Wizard's Call

by Luna Lais

  It was still early morning when they topped the last hill and viewed the city walls of Rorgrim. "At last I am home," Darien shouted to them as he spurred Nog forward towards the city gates. Cate and Alli followed, but Nog's speed left them both several paces behind. Darien brought Nog to an abrupt stop just short of the gates. He dismounted and fell to the ground, "Dear Gods," he heard Alli's voice whisper behind him. Darien looked up again to confirm his eyes had not been mistaken. A long pike had been driven into the ground in front of the city gates. At the top of the pike was the head of his little sister Rachel. Darien roared in rage, blinded by the fury he felt. "Guards, " he screamed. "Guards!"

  Several men upon hearing the commotion rushed from the gatehouse towards Darien. "Get her down now." He commanded before they had even realized who he was. Darien quickly mounted Nog and raced towards the castle not waiting to see if the men obeyed his orders.

  Alli turned to Cate, "See what has happened to the body," she said softly. "Bring her remains to the castle. I am going with him." She was not sure who the girl was, but her features resembled Darien's enough for her to guess that this was his youngest sister.

  "Be careful, Alli." He watched the men pulling on the pike. "Just because the guards are following his orders at the gate it does not mean his crown is not lost."

  She nodded in understanding. "I will be careful, do not worry. Please make haste, Cate. Her soul needs to be put to rest." Alli spurred her horse forward and followed Darien into the city.

  He rode through the city without pause and through the castle gates. He skidded to a stop mere feet from the entrance, quickly dismounting before heading inside. "Where is my brother?" Darien asked the guard he had found just inside the entrance of the castle. The guard paled when he realized who was questioning him.

  "Sire, the Order of Colondone has confined him to the cells below the castle," the man had barely finished speaking when Darien interrupted him. "Since when does the Order rule Calandoria," he shouted at the man. Darien was blind with rage. He grabbed the man by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the closest wall pinning him to it.

  Alli entered the castle in time to see Darien draw his sword. "No, wait," she screamed at him. Darien turned to look at her, but did not release the man.

  "If you kill him, Darien you wage war against your own army. You will need your men to find those responsible for her death," she pleaded.

  Darien relaxed his grip and sheathed his sword, but still held the man against the wall. As he looked at the man and realized he knew him. He was one of generals in the Calandorian Army, the best general according to his father. "Tell me what transpired here," He commanded.

  "I am sorry your majesty. I arrived only moments before you did and do not know the whole story. I was on my way to release Prince Makren when you entered." Darien released the man and took a step back.

  "Where were you that you were not here to protect to my sister you were sworn to serve?" Darien asked the man piercing him with his cold steel eyes.

  "Princess Rachel and Prince Makren dispatched me and the other men of the guard to eastern Calandoria to search for Lady Lissandra, my Lord." The man dropped his head in shame at what had happened in his absence. "They sent all the guard out."

  Alli walked forward and placed her hand on Darien's shoulder offering what little comfort she could, "We should go find your brother. He will have the answers you seek."

  Darien placed his hand over the one she laid on his shoulder. "Wait for me in the council's chambers, this man can show you the way. I will find my brother," he released her hand and turned back to the general. "Find the court and council records for the last four weeks and meet me in the council room as well," he ordered. Darien turned from them both and headed towards the throne room. Through it he would make his way to the cells below the castle.

  It took a few minutes for Darien's eyes to adjust to the darkness of the prison below the castle. The stone walls were wet and moldy, the place smelled of human waste and death. Only two torches, one at the entrance of the corridor and one at the other end provided all the light inside the long narrow corridor that lead to the cells. At the end of the long hall there was a circular room with ten heavy iron doors. Behind each of these doors there was a small cell. This was not a jail for random criminals, the only prisoners ever kept here were those who committed treason against Calandoria or the king. Darien had not been here since he was nine years old. His father had brought him and Jimreth here to witness the questioning of a man suspected of inciting a small rebellion in the small village of Tusknet to the west. Darien's stomach churned at the memory. The man had been tortured before his young eyes. Darien's father had told them both they needed to witness the act, so in the future neither would ever order it done lightly and would understand the consequences of such an order. Darien had vowed never to make that order.

  He began to move down the hall with memories of the tortured man haunting his thoughts. Darien understood after all this time what his father had been trying to teach him. Right now he would have a thousand men tortured if it meant his family would never be faced with harm again.

  Once he entered the circular chamber he noticed a guard standing next to the cell directly in front of him.

  "Are there any other prisoners, besides my brother?" Darien asked the man.

  The guard looked terrified at seeing him. No one had expected Darien to return. Most believed him dead and the House of Raven pretending he was away from the kingdom to make them appear stronger.

  "Only one your majesty, " The guard knelt before Darien and pointed at a cell across the room.

  "What was the crime that individual committed?" he questioned the guard.

  "She is suspected to be an attendant when the Queen died. King Jimreth ordered all the attendants executed. With the recent upheaval we have not had time to see her sentence carried out," the guard explained. "Prince Makren halted the trails when he arrived."

  "Release her," Darien said coldly.

  "But your majesty, King Jimreth…" the guard stopped mid sentence. There was no King Jimreth. The man before him was the King of Calandoria.

  "I said release her," Darien shouted at the man. "I am king now and I declare her innocent of all charges."

  "Right away sir, " the guard quickly made the distance of the room and unlocked the cell. It only took him a few moments to enter the cell and return with a small woman in his arms. She was wearing a filthy gray dress and appeared half starved. Darien looked at the woman's face. She could not have been more than eighteen or nineteen. Close to Rachel's age.

  "Take her to the council room. There you will find a Lady dressed in britches. Ask her to see this girl taken care of for me. Tell her I will be there in a few minutes with my brother and she will meet us in the council room when she has finished with the girl," Darien turned back towards the cell that held his brother.

  "Right away, your majesty, " The guard started to leave when Darien's voice stopped him.

  "The keys before you leave," he said softly holding out his hand. The guard quickly approached and placed them in Darien's outstretched hand. Before taking the key Darien grabbed the man's arm. "I would advise you to leave the army. If I ever see you wearing the uniform of a Calandorian soldier again I will have you executed." Darien's tone left no mistake in the man's mind that his words were true.

  Chapter 16

  "Alli," Cate said quietly as he entered the council room. "I do not know what happened to the body. I have gotten several different accounts. Some say it was burned, other say it was thrown into the refuse pit outside the city walls, still others claim the Order took it with them when they left. I had the other remains placed in a simple coffin and had it sat in the throne room. I figured he would not want them in the city temple after what happened."

  "Thank you," Alli said as she looked around the council room. Only she, Cate and the guard she had stopped Darien from killing were in the room. It had gray stone walls and several
windows along one of the walls. The other walls were lined with cabinets which she assumed held council records as well as various maps, just like the ones in her father's council room.

  "I am Alli," she said holding her hand out to the guard, "and this is Cate De Groue, we are from Hokaren."

  "I am Lawwe, my lady," the guard said taking her hand and bowing.

  "Lawwe, I must ask if you are loyal to the House of Raven?" Alli looked into the man's eyes looking for the truth of the words in his answer. "Yes, my lady," Lawwe looked offended that she had even asked.

  "Good," she smiled at him, believing what she saw in his eyes more than his words.

  The door to the chamber opened and the three of them looked to see a guard carry a young woman inside. She was obviously ill and covered in filth. He walked towards Alli. "My Lady," the guard spoke, "The King request that you see this girl taken care of then meet him back here. He will be a few minutes more with his brother."

  "Of course," Alli said looking at the girl then to Cate. Cate stepped forward and took the girl from the guard's arms. "Did he elaborate when he said take care of her?" Alli asked the guard.

  "No, my lady, " the guard replied hurriedly turning to leaving the room. He had no desire for the king to see him again.

  "Do not worry Alli, I will handle her," Cate said amused. "He forgets you are a Hikirian woman and not from Calandoria where his meaning would have been clear." Cate carried the poor woman from the room. Alli frowned at his humor. She had not missed the sarcasm in his voice that led her to believe a Hikirian women would have also known what to do.

  Darien unlocked the cell that contained his brother and pushed the heavy door opened. It made an eerie creaking noise as he did so. He opened it as far as possible to allow the light from the circular room to enter the small cell. His brother was at the back of the room his hands shackled to the wall so that his arms were held above his head. His head was slump down and his chin rested on his chest. Darien noticed the blood stains on the cuff of his shirt down the length of his sleeve. The blood on his wrist had been caused by him trying to pull himself free of the chains.

  "Makren," Darien whispered. He moved to him and slowly unlocked one of the steel bands around his wrist. Makren's body fell forward. Darien draped his brother's freed arm over his shoulder to support Makren's weight then moved to the next band. Once his other arm was released Makren stumbled forward against him and began to fall. Darien supported his weight and eased him onto the floor. "Makren," Darien patted his cheek slowly to wake him. Makren began rolling his head from side to side trying to regain consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes, "Brother," he cried barley audible to Darien, his throat raw from the screaming he had done.

  He used all his strength to sit up and bury his head into Darien's chest grasping his shoulders tightly. "Brother, " he sobbed. " I tried to stop them," he looked up at Darien's face, tears filling his eyes. "I could not save her," he cried, "I could not save her." He crushed his face to Darien's chest. Darien hugged him tightly; his own tears began to fall. "Why couldn't I save her," he heard Makren whisper softly.

  Darien could hardly believe he was holding his brother, he thought lost to him forever. "You must not blame yourself. You did all that you could." Darien did not know exactly what had happened or why the Order had killed his sister, but Makren's wounds proved he had not stood idly by an allowed it to happen. Darien buried his own face into Makren's hair sharing in his grief over the loss of Rachel.

  "No I didn't, she asked me to flee, but I refused to let her." Makren clenched his fist on Darien's shoulders, "If only I would have listened."

  "It is not your fault, Makren," Darien pushed Makren back and looked into his tear filled eyes. "Place the blame where it truly belongs and help me seek revenge for her death." Darien wiped his eyes with his hands. "I will need your help, are you able to help me?" he asked Makren.

  "Yes, anything," Makren said, "what ever you ask."

  "I have missed you brother," Darien hugged Makren to him again and held him there relieved that he was alive. After a few moments he rose and offered his hand to Makren. Makren took Darien's offered hand and allowed Darien to help him rise.

  "It is time for our enemies to feel our wrath." Darien said as he pulled a small cloth from his pocket. "Dry your eyes. When we leave this room we are the King and Prince of Calandoria, not broken hearted brothers. I meet with my council at once. I ask that you serve on it."

  "Of course," Makren said wiping the tears from his eyes.

  "Good, I need you to fetch me a stable boy and a maid, the younger the better and bring them to the council room. We will be one member short, but she has sustained injuries and needs to recover before she will be able to attend meetings," Darien stated.

  "Brother I do not understand. No female serves on the council," Makren said confused.

  "There is a new council for a new Calandoria. Now go and meet me in the council room as quickly as you can." Darien walked out of the cell with Makren on his heels.

  A few moments later Darien entered the council room and looked to Alli, "Is the girl being looked after?"

  "She is my lord," Cate answered.

  Darien sighed and rolled his eyes skyward, "Forgive me Alli for forgetting that just because you are female does not mean I should assume you are like other females."

  "Does it upset you that I am not?" She asked solemnly.

  "No," he answered honestly. "I do not need you as a normal female for what lies ahead," he smiled knowingly at her.

  "Lawwe," he turned to the man, "I have need of you on my council; will you serve?"

  "Yes, your majesty," Lawwe replied deeply honored by the request.

  "Call me Darien. We will use no titles in this room." He turned to Alli and caught her small smile.

  "Darien," Cate said immediately accepting the practice. "I have had your sister placed in the throne room until you are ready for the burial."

  "Thank you," he said looking from Cate, then to Alli. "Hokaren has shown her more respect than her own country."

  "Did you bring the reports I asked for?" He asked turning to Lawwe.

  "Yes, I placed them at the head of the table." Darien moved to the chair Lawwe indicated and sat down. He began reading the pages as quickly as he could. After a few minutes he paused and looked around the room. "I need all of you to read these quickly. We will not be discussing the details of these reports in front of my brother, who even now is on his way here, but I need all of you to understand what went on here as we plan the next course of action."

  Lawwe, Alli and Cate quickly sat at the table and began passing the reports around. A few moments later Makren appeared with a young boy and a girl. Darien rose to greet them. "Welcome. I have need of you two if you are willing. What are your names?"

  "Karegh," the boy replied nervously looking around the room. He had short brown hair with a few pieces of straw tangled in it. His brown eyes darted around the room. "Molly, your majesty," the young girl said as she curtsied. The girl was dressed in a plain gray dress with an apron tied around the waist. Her brown hair was tied in three knots on top of her head with a red ribbon. Darien could see the nervousness in her blue eyes. Neither of the children could believe they had been summoned to the king's council room. "How old are you, Karegh?" Darien asked. The boy swallowed hard before answering, "Twelve, sire."

  "And you," Darien turned his eyes to Molly.

  "Fifteen my lord," she answered giving him another curtsy.

  "Well Karegh and Molly I would like to ask you to serve on the king's council as adjutants and help me to rule Calandoria. Will you accept?" Both children just stared at him.

  "Brother, have you gone mad?" Makren asked. "There is already a council in place."

  "No, not at all," Darien answered looking at Alli. "I am making some long over due changes in Calandoria and I will need the help of those who best understand the problems we face." He turned his attention back to the children. "Well Karegh, Molly will you
serve?"

  "Yes, your majesty" the children said in unison, Molly giving him another curtsy.

  "Great," he said smiling at the two of them. "The first rule is to call me Darien. In this room we are all equal, no titles allowed."

  He turned to the others at the table. "In this room speak your mind freely with out fear of retribution. I will be asking three others to join our ranks when they are able, but for now we have business to attend."

  "Makren," Darien said his name as he moved back to sit down at the head of the table. "Send a rider to Lissandra in the Hokaren. He can find her three days south of the Blue River and another three days southeast. She will be found on a small farm, living in the barn."

  "She has been in Hokaren all this time?" Makren asked his voice showing his regret.

  "Yes," Darien said pointedly. "She was with me. I want to make it clear to each of you that she is not a traitor. Through no fault of her own the Order sought to end her life and she fled."