to the scene of his fight with Mara.
“Here is where the battle took place,” Ricky said, recounting the confrontation.
“She got what she deserved,” Mattia said. “But I will say, she played her part well at the Home.”
Nania nodded. “I knew she was a true Fisttian and that she worked for the king. At the time, that meant she was your ally, Ricky.”
“Until I wasn’t. She nearly succeeded with her assassin’s poisoned arrow.”
“And a legend was born in Duteria,” Mirano said. “I received a few letters from my colleagues in Duteria about that episode. Healer Kokorak was astounded by your abilities, for one.”
Hemo nodded and laughed. “I had wondered if you had bribed her when I received her report.”
Ricky blushed. “Let’s not speak of me.”
“Let’s,” a female voice said from inside a doorway. Wedo and Greda walked out onto the battlement.
“I thought you were going to stay in Duteria,” Ricky said.
Greda shook her head. “Kened Gostok suggested that we leave. Hemo confirmed it. We just arrived yesterday. We thought we’d be here to surprise you.”
“You linked with Hemo?”
Wedo frowned. “Greda did. I failed to connect. You would have discouraged us coming.”
Ricky fell speechless for a moment. He suspected Wedo was right. “But what about your supplies?”
“Brought them with us. Our trip wasn’t a particularly easy one,” the older sorcerer said.
Greda rubbed her hands together. “So, what is the plan?”
Ricky shook his head. “That is why we are here. I have two more advisors, don’t I?”
“You do, toddler. We’ve already had the tour—”
“And the show after, right here,” Wedo said. “So we need to find a place to put our heads at night, and then we get to work.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Pira said. “And who might you two be?”
Ricky slapped his forehead. “I forgot. Some of you haven’t met.”
In the midst of introductions, Toracci approached them and stood quietly listening. His eyebrows went up when Ricky introduced Princess Pira to Wedo and Greda.
“Princess?” he said. “You are Paranty’s Princess?”
Pira narrowed her eyes at the steward. “Is there anything wrong with that?”
Toracci bowed deeply. “Of course not. We are pleased to have you stay.”
Mattia stepped forward, looking at Toracci. “She is currently having a spat with King Leon. Her presence is a secret. Do you understand? A man with a loose tongue may find that he suddenly has none at all,” Mattia said.
Toracci gulped. “I understand, I understand. My words of welcome remain,” he said.
Ricky clapped the man on the back. “Then let’s get everyone settled in. What are our options? I want to live in the lower level of the ducal quarters.”
“I’ll stay in the upper, then,” Pira said.
“Maybe I can join Ricky.” Wedo stood next to Ricky.
Nania looked at Mattia. “The princess still needs a bodyguard. I can take on my old role?” Nania asked Pira.
“I accept with pleasure,” Pira said, “but you’ll have to share duties with Ciara when she arrives. I don’t know when that will be. We told her we were headed to Applia.”
“I expect there will be room enough.”
“There are rooms enough for all in the upper quarters,” Toracci said.
“We want a cottage,” Siria said, with an arm around Mirano. “We will spend enough time in the castle. Do you agree, Mirano?”
The healer smiled. “Whatever you wish.” He patted her hand.
Mattia frowned. “Lower level with Ricky, I suppose.”
“Me, too,” Hemo said. “I hope you weren’t looking for solitude,” he said to Ricky.
“No. I’m looking for a cool place when the weather warms.”
Everyone looked at Greda, who shrugged. “The boys below and the girls above. I get it.” She looked at Toracci. “I don’t need anything fancy.”
~~~
Chapter Four
~
R icky sat behind a large dark dimani desk. He looked around the spacious study. His study, for now. An open door led to his bedroom. Everything was much too large for him, but he would just have to handle it. What if he actually became Duke of Naparra? He couldn’t exactly sleep over the stable at that point, he thought.
“Ricky,” Nemo Mattia said.
The study drove Ricky to distraction. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to living like this. Give me a dorm room, and I’m fine. Although I had a small sitting room and a bedroom in the Tower, it wasn’t like this.”
“You said you wanted to use me. What for?”
“I need a planner. We need a planner,” Ricky amended. “Heads of state need to be given the counterspell from the sterility spell. A few monarchs are old enough that it might be too late. It will delay the Botoyans, but it doesn’t defeat them. We need to defeat them, but I don’t know what defeat looks like. We don’t want to exterminate them.”
“Why not?” Mattia said.
Ricky looked at Nemo without a thought in his head. “I don’t want to see them killed.”
“Yet they won’t hesitate to kill you.”
Ricky felt like he was talking to Saganet. Mattia had a point, and Ricky didn’t want to accept it. “But they are sorcerers.”
“They are your enemies. You could have died in Okansil. You could have died right here in Samira. You could have died in Sealio. You could have died in Duteria, and yet you want to let them live? It’s not possible, Ricky. Some of them are irredeemable, fanatical, if what you and Hemo said is true.”
“It is,” Ricky said.
Had he made a mistake bringing Mattia to Samira? He squirmed in his seat. He’d never really been challenged like this before, except by Hemo a few times in the Tower, but not on such a serious subject.
“Do you think we are at war?” Mattia said.
“I do,” Ricky said. “I’ve killed before.”
“And yet you suddenly turn squeamish?”
Ricky wanted to strike out at Mattia, but he gripped the arms of his chair tighter. “I’m not squeamish.”
“Do you think sorcerers are more important than the rest of us?”
Ricky leaned back in his chair. Of course, he did. But that was wrongheaded, and he knew it. “Common people are important, too.”
Mattia leaned forward like a predatory animal. “Why do you think sorcerers were reviled in Paranty?”
“You know about that?”
“Nania read some of those ancient books, too,” Mattia said. “Sorcerers became too big for their britches. Something had to be done.”
“And what do you think was done?”
“They were beaten into submission.”
Ricky nodded. “Commoners found a way to defeat their magic, and it wasn’t by having better arrows, although with a sorcerer on their side, they could have done that. They defeated them with clamor.”
“I’m not familiar with that kind of method.”
“Clamor. Sound, but not songs. Sound without resonance. It blocked out their ability to create power within themselves. No power, no spells.”
Mattia furrowed his brow. “It was that simple?”
“I read a few more books than Nania did. The books on the war were burned at the sorcerers’ request. They didn’t want people to remember what happened,” Ricky said.
Mattia laughed. “I don’t believe it.”
Ricky nodded. “That’s another thing we are going to do in Samira. We will see if we can duplicate what happened five hundred years ago.”
“But that would eliminate your advantages?”
“Some of them. I can use a sword, remember?”
Mattia sat back. “Take away the advantage, and sorcerers are no better than any other man. They will still want to fight. Fanatics always want to die for their cause.”
Ricky sighed. He still hadn’t come up with an answer to Mattia’s basic question. “When it becomes a war, we will have to fight. Fighting is different from extermination.”
“Then you’ll have to make them fight. You can’t be watching your back for the rest of your life.”
Ricky sighed again. “I’ve been doing that for the last five years, most of my teenage years, even in the Rings, where I first thought I could relax.”
“Then relax here for a bit. It appears that your back eventually will become a bigger target.”
“More than now?”
Mattia nodded. “We will have to treat Samira like a fortress. It will need to be defended. What happens if King Leon decides to send an army to rout the princess and you out of Naparra? Are you going to run?”