CHAPTER XV #9
“Broadswords and bows?”
“Broadswords and bows,” the older man confirms, moving his horse towards the dirt arena.
“And their summoning?” Keane inquires, looking towards a group of men angling their bows at targets beyond.
“Every Discerni who has matured manages the basics. We have a handful that use their summoning for tracking, with a few more who can call from the earth to replenish our supply.”
Like Alanna.
I turn to Cal with a smile. My big friend grins in return, nodding his head at the same thought.
“A few of the stronger men can manipulate the woods and trees around them, though we don’t have any stone or ground summoners.”
How much of what Merrick says is true, we don’t know.
“I thought you mentioned a new set of brothers that rode in a month ago,” Lord Sandam turns to Merrick in small question, “from Airea? They were summoning the roots below us last I saw.”
“Starc and Mal,” Merrick nods without any emotion, “perhaps the strongest of them all.”
So Airea has already sent some of its own men to Dankworth, just around the same time of Zander’s death. I can only envision what those two brothers are whispering to the soldiers here and find their arrival a bit too convenient.
“I’ll need to take half of these men with me to Fensby,” Keane turns to Merrick with a face of indifference.
My eyes go wide.
Smart.
Keane intends to break up the army, lead half of them away from Dankworth so that the city can make its changes in peace.
Sir Merrick looks at the King calmly, the two eyeing the other silently atop their horses. If Merrick is surprised by Keane’s request he doesn’t show it, just keeps his eyes slightly narrowed as he considers the implications.
“How soon?”
“The morning after next,” Keane replies casually, moving Ash forward as he looks upon the training fields beyond.
“That may be too soon, Your Grace. Is Fensby prepared to host them?”
“They are,” Keane nods without looking at the man.
“We will make it happen,” Lord Sandam shoots Merrick a cool glance. “The men will be ready to ride at first light.”
“And should we need them here in Dankworth?” Merrick scoffs.
Keane stops Ash and turns to Merrick casually. “For what reason could you anticipate needing them here?”
The older blonde scowls, his eyes finding a human soldier that walks past us as his voice lowers.
“The humans in this city already grow heavy with anxiety, Your Grace, as do the Discerni. Your decree has added wood to an already burning fire that has gripped the people here for years...”
The Discerni shakes his head in what I think is feigned solemnness.
“I only fear another skirmish if this is not handled delicately.”
The King eyes the man for a few moments before nodding heavily, letting him know that he hears his qualms.
“Indeed, this does need to be handled delicately,” he replies before turning to Sir Anders, “let’s continue with our meeting at noon with your human council.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the young Discerni bows.
“Is there anything here that you need?” Keane looks back at Merrick. “Everything looks the same since my last travel.”
“We get by,” the man gives a small shrug, “could use another small arena to break in the new horses. It’s next on my list.”
“Where are you looking to place it?” Keane turns his eyes to the fields again.
Merrick watches him curiously, jutting his chin. “Out past the stables. Next to the archery fields.”
“Let’s get that done now while I’m here.”
I grip Millie’s reins tight and follow the men. The Woodlands soldiers disperse as we make our way through their trainings, their silent eyes following our group with every step. Keane dismounts with Canon, the First Guard taking his reins as Merrick follows suit, scowling at the King’s side.
Keane moves towards the open grass, stopping before the field as he crosses his arms across his chest in thought.
Many of the soldiers around us do the same, eyeing the King curiously as he assesses the space around him.
He lifts his fingers just barely, the ground below us starting a small vibration that calls more glances our way.
Within a single breath the grass sinks quickly into the earth, leaving only the brown soil in its wake.
Keane’s summoning then pulls the land into a wide circle, letting the dirt from underneath rise up and take precedent.
He moves his hand forward and to the side as the rumbling continues, dirt and rock easily rising up through the ground to form a wide barrier around the new arena.
The earth wall stands nearly as tall as him, protruding so quickly that it only takes a single flick of his wrist. He leaves a large opening at its front, enough to let two horses and their riders pass through side by side.
Keane’s face is still graced with indifference when he turns back around, nodding to Merrick at an easy job done that would have otherwise took a fortnight to complete by hand.
This is the King that Woodlands seeks to deter. The most powerful Discerni in centuries. And now half, if not all of the soldiers that reside in Dankworth see that, silently questioning their own allegiance.
Well played, Keane.
We’re seated in a large pub with wood walls and vaulted brown planks above us.
The owner had cleared out the patrons earlier, lending his business as a meeting place for the King and human council that now joins us.
Ales and sparkling toddies are passed around, with soup from the kitchen on the way for lunch.
Sir Merrick decided to stay behind with the soldiers, using the upcoming travel to Fensby as an excuse to not attend the meeting.
I have no doubt, however, that he was really staying behind to reinforce his own heavy hand on the men there, reminding them of their Woodlands way.
Keane took to inquiring with Sandam if he had anyone in mind that could take over for the Sir, suspecting as I did that the man may need to be replaced.
The Lord did have someone in mind and sent a message to the new man to invite him to our meeting, the last to arrive.
Ladies Tove and Dame are with us, sitting at my sides.
There are five humans in total that comprise of the council, three men and two women, all within their early thirties.
They sit at the table opposite of me and the Discerni women, eyes darting to the ladies’ pale green attire against my deep emerald.
They also silently eye the mix of human and Discerni men that travel with us, watching them in their seats farther down the table.
Keane, Sandam and Anders all sit chatting at the front, the two Woodlands men agreeing to something the King says before they look out to the council around them.
“Thank you for joining us today,” Keane turns to the five humans before his eyes find Golem by the door. The magical creature lifts his hands and quiets the room around us, bowing his head to Keane in completion.
“By now all of you have heard of what has happened in Etter,” Keane eyes the small council, “or a version of the events, at least. I’ve come to add truth to those rumors.
To tell you all that the humans of the village were not living with the dignity that should be afforded to every person in this Old World… ”
The room goes completely silent, all eyes on the King.
“The Lord and Lady of Etter used powerful summoning to control the outlook of the village, hiding its true nature from anyone who passed through, including myself and the crew that sits before you, and the late King. Their magic was found out in our recent travel, however, and the two have been tried and found guilty. They have paid for their atrocities with their lives.”
“Etter is slowly moving through a rebuild now, with a new Lord at its helm working alongside a council such as yours that takes into consideration both the interests of the Discerni and humans there…”
Keane looks towards the men of our group, lips holding back a small smile as he eyes the deep green and black.
“What you all experience here in Dankworth and this court is not the norm in the rest of Disce. The people of Knowledge and Warrior live peacefully in their cities and work in harmony with each other. There is no distinction between homes and shops, no sections in which they live separately from others. Their lives are mixed, conjoined, and the men you see sitting before you add testament to that.”
All five humans shift in their seats, eyes darting across our group as the King continues.
“For too long Woodlands has remained unchanged, too steeped in its traditions. Please know that the full truth of those traditions have been kept quiet from the people outside of its borders. They have been hidden behind rumors that were quickly recanted, while word rarely makes its way to the people of Disce of the way you live. I tell you this because I do not want you to fault your brethren, because I want you to know that I am spreading the truth throughout our Kingdom now. I tell you to assure you that your allies are growing, none more so than the King of Disce, himself.”
Keane places his hands on the table and looks at the group in confidence.
“I’ve also brought you here today to tell you that the Woodlands tradition will no longer reign in Dankworth. Your Lord is prepared to bring your city into a new era, one in which promotes all beings here equal and worthy of a life at each other’s side.”
“That has been our aim all along,” one of the human men rolls his eyes.
“Steady, Ryke,” another scowls, “the King comes to us with his support.”
“I only wonder why now?” the first grumbles, reaching for his ale before he turns to Keane. “You’ve been around longer than I’ve been born. Where was this support before?”
“You have my support now,” Keane replies calmly, offering no excuses to his father’s lack of change.
“Thanks to her,” Ryke scoffs.
The King’s ear, Stormfall says as I hold back a sigh.
It would seem so.