A Conflict of Fealty
K arigan thought Zachary might leap down the stairs to reach her.
“I’m fine!” she hastily reassured him. “The Eletians arrived at the right time.”
“Someone best tell me what happened,” he said, little mollified.
“Allow me,” Telagioth said with a bow, unruffled by Zachary’s sharp demeanor.
Zachary nodded and sat once more upon his throne. His gaze, however, scarcely left Karigan. She noticed that Estora looked unsurprised by his fierce reaction.
“We knew of Blackveil’s awakening,” Telagioth said, “because our good King Santanara shares, shall we say, something of a bond with his foe of old that creates the slightest awareness between them. And if that is not enough, Mornhavon has called forth two of his vile lieutenants, one of whom sought out our Dama this night.”
Zachary’s gaze upon her was intense, but this time he contained himself.
“There were once four of these lieutenants,” Telagioth continued, “who were betrayers of your people and served Mornhavon. One was Mirdhwell, who was banished from existence on these very castle grounds by one of your messengers.”
“Mara Brennyn,” Karigan supplied.
“I remember,” Zachary said.
“Our Dama, with the help of the spirit of Liliedhe Ambriodhe, destroyed the one known as Varadgrim.”
“Hence the two who remain,” Zachary said.
“It is so,” Telagioth replied. “They were unable to rise when the first two had five years ago. They are Terrandon of the south, and Lichant of the east.”
Estora shuddered so visibly they all glanced at her.
“In Coutre,” she explained, “there are stories, nightmarish stories, that are told to children of a terrible dark spirit, Lykant and his black sword, who carries off those who are naughty. My nurse told me these tales to make me behave when I was a little child and soon regretted it when I had such nightmares. Only as an adult did I learn there was some truth to his existence, a terrible dark lord of the east who betrayed and murdered his own people. There is an old cairn on a desolate bluff where it was said he was buried.”
“The deeds he committed in service to Mornhavon during the Long War were abhorrent,” Telagioth said, “atrocities far worse than any story your nurse would have told.”
“I believe it.” She pulled her cloak about her as though chilled.
“And now he walks the lands,” Telagioth said. “Mornhavon succeeded in raising the two this time, and just this night we slew Terrandon as it searched for the descendent of Hadriax el Fex.”
Zachary’s gaze fell once more on Karigan, a gaze full of questions and, yes, concern. She shifted uncomfortably on her chair and looked down at her hands.
“Rider G’ladheon?” Castellan Javien asked. “Why?”
Telagioth shrugged. “An old grudge against the man who betrayed him, perhaps, for Mornhavon was always the one to carry such. Or perhaps because of the injuries she caused him, or because of his hatred for Liliedhe Ambriodhe and King Santanara who defeated him a thousand years ago.
“It is fortunate, in any case, that we saw the light of our Dama’s muna’riel as we traveled this night, for if not, she might not have held off the Terrandon wraith on her own.”
“Rider,” Zachary said, a keen glint in his eye, “would you care to explain where you were tonight that you met this wraith?”
It was clear from his expression that more questions were left unasked, like why was she wearing a gown?
Where had she been and why? She wilted in her chair, not really wanting to go into it all.
She would have to explain about the merchants guild and the Turvals, but for the purpose of the present discussion, brevity would suffice and spare her from recounting every detail.
“I was on the Corsa Road, just south of the crossroads. There is an old shrine to Goltera there.”
Zachary opened his mouth as if to ask what in the name of the hells she was doing at a shrine of Goltera dressed in a gown, no less, but just as quickly seemed to decide to withhold that line of questioning.
“The wraith simply arrived out of the dark,” she continued. “And yes, it was looking for me. Fortunately I had my moonstone with me and Telagioth and his tiendan saw my light.”
So many questions lingered in his eyes as he gazed at her. Abruptly he turned his attention back to Telagioth. “This Terrandon wraith is truly slain?”
“Yes, Firebrand, with many Eletian arrows. It will not rise again. However, the other, perhaps the deadliest of the four, is still at large.”
“We should,” Les Tallman said, “send a squad of our elite trackers to hunt it down and slay it.”
Telagioth looked doubtful it would prove successful. “I would caution you that the wraiths are not easily slain.”
“But three have been.”
“Not easily,” Telagioth countered.
“We are thankful then that you were there to help Rider G’ladheon,” Zachary said. “I do find merit in the counselor’s suggestion. If we can track its movement, we can be prepared against where it may strike next.”
This point Telagioth did not argue.
“Do you bear further news from King Santanara?” Zachary asked.
“He wishes to reaffirm that your Rider G’ladheon is, among the Eletian people, the Dama Cearing Asai’riel, daughter to the king.
It was he who instructed Prince Jametari to declare it while he still Slept, and he wishes to ensure it is acknowledged by the king of Sacoridia and that she is treated with due courtesy. ”
“We acknowledge her status among the Eletians,” Zachary replied, “though we are curious as to why this step was taken. Rider G’ladheon herself is reluctant to embrace it.
It is also important to acknowledge that the father who sired and raised her has some stake in this development and is not here to speak on his own behalf.
She is also a citizen of Sacoridia who serves her king and country.
We wonder about a conflict as to whom she owes fealty. ”
Truthfully, Karigan had not thought deeply enough about the situation to consider a possible conflict about who she was to serve.
In fact, she’d tried not to think about her Eletian status at all.
Jametari’s proclamation had come out of nowhere, and it was hard to know what it all meant, so she had continued on with her life as normally as possible.
Now that she thought about it, however, there was no conflict in her heart as to who she served.
“King Santanara,” Telagioth said, “acknowledges that the Asai’riel’s home is Sacoridia and its king her sovereign whom she serves. Though she is welcome to visit the Elt Wood anytime, there are no requirements imposed upon her to serve. King Santanara will not interfere with her life in Sacoridia.”
“Then why adopt her into the House of Santanara to begin with?” Zachary demanded, voicing Karigan’s own question.
Telagioth paused. It was an uncharacteristic pause. “With your forbearance, Your Majesty, we should like to speak with the Asai’riel privately about her father, the king of Eletia, at another time.”
“Of course,” Zachary replied.
They had better not make her wait too long, Karigan thought. She wanted answers.
Down in the city, the bells struck out the late hour while silence reigned in the throne room.
“Is there more?” Zachary asked.
“There is more on the disposition of Eletia,” Telagioth replied, “but I believe that can wait until daylight when your people are less weary. I suspect the Asai’riel has had a long day.”
“We can ready a suite of rooms for you,” Castellan Javien said.
“My thanks, but we will return to the countryside where the rest of our folk await.”
They arranged to meet in the morning and made their farewells. Karigan watched the Eletians exit the throne room. Zachary, however, did not dismiss the rest of them.
“A wraith?” he asked her. “Eletians? Do I even want to know what you were doing down by a shrine to Goltera south of the crossroads on the Corsa Road and so...unconventionally attired?”
Probably not, she thought. “Almost getting married.” To her astonished onlookers she explained how she was taken by the Turvals after her appointment at the guild house.
Mention of the merchants guild seemed to address their curiosity about her “unconventional” attire, thankfully without the details of her clan’s problems. She ended with her return ride with the Eletians.
“The Turvals will be dealt with,” Zachary assured her.
“They defied my explicit instructions and attempted to abduct one of my own Green Riders. But tell me, Rider, what in the name of all that is good possessed you to leave the city with the Turvals without resisting? It is not as if you are not capable.”
Karigan suppressed a smile at the last.
“That is what I’d like to know, as well,” Connly muttered.
“It was a combination of factors,” she replied.
“They told me my aunt was doing poorly and they would take me to Corsa. She had been ill over the summer and they knew of it. I assumed it was a lie and they weren’t taking me to see my aunt, but I had to be sure.
I also wished to avoid a fight if at all possible.
Four hardy men with sharp knives against just me, and me in my gown with only hairpins and a short knife with which to defend myself, did not seem like good odds.
“And finally, I wanted to find out how far they were planning to go with their scheme. It turns out they had a priest ready to perform the ceremony and were going to continue on afterward to Corsa where their boat was anchored, and then set straight off to Black Island.
“At that point, by playing along, I got my hands on the marriage contract and tossed it into the fire. It angered them and that’s when I.
..handled them. I used the priest’s staff.
Before I left with the Eletians to return here, I reminded them of His Majesty’s command and informed them they would meet with His justice.
They were rattled after the appearance of the wraith, but I think I got the message across. ”
Connly’s face was in his palm. Zachary stared at the ceiling. Estora tried to hide her amusement. Javien and Tallman gazed at her in disbelief.
“It was my rest day,” she said, “so I was allowed to leave the city on personal business, wasn’t I?”
When Zachary looked at her once more, his expression was inscrutable.
Then he shook his head. “While I understand your reasoning, I’d have preferred you alerted the gate guards or anyone to help.
We could have sorted out the Turvals’ intentions and lies safely .
Please don’t do anything like that again.
Had they somehow succeeded in their scheme, I would be without one of my Riders and that would have had an effect on operations here, despite the fact it was your rest day when you left the city. ”
Abashed, she stared down at her feet, realizing how foolish she’d been.
She’d worked so diligently to keep her merchant life separate from her Green Rider life, but could have upended everything with one poor decision had events not gone well with the Turvals or wraith.
Zachary was absolutely correct that had the Turvals succeeded in their scheme, it would have caused a chain reaction of trouble for the Riders, forcing them to search for her, and left them shorthanded.
Others would have had to pick up the slack.
She should have called out to the gate guards for help and have done with it, but that dark part of her wanted to go so she could punish the Turvals herself when the chance arose. Burning the marriage contract and wielding the priest’s staff had proven cathartic.
Still, she hated disappointing Zachary and her captain, and winced as she recalled a similar feeling as a child after ruining Cook’s prized copper pans by trying to pound them into knight’s armor for herself.
She groaned inwardly at the irony of how she was supposed to be an actual knight of the realm, but was still making childish mistakes.
“At least,” Zachary said, “this thing with the Turvals should no longer be an issue.”
Karigan relaxed.
“However—”
And tensed again.
“I will direct Captain Connly to restrict Rider G’ladheon’s duties to within the bounds of the city, even on rest days, while this second wraith creature is abroad. We don’t know what Mornhavon wants with her, and it’s better we don’t find out.”
Karigan wanted to protest, but she saw Connly’s expression and kept her peace.
“I am afraid the news about Mornhavon from King Santanara will not be so easily addressed,” Zachary continued.
“The question is,” Counselor Javien said, “can it be trusted?”
“It is difficult to know the minds of Eletians, but they do seem to have an ability to peer into the future. Whether or not we can rely on the word of our unusual allies, it is a reminder that we must be ready. And if the Eletians speak truth, we must be ready sooner than later.”