Hostages, page 33
“We’re all tied in. King Matheus and Prince Robarts, as well as Duke Caldas, Carlton, Collin and Ezola.” He glanced at the two with him, who both seemed incredibly frightened, at the moment.
Then, they had to suspect they were about to die.
He wasn’t certain they weren’t but smiled anyway. That, from the wincing simply made things worse.
“It seems that the Duke and his heir wanted to ask Collin to kindly not turn me to stone with that talisman that he was given? Might I ask from whom?”
The Duke roared then.
“Trickery! What is this outrage? Some kind of evil curse to drive us mad?”
Before Anders could assure him it wasn’t that, another voice spoke. Picking up what was going on faster than most would have managed it.
“Button it, Donny! This is just a new way to communicate. Now, Anders...” He stopped then.
After a moment, the King yelled.
“Carlton! Calm down! You aren’t being killed. Not yet.” When that didn’t work, the King took several moments to actually get the man to realize he wasn’t being tortured or put to death. Not at that instant. After some time, he resumed his normal speech.
“There! Anyway, Anders, you located a threat? A talisman?”
He nodded, Collin ducking in place, as they bounced over a slightly rough spot in the road. One that shouldn’t have been there, since that had been smoothed, not long before. Then, without asking if he should, the man pulled something from around his neck. A fine silver chain, and held it up, and out. Anders smiled, nearly killing the man, before that could be activated.
“Here. I was told a special word to say, that would make it turn whoever I was looking at into stone. That will only work once. Ezola’s will keep working, for some reason. Calling the dead. For all the good that did us. I wasn’t going to use it.”
The man sounded sad, and nearly depressed.
Ezola, looking afraid and fierce at the same time, nodded.
“That’s the truth, Cousin Andy. We could call the dead at you from a distance, but using that, he’d have to be close. Then you showed everyone else how to end magics, after that so we knew it was for naught. Carlton said that he’d have us killed if we failed. It wasn’t personal. We just didn’t want to die.” There was a bleak and slightly lost tone to her words.
Anders ignored that. Carefully taking the talisman by the chain. Then, softly, ended the magic on it. That left the silver bit, which looked like nothing other than a plain disk, with a popping sound. Then, shrugging, he handed the thing back. It was a bit plain, but pretty enough, he supposed.
“That’s handled, then. Now, there was a broken treaty. Carl, did you threaten Ezola and Collin, like they said you did?”
That part was important. To him, at least.
After a while, no one speaking, there was a low sound. A wail, or half of one.
“I did. I told them to kill you, using those magics. I got them from a woman who called herself Anarra. She was old, and wizened. Powerful in magic. She came to me and gave me those, telling me they’d be enough to kill you, if they were used correctly. Also, that she could be wrong that way. It wasn’t her fault. I begged her for them.”
Anders felt his face drop. At the same time he went cold, inside. Bloodless.
“Anarra?”
He’d only ever met one person by that name. They’d left on what he’d thought were good terms, as well. Apparently not so much.
The Duke spoke again then.
“That’s the name she gave. No second name, but then, we didn’t ask. She showed she had powerful magic, and that was enough for us.”
Anders coughed then.
“Ah.” After a moment, he explained, at least to King Matheus and Prince Robarts. “The woman I met in the desert? I told you about that?”
There was a long pause, since he’d written that up in a full report. Including that they’d been together, as a man and woman. The first, and only, time he’d ever done that. So naturally she was going to try and kill him. That only made sense.
Robarts let out a gust of air.
“Kaiden Sett’s mother?”
“The very woman. One of the old powers of the world. I think that... Well, this could mean many things, of course. Let me think on it for a bit? In the meantime, Carlton, I know that being friends going to be too difficult for you. I beg your forgiveness for the pain I caused you. It was ill thought out at the time, and I acted in haste, not knowing a better way to forestall you. Not at the moment, that I could have come up with. I know that isn’t enough for what you suffered. Only my death will be, most likely.” He stopped there, since he wasn’t offering that.
He hadn’t been in the wrong and even if he had, being dead was a high price to pay for causing some discomfort. Certainly, that had been intense and unpleasant, but Carl had managed to live.
The man grunted into his ear.
“That... I... Apologize. If I hadn’t taken you as a threat, I wouldn’t have acted so rashly. My actions caused you to respond, as many would have done. Then, in my anger over the torture I’d earned, I sent my own family to their deaths. Please... Even if I have to die, don’t harm them. I was wrong to send them. I should have offered to go to my own death, first. I truly haven’t been a good brother at all. I... I’ll step down as heir, and have my brother Little Don, put up in my place? Will that be enough to buy our lives? Their lives, at least?”
The answer, clearly, was no. It nearly had to be.
It would simply leave the fellow alive to come for him later. Then, if he killed Carlton, the two with him would, possibly at least, come for him as well. Not soon perhaps, but eventually. They might, if left alive, even if they were told not to harm him again.
They were supposed to have been told that when they’d gone away to be hostages to their brother’s good will. For a moment, he nearly killed the entire family, to end the threat. It would harm the King to have his family murdered in front of him, of course. Still, he started to form a spell, holding the silent sigil, along with most of the mental words, that would make Carlton’s head explode. Lacking only the order of when to do it. A single word. One he knew so well that it nearly spilled into his thoughts at that very moment, by mere habit.
King Matheus spoke first, preventing instant death.
“Very well. See to that, Donny. I don’t want to hear anything about this again. If you strike out at Anders Brolly over this, in any fashion, in any manner, I’ll order him to kill all involved in it. Is that understood? Collin, Ezola? Both of you are alive on sufferance at this moment. Anders’. In fact, if they are suitable, place both of them into official magical training? If they won’t, or can’t, do it, kill them.” There was a low chuckle then. “They do both have some talent that way? I suppose we could find some other honest work for them, under your observance, if needed.”
Anders thought, then bowed his head, which only the two with him could see happening.
“They do have some talent in magic, Sire. We’ve been holding them to light training, only, with gentle tasks, mainly as an entertainment for them. I could have them put with Captain Salina, while we’re here, for that, perhaps? She’s running the advanced training sessions. It’s rather more intense than the normal program. Apprentice Niven has been doing that, each day, to be ready for his duties here.” He stopped then, and glanced at Collin, who actually looked concerned for the boy. Even ready to say something, when his own life was in jeopardy. Anders could feel the words about to come out, in the boy’s defense. “The current plan is for Journeyman Walden and Apprentice Niven to hold back, guarding some important personage or high value position, away from the battles. It’s not totally safe, but won’t be the front of the war, either. At least if we can help it.”
There was a pause then, and finally, Duke Caldas spoke.
“I don’t know the names. Walden and Niven? They’re new?”
Prince Robarts answered the man, from across the kingdom.
“Boys. Twelve and ten years. Each of them being held back from battle due only to their age, or so I hear? Apprentice Great One Lissa isn’t much older than that. There’s been talk at court here, that we should request a protected position for her as well, if possible.”
Collin, ever ready to be cheeky, spoke then. Even if things had been and still might be, rather serious.
“She’s as talented as any here, so that might not serve, truly. Even the Great One and Cousin Andy would be pressed to stand against her, if it came to it. That Princess Salina is powerful as well. I’ve.... learned to make different kinds of food, myself. I’m certain that will frighten the enemy away!”
Anders, not really wanting to bother at the moment, bolstered the man a bit. If he wasn’t going to die that day, then it was probably needed. At least if he was supposed to be a good instructor at some point.
“Changing foods using magic might not strike fear into anyone’s heart, but I bet it will be popular when rations are being made from bits of old grass and what insects we can find. That, building things and repairing roads will be your job, Collin. Ezola, healing and those other things? The focus will be on building and roads, but back up Collin on food, if it’s needed. We all will be doing that. You’ll both need to learn a lot, in the coming days. You can do it.”
Ezola looked away, angry seeming. Stifling her words, but only barely.
Collin nodded, and put the broken talisman on. Rather, the spell on it was destroyed. The disk was still fine and probably had some small value. The fellow seemed to think the matter of them getting to live was over, for the time being.
Which it was, if the King was backing that plan. Anders just had to hope the man knew what he was doing and that the others wouldn’t change their thoughts on the matter, over time.
Again, he apologized. Hoping he looked like a good person and not a fool, begging for his life.
“I’m truly sorry for that discomfort and pain, Carlton. I’d take it back, but that wouldn’t change things at this point. Plus, I don’t know how that would work. Is this enough for you, for now?”
There was a sob in response. Still, a moment later, Carlton managed to make himself heard.
“It is enough. The fault is mine. Forgive me. I will do that with you, as I can, in time.”
The words sounded like faint promises and possibly as if the man would change his thoughts on the issue at a later time, as Anders feared. Then, well, he could deal with that, when it happened, if it did.
“Good enough. We’ll hold to that.”
Then, not waiting to see if he had other orders, since if he did, they weren’t for the ears of the others listening, he spoke a single word.
“Fen.”
The spell faded, with a sense of something being pulled from his ears. It was the lack of the ambient sounds from the others, which hadn’t been loud, but had been enough to notice when they were suddenly gone. Then, hashing out a plan, if a poor one, Anders created some new names. People he intended to speak to soon, if possible.
That might not work, since they were rather powerful and could probably stop magic from impacting them at all. Then, even if the words got through, they might just be ignored. Then, it was worth trying, and if he failed, well, he did.
It was something he wasn’t used to, or hadn’t been until recently. For the last few years, things had been hard at times and dangerous, but he’d done his part, and more, nearly constantly. As he grew in skill however, there was more to do and a lot of it was difficult. Some things he’d tried to learn and still hadn’t, yet.
They rode for most of the day, starting out early and getting to the palace at about mid-afternoon. The wagons drove right up to the palace complex and then inside, on the smoothed stones. When they pulled up, they were met by a crowd of people. All of them standing there, watching them, seeming slightly baffled.
Prince Naveed, understood why, first. Then, there was a reason he was the heir. The man was quick.
“Ah! Grandfather Depak! Princess Salina, Princess Jasmin and Princess Lissa! You all look lovely. You’ve done something new with your hair, Salina?”
That was a gentle and golden blonde at the moment, instead of dark black. She patted it a bit, and smiled.
“I have, so nice of you to notice, brother!” Then, getting off the wagon, she moved forward and gave him a hug. “Now, we were summoned? There’s a war starting, we heard? Prince Anders had us race here, using magic and force of will, in case it was needed. That makes it sound like a light or small thing. It wasn’t.”
The tan man bowed, just a bend of his body, toward his currently pale sister.
“Indeed. This arrival is most timely. You brought friends, as well! We have rooms for you all. Father would like to see you, sister. All of you, of course, but his children and grandchildren and of course the Great One, first, if that will serve you all?”
From near the back, Niven bowed, doing it right for the land they were in, arms out, palms down. Duke Ford waved to his brother in the crowd of people, and Mrs. Belford smiled, staring at Anders rather directly. Naveed, looked directly at the boy, since he was bowing for attention.
“You have need of me, Sona?” The words could have been mocking, in another’s mouth. A man speaking to a child, who had been dressed in mage robes as a jest, perhaps, even if he looked no older than nine or ten.
Instead, they sounded polite, and serious.
Niven smiled.
“I was just going to ask if we’re to travel in the morning, toward the front? I should clean my gear, if there’s a chance. Truly, I should go over that for everyone?”
Rather than laugh, the heir to Barquea bowed back, looking only at the boy.
“I do not know, yet. Best to stand ready, of course. For the moment, please come this way? We have those rooms...”
It was, of course a rather long walk to get there. Everything was like that at the palace of the Sula. The place was simply vast. Impressive, but also, Anders realized, not his home. That was in a different land. A medium sized room in a college, waiting for him to finally return to it.
Chapter twenty-three
Anders tried to stay mentally alert, as Depak and the Sula spoke. The conversation included him, as much as most of the others, but it was still fairly vague. There had been losses on the southern border, but nothing that sounded like a massive attack campaign. Instead, the villages there had been harassed and looted. Women being raped and men, farmers mainly, killed.
Crops stolen.
It had the sound of border raiders, but nothing much more than that. A few dozen innocent people had been killed or taken in foul use, which was enough to have him summoned, of course. Of interest, the reports from the border of Modroc seemed to be about the same.
Unlike what he’d thought might be happening, there was magic involved, much of it, but no devica had been sighted or blamed for the actions. Still, the regular army wasn’t ready to fight that kind of magical force, it seemed.
It wasn’t the main portion of the conversation, however. No, that, oddly, was about the coming wedding between Darren and Javina. It was pointed enough that Depak seemed angry, and actually snapped at the Sula. Which was rude of him, but eaten by the man in charge.
“Why summon us for this? Istlan sent a special force of war mages, and this sounds like a minor border raid, due to poor crops in the area this year. Not that the Natech farm, specifically. I could have come alone, if it was needed, and saved these others for the guard detail they were originally going to be part of. Now we have to explain the situation to the King of Istlan. I can’t see him being pleased over this.”
The dark man, his own color returned, bald and with a nice set of black facial hair, clenched his jaw.
The Sula winced, chastised.
“It had seemed a larger matter, at first? Then the military got to the area and the bandits were driven back, fairly easily. We’ve had no losses, so... But this report only came in four days ago. I don’t know what to tell you. It seems you won’t be needed there at all.”
Prince Naveed closed his eyes, as if in pain. The man was lean, now, and his face was more handsome for it. Still, he was of average appearance that way. Perhaps better due to the nice clothing he had on. Those still weren’t robes, even if the man could have worn them, being a master of magic.
In truth, he was supposed to be in those, by tradition.
Instead, he was in a simple, but well made, red tunic and loose black silk trousers. They were all sitting, on various flat and large pillows, which were comfortable enough, if not a chair at all. Watching the man, as everyone else was doing, Anders bothered to use his skills in wizardry, prying into his mind. Attempting to be subtle and pick up only what he was thinking, at the moment.
Which, oddly, was that he’d been the one to overstate matters. He didn’t wish to enrage his grandfather, but began to speak, explaining what had happened.
“That was my responsibility. I feared a real war starting and still do, but it does seem that I was... Premature or possibly wrong? If I’d waited, and it was a real matter, then you would be a month of travel away.” The man looked down at the tan stone of the floor. Past the large carpet that was on top of it. That was a brightly colored red, gold and shining black colored affair. A thing that was very well done, he thought. The pattern was a simple one, of squares and mazes, but it seemed rich and as if it were a fine luxury.
Depak Sona turned on the heir, and seemed ready to bellow in rage at the man, as if his ideas had been truly misguided. Which, of course, they had been.
Anders smiled, gently. Meaning it.
“Eleven days. We didn’t even push as hard as absolutely possible. Now we have a good measure of how long that journey would take, if it’s needed, so no harm done. We should go that way to see to people, regardless? To back the military, but also to help to rebuild what is needed and to aid those harmed, as best we may? It’s not a war to fight, but we can still be of service.” Anders shrugged, but locked eyes with the Sula.
