An Empire Forged

by Michael Greenfield

  “Who’s in charge here? What are you doing?”

  The man who spoke was thin, and by the light of the assembled torches, Harlin could see he had dark but slightly greying hair.

  “I’m in charge, and I’m doing what you should have done weeks ago.” Harlin wasn’t in the mood for niceties.

  The man looked taken aback that someone would talk to him this way. “I’m Lord Larkin, and I’m ordering you to leave before we turn out the garrison.”

  That was all Qar’a could take. “I’m Captain Jared Qar’a. You may have heard of me as I also hold court rank.

  I’ve heard of you Larkin, and none of what I’ve heard is good.”

  “You can’t…”

  Qar’a cut him of before he got a chance to tell him what he couldn’t do. “I can do anything I want. Those of you inside the castle lost all of your power to rule when you abandoned the people.”

  His eyes sought out those of the officers stood behind Larkin, spotting someone he knew. “Major. You will make your way back into the city to His Majesty. You will inform him that Earl Qar’a is calling him out. If he’s not outside these gates with a sword by tomorrow daybreak, I will waste no resource at my disposal in ensuring that he stops drawing breath within the day.”

  Larkin looked as if he was about to have a fit. “You can’t do that. I’ll have you hung for even suggesting it.”

  “Larkin, I’ll give you five minutes to get inside those gates and hide. If I see you again, I won’t bother with a challenge, I’ll just cut you down where you stand.”

  Before Larkin could say anything further, one of the other two well-dressed men whispered in his ear, before addressing Qar’a and Harlin.

  “I see that we have a Lady present,” he nodded toward Kerin, “so I’ll keep my language gentlemanly.”

  “Ha! You don’t need to do me any favours. If I were allowed to issue challenges, Larkin wouldn’t even get five minutes.” Kerin stepped forward and had the satisfaction of seeing the other Lord flinch.

  “Let’s make this simpler,” Harlin broke the silence that followed Kerin’s statement, “I have a bunch of lads that were on their way to a fight.

  As we’re dwarves I’m sure you’ll understand that we’re not particularly bothered who we fight, so right here and right now would be perfectly fine as far as we’re concerned.

  How certain are you that those walls would withstand dwarven engineers?” As he spoke, he held his hand up, a signal that brought an audible response from their camp as sentries took note and started shouting for them to stand to.

  “You’d declare war on M’ur?”

  “Ah, you’ve got me all wrong.” Larkin relaxed slightly, “I’m declaring war on your King. He’s already destroyed M’ur.”

  Larkin glared at him for a moment, before realising that he was doing nothing to intimidate the Dwarf Lord and storming back to the gates. Others fled with him, but two of the officers held their position.

  The Major that Qar’a had spoken to broke the silence, “I think you’ll find that the gates will be open to you come the morning.”

  “You seem to be certain of that.” Qar’a glanced back at the walls, still adorned with torches and sentries who obviously watched the dwarves.

  “I am.” He looked toward the ground for a short while, no-one speaking as he composed himself. “I am ashamed of what’s happened these last few weeks, but without leadership and not knowing exactly what was happening…”

  This time Harlin stepped in before the silence could extend too long. “You did what you thought was right at the time, when you thought a force advanced on the city.

  From what we’ve heard, I’d say you were misled as well to a degree, and once a course is set it becomes difficult to change sometimes.”

  “I thank you for your kind words Lord Harlin, but that doesn’t excuse those of us that could have acted.”

  “Then act now. When the time comes, people will remember those that took a stand, not necessarily whether they acted at the beginning or not.”

  “I will know.”

  Qar’a stepped forward and rested a hand on the senior officer’s shoulder, “Then make sure it doesn’t happen again. Your task is to help rebuild the Kingdom, and that starts by removing the rot that caused this.”

  “We talk treason.”

  “The King may be our hereditary ruler, but he has a role and responsibility to the people. He has failed in that responsibility, and we have reason to believe he has consorted with the enemies of the Kingdom anyway, so who has committed treason?”

  “Aye,” Harlin spoke quietly and reasonably, “things have been happening throughout the Southern Kingdoms for some time now, and it looks as if your King is another cog in the machine that seeks to harm us all.”

  “Then it shall be as I said. Tomorrow morning the gates will stand open and whatever forces I can convince will muster to start providing assistance out here.

  We will also escort you to see our King and find out what he has to say about all of this.” He switched his gaze to Qar’a again, “Do you still intend to challenge him?”

  “I do.”

  “Then I would be honoured if you will let me be your second.”

  Both men clasped wrists in agreement, before all returned the way they had come.

  Daybreak the following morning was shattered by the sound of several bugles trumpeting out of the stillness. The gates to the city started to swing aside, and despite everything they had been through, the crowd of people who had been camped beneath those walls started to cheer.

  A troop of soldiers exited the city and spread out, providing control over the refugees as wagons started to roll out behind them. Harlin could see priests accompanying the wagons, all seemed to be carrying packs with them that Harlin hoped contained medicines.

  Leading them was the Major from the previous evening, who quickly started to organise his men to aid getting assistance to the people that needed it as quickly as possible. From behind him came the other officer who had stayed behind when they had spoken. Harlin took note that he was heading straight to where the dwarves were camped and stood waiting for him to arrive.

  It didn’t take long before the man stood before him.

  “Lord Harlin, I’m Colonel Samuels.”

  “Colonel. You stayed very quiet last night?”

  “There wasn’t much else to be said that Major Alson didn’t say.”

  Harlin nodded in understanding. “What of the King?”

  “He’s holed himself up in the keep. He and the Generals are trying to come up with a plan to try and stop what we do, no doubt.”

  “You don’t seem overly concerned.”

  Samuels smiled, “I’m not. We managed to contact some of the men inside the keep before it was locked up. They’re with us and will open everything up for us when we need.

  It’s easier to keep them all where we don’t have to worry about them until we’re ready.”

  Harlin laughed, “Oh that’s rich. They think they’ve still got a chance to cause problems.”

  “Who’s got a chance?”

  Both turned as Qar’a approached from the tent he had been using.

  Harlin was quick to respond, “Your King thinks to cause problems from behind the locks on the keep’s entrance, without knowing that we can open those locks at any time we want.”

  Qar’a returned the dwarf’s grin with an evil one of his own, before turning his attention to the M’ur officer stood next to Harlin. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

  “Colonel Samuels, at your service My Lord.” When Qar’a looked about to say something, the officer quickly added, “If we stick to noble rankings, you don’t have to call me Sir, as I only hold the rank of Baron at court.”

  “If you insist Baron.” Harlin couldn’t miss the change in Qar’a’s attitude since yesterday. All through the trip south he had looked a man full of despair, but now he looked a man with purpose.

  “I was just informing Lord
Harlin that His Majesty has holed up in the keep, but we can fetch him whenever you’re ready.”

  “Ready?”

  “I believe something last night was said of a duel. I can confirm for you that Alson stands ready to carry your challenge as soon as you require.”

  Harlin spoke up, “I think we want to clear things up out here first.

  What’s the situation inside the walls?”

  “For the most part, people don’t really know what’s going on. They know there was a threat to the city, which is why it was sealed up, but they don’t know why people were left outside.

  There have been mumblings for a couple of weeks now that something should be done, but with the Generals up at the keep with the King, no-one knew what to do.

  We had plenty of supplies, which I suppose should have tipped us to the fact that this was planned in advance, but most were just thankful that they had something to eat.”

  Qar’a straightened up from the slight stoop to his stance, “Then they need to know what’s happened. Can you pass the word that a meeting will be held in the square before the keep? The night after tomorrow I think.”

  “Consider it done.” With a brief nod, the Colonel turned back toward the city and made his way to help with the relief being handed out.

  Two days later saw the square filled to overflowing. A raised wooden dais had been constructed, in plain view of the guards at the keep, and now Harlin, Qar’a, Lady Kerin and the other officers stood before the assembled crowd.

  Rumours had been spreading like wildfire after those outside the city finally had a chance to mingle with those within, and many were desperate to hear confirmation of the whispered reports.

  Everything from invasion, possibly by the army outside the city at this very moment, to plague, and anything in between. No-one was a hundred percent sure of what had happened or was going to happen.

  As everyone stood waiting Harlin cast his eyes over the crowd. He could see that it covered almost every aspect of the city, from rich merchants to beggars, something he was sure had probably been organised purposefully by Samuels and his men.

  As he pondered this fact, Qar’a stepped forward and the crowd quietened.

  “People of Ketla,” he paused, “No. People of M’ur. We have been betrayed.” Shouts from the crowd interrupted him, but after a few seconds, and with a visible shift by the guards about the square, things quietened down again.

  “I was garrisoned to the north when we were attacked. Not just by the J’dar, a foe we know how to defend against, but by the mythical Mythraan. Something I thought of as only a legend until I saw one.

  We had no chance. Many of our people were killed, and those that weren’t killed were taken. Where, I don’t know.

  I escaped and made my way here to raise the alarm. I was but one of many that tried the same. When we reached what we thought to be safety, we found locked gates. No amount of pleading helped. Our King had abandoned us. He ordered the gates sealed, I am told on the advice of another, a man who worked for the Mythraan.”

  Samuels leant his head close to Harlin’s, “Do we know that for certain?”

  “Not for certain, but we can make a pretty big assumption.”

  Qar’a continued, “Lord Harlin, the Dwarf Lord, brought his men south in order to join Boraan, who’s armies are fighting this threat even as we speak, but the King sent people out to order him away. Even when it became clear that he was here to help.

  I say that Pallon has lost all right to rule these people,” he swung his arm out, encompassing all of those that were listening. “He is no longer our King.”

  A ragged cheer started through the crowd, slowly building until it became a resounding crescendo of noise. Qar’a let it continue for a while, before holding has hand up again for silence.

  “If you will bear with me just a little longer.” He motioned toward Alson, who immediately made his way to the entrance to the keep with several of his men. He didn’t have to pause his stride as the gates swung open before him allowing his admittance.

  Several of the crowd started to get vocal again now that the way into the keep was clear, but Qar’a was already speaking again.

  “I know that you want justice,” he made sure to emphasise the word, “so you will wait whilst Pallon is brought before us. Many in the keep are blameless and we don’t want any accidents to occur. Better we leave it to trained men.”

  Not all of the crowd quietened, but enough to make it clear there was going to be no uncontrolled storming of the entrance. Admittedly, the presence of the armed soldiers may also have had an effect on their mood.

  It seemed like an eternity to Harlin whilst they waited for the Major to return with the now deposed monarch. In reality it was probably only ten minutes as word had already been passed to those inside and the King and his family, along with the Generals and others who had help him, would have been quickly rounded up.

  He knew that the Generals were being escorted straight to alternate accommodation beneath the keep, but was unsure as to what was going to be done with the royal family. Thinking it through should tell most people that they may not have had any direct involvement in the disgrace that had happened. Something to think on, he mused.

  Then the volume of the crowd rose again as the King was led, surrounded by Alson’s men, up the dais to face the people he had abandoned. His blonde hair was tussled, testament to the fact that he hadn’t come willingly, and there were a few tears in his finely woven tunic.

  He was roughly turned to face the crowd, and Qar’a stepped forward to act as their voice.

  “Pallon, you know full well why you are here. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t cut you down where you stand.”

  There was fear in Pallon’s eyes, but he stood straight as he replied, “You can’t do that. I am your King! The people will do as I command!”

  Jeers erupted from the crowd. “I think that’s all the answer we need to that statement.

  Pallon of Ketla, you have been brought here to answer the charges that you did knowingly abandon the people of M’ur.” Qar’a stared hard at the man as he continued, “That you abandoned your solemn duty to provide protection, ordering your army to leave them at the mercy of our enemies. Abandoned to a fate that as yet we don’t know the full horror of.”

  “It was Nagril, he told me what I must do. He told me how I must save my family.”

  At this, Qar’a turned his attention to the man’s family, who were stood under guard behind the dais. His wife looked terrified but was trying to maintain her demeanour and act strong. His two daughters were scared as well, but obviously didn’t fully grasp what was happening being still both under eight years of age.

  It was the man’s son that caught Qar’a’s eye. He was just thirteen years old, too young to be held accountable for anything that had happened over the last few months. His eyes though, they were firmly fixed on his father. Horror filled them as he had listened to the charges being spoken aloud by the Earl, followed by disbelief.

  To him, his father was the centre of his life. He looked up to him to know how he should act, and how decisions should be made. And now this was all being swept away for him.

  Pallon moved so that he could return his son’s gaze, and it was now that the full impact of what he had done started to filter through. The defiant stance slipped, his shoulders slumping.

  Qar’a stood still, watching the two of them. The crowd started to get restless, the noise increasing, though on the dais others could see what was going on and remained silent.

  Slowly, Qar’a returned his attention to the people. “I will see no more bloodshed this day.”

  The jeers erupted again, but this time the soldiers shifted their bearing making it clear that they should listen, but not act.

  “That Pallon is guilty of the charges I think we all agree is beyond doubt,” He again looked at the fallen monarch, “but I think we need to resolve this when passions have calmed.”

  The
general air amongst the mass before him was not agreeable, but again the military backing he had with him prevented any from speaking their dissent aloud.

  “Take the King to the cells, with his Generals.” Soldiers immediately moved to comply with the order, “The family will return to their chambers in the keep where they will stay until this is resolved.

  Until such time as that occurs, the city will be under joint rule. I want a council formed with Lady Kerin as its Head.

  Some of you before us were members of city guilds before the lockdown. I want the more senior of you to help as well, you will speak for the people.

  I don’t know how this will end, but for the time being we need to recover as a nation. We have hungry to feed, sick to heal, and the Gods know how many homeless that need shelter.

  Let us put ourselves to these tasks, so that we can become strong again and help others that even now are giving their lives for us. The King may have failed in his duty, but we will not fail in ours.”

  The mood in the room they now occupied inside the keep was strange. The spirit of revenge that had held them all at the start of the evening had shifted, and now each was dealing with guilt of some level at how they had been planning to act. Harlin, Qar’a, Kerin and Alson now sat about a small table, each alone with their thoughts.

  Harlin broke the silence, “Well that was a surprise.” Qar’a looked up, “Not that I disagree with what you decided, but you definitely surprised me.

  Why?”

  “His son. I saw the look on the Prince’s face as the charges were read out, and his father did nothing to deny them. Then the realisation dawning on Pallon and seeing how his own son now saw him. It was almost too much for me, I couldn’t visit anything further on the family in front of that crowd.”

  Harlin nodded, “That makes you a better man than most. I’m not overly sure I could have done the same.”

  “I’m very sure I couldn’t,” Kerin let her gaze move between the other three, “and I thank you for keeping me from making that choice. I think it would be a decision that would haunt me after the fact.” Alson nodded his own agreement.