King's Crown: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 3, page 3
“And speaking of the Kotkel,” Osset continued, “we learned something else. You know those sections of the Conclave building we thought must be solid?”
Dax nodded. The dragon-bound assumed the Kotkel had built the large, circular building for themselves an age ago, but abandoned it. Now the dragon-bound used about a quarter of the building for their own purposes. The rest stood empty.
“Turns out, at least some of those areas are storage rooms,” she said and nodded when Dax raised his eyebrows. “I brought three Kotkel to Conclave by drakon. When they arrived, they headed off to an unused area. One of the librarians followed them to a doorway where there had never been a doorway before.”
“Damned Kotkel had their own private door,” Rudale broke in. “We can’t even see the doors, let alone open them, but they must have a key.”
“What did they do?” Dax asked.
“They went in and came out rolling a cart with Kotkel-size chairs and other furnishings.” Osset shook her head. “Their stuff must have been in storage in the room for hundreds of years—maybe much longer. Yet when I had a chance to look at it, the fabric on the chairs could have been woven yesterday.”
“The librarians pulled out plan drawings they’ve made of the building,” Renshau said. Dax knew the Kotkel and their history interested his mentor. “Their drawings are rough, but we estimate around twenty percent of the first level is taken up by spaces only the Kotkel can access. There’s a larger proportion of space on the upper floors.”
“All storage?” Dax asked.
“We asked, but from what we could tell, the Kotkel didn’t know for sure.” Renshau paused and pulled thoughtfully at his chin. “My guess is they have records about the Conclave building somewhere, but this group only had information about where to find items to make themselves comfortable.”
They chewed on the new facts a while longer, but nothing interesting emerged from their speculations. The tent had sleeping accommodations, and the visiting dragon-bound planned to stay the night. Dax wanted to talk more with Treyhorn, and after a quiet word from him, she offered to accompany him back to the city for the night.
The nasty weather made the ride back every bit as pleasurable as the ride out. Dax made his great-aunt comfortable in his quarters, then attended to his afternoon business. Over supper that evening, he sketched out the recent events and his conversation with the queen about Dax’s role in the power calculus of the kingdom.
“Well, that’s something you should talk to Nale about,” Treyhorn said.
“Renshau knows politics, but it’s not the politics I want to talk about,” Dax sighed.
She arched an eyebrow at him. “You want to talk about what you felt when the queen brought up the idea you might want to be king? Although, knowing you, you have been thinking along those lines anyway.”
Dax nodded. She knew him well, but his thoughts were unsettled. One part of him saw redemption of his exile and fulfillment of his vow to win back a crown. Another part of him saw dishonor and even treachery in thinking he wanted to be king of a kingdom where he was an outsider. Treyhorn listened impassively as he described his conflict.
“Are you worried about ruling?”
He had expected her to comment on his concerns, and the question took him aback for a moment. He started to give a glib reply, but found he could not get the words out. His dragon-bound requirement for absolute truth stopped him. He was worried about ruling. But why? Commanding mercenary armies had never bothered him, and even when Queen Layna had given him responsibility for the defense of the city, he had never flinched. Why would the idea of ruling bother him? After he thought a while longer, he began to understand his hesitation. Treyhorn waited patiently.
“Yes,” he finally admitted. “I’ve never had to make decisions about what to do. I’ve only had to worry about how to do what I was told to do.”
Treyhorn nodded. “Makes a difference, doesn’t it? Sounds like you have to decide whether you are a chisel or the sculptor. A chisel carves the stone, but a sculptor decides what the stone will become.”
They talked late into the evening, but Treyhorn’s comment lingered in his mind. She had clarified an aspect of the problem for him—an aspect he had not considered before. Dax spent another night in his bed doing as much thinking as he did sleeping.
#
In the next month, winter faded into memory, and the spring flowers bloomed. Politics in East Landly and particularly Frohliem City had warmed up faster than the weather. The succession question hung over the kingdom like the dark clouds of a threatening storm. Dax decided to act. He had promised the queen he would not seek the throne, but he had not answered her question about what he would say if he were given the throne. However, Dax still was unsure of the answer to an important question of his own. Would his action solve the problem or create bigger ones? He knew the one person to ask and the way to ask it.
Venjet Carmodi had gotten in the habit of coming to see Dax in his palace apartment in the evening, and Dax often returned the visits. Carmodi had come back to East Landly with the relief expedition sent by Queen Dara from West Landly after the Tharan attack. At that point he had announced his retirement as ambassador to West Landly. Now he lived in Frohliem City, and Dax enjoyed hearing the older man’s stories from Dax’s former home. Carmodi, for his part, was happy to have an appreciative audience.
This evening Carmodi brought Scarlet along when he came calling. Scarlet appreciated the older man’s conversation too, but he also appreciated Carmodi’s taste in wine. The old man always brought the evening’s refreshments because, as he said, “While the dragon-bound can be trusted for the truth, they cannot be trusted for the wine.”
Tonight the succession crisis came up early in their discussion. Carmodi launched into a prolonged narration of events at this day’s meeting of the Assembly of Nobles. The ex-ambassador was on the Assembly of Nobles because of his ties to the royal family, but he described his connection as “a royal ruffle rather than a regal relation.” The other two had saluted Carmodi with their glasses in tribute to the clever phrase. It was a part of what made their evening talks interesting.
Carmodi was restless tonight. He paced the room, waving his arms in the air as he related details of a complicated five-way split in the assembly. Two factions favored two different candidates who had emerged from the nobility, but they were weak contenders at best. Three other blocs favored raising members of the merchant houses to the nobility to fill the vacant positions, but they each had different schemes favoring different houses.
Scarlet set his drink down. “Have they made any progress at all?”
Carmodi picked up the bottle of wine. He refilled Scarlet’s glass and made a nod toward Dax’s glass. Dax waved him off, and Carmodi topped off his own glass. After he put the bottle back, the old man strode over to the window and sighed. “The only progress the assembly has made is to deepen the lines of division. The people of the city and the kingdom have similar divisions but less patience. We’ve had more and more riots, with the latest in Falls Meadow almost rising to the point of an armed rebellion.”
“So what solves it?” Scarlet asked.
Carmodi lowered himself back into his favorite chair and put his feet up on the footstool. “If only the Goddess would whisper in my ear, I would tell you,” he said resignedly and took a swallow of wine. “Last week someone even suggested me as a compromise.” He set his glass down and made an elaborate gesture that almost looked as if he were bowing to himself. “Me? A king? May the Goddess be merciful on this land.”
Dax chuckled. “Well, I’d much rather see you on the throne than many others I’ve heard talk of.” The conversation was in the right place, and it was time. Dax smiled and said deliberately, “Next they may suggest me for the job.”
Carmodi picked up his wine again and took another sip. “Ah, now wouldn’t that be a thought. If we could find just a trace of royal blood in you, my boy, we’d have you on that throne so quickly—” He stopped midsentence because Scarlet’s head snapped up to look at Dax. Just as quickly Scarlet looked away, but Carmodi had noticed the sudden motion.
“Dear me,” Carmodi said. “What did I just say?” He turned to look questioningly at Dax. “Could there be a royal connection in your family, General Daxdendraig?” he said formally. He arched an eyebrow and cocked his head to one side, awaiting a reply.
The moment had arrived. Dax had thought much about his role in this kingdom after his conversation with Treyhorn. He and Kahshect had talked at length. A chisel or a sculptor? Dax looked at his half-full wine glass and took a rather large sip. “When I arrived at Iron Moor as a cadet, Nale Renshau gave me a new name.” His heart thumped in his chest at what he was about to say. “Before that moment, my name was Kort Leith Tavas. My father’s name was Conal—”
“Cor Tavas,” Carmodi finished with him. He rose from his chair as he uttered the name. “By the Goddess in all her aspects, can this be?” He reached out and touched his weathered old hand to Dax’s head. His hand trembled, and there were tears in his eyes. He stood silent for a long time before he breathed, “King Darius Ambergriff X, the lost boy king of West Landly?”
A sheepish smile crept up to Dax’s lips. Carmodi took his hand away and slapped himself on the forehead. “Of course! D-A-X—Dax.” Carmodi danced a jig and finished with a fancy little pirouette. A dollop of wine splashed unnoticed to the floor from the glass he still held. “Oh, this is glorious! Marvelous!” He stood and looked at Dax. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “We must tell the queen.” He looked skyward in supplication. “She will be so excited. I can’t wait to tell her!”
Carmodi was beside himself with excitement and would not wait an instant. He called his manservant and sent word immediately to the queen, requesting an urgent audience. Although the hour was late, the servant returned quickly with word the queen would see them. Scarlet wanted to excuse himself at that point, but Carmodi would have none of it. “You’re his closest friend, and you knew all the time, didn’t you? Well, you can just come and vouch for him—as if one of the dragon-bound needed vouching for.”
Dax sighed with relief—Carmodi thought the idea was a good one. A good idea? The man was positively giddy with excitement. Scarlet looked at Dax hesitantly, but Dax nodded in agreement. Scarlet might not enjoy it, but Dax wanted the reassurance of his friend’s companionship.
They waited just a short time in the plush anteroom of the queen’s audience chamber before the door swung open and a maid invited them inside. Queen Layna did not look befuddled by sleep, but she had obviously dressed quickly.
For once there were no social niceties. After everyone was seated, she arched her eyebrows and looked at Carmodi speculatively. “What is so important to bring you all here at this hour of the evening, Venjet?”
Carmodi fidgeted in his chair with excitement. “I have most wonderful news, Your Majesty. The succession problem is solved.”
The queen blinked and opened her eyes wide. “Solved?” She turned her speculative gaze to Dax before looking back at Carmodi. “In what way?”
Carmodi turned to look at Dax as well. “It turns out General Daxdendraig has a royal connection!” Carmodi bounced on his chair and clasped his hands in front of him. “More than just a connection,” he went on excitedly. “His claim to the throne exceeds . . .” He paused because the queen had gotten to her feet and walked past him.
She reached out her hand toward Dax. “Dax,” she said in wondering tones. “The boy king of West Landly?” She gently touched Dax on his cheek.
Carmodi looked crestfallen. “You knew?” he asked, sounding disappointed. “I so wanted to be the one to tell you,” he said almost petulantly.
Queen Layna turned and smiled at the old ambassador. “Oh, Venjet, don’t be silly. You did tell me.”
“Eh? When?”
“Why just this moment. Excited as you were, it had to be something amazing. Now it all makes sense.” She took Dax’s chin in her hand and turned his face up to look at her. “This is marvelous.” She sounded content, and although she looked at his face, her eyes were far away. “I understand so much now.” She took her hand away and looked back at Carmodi. “Venjet, thank you for this news. I can’t think of a better answer to our problem.”
She stepped away from Dax and returned to her chair. She sat and stared off into space. She had to be thinking about the assembly and the impact the news would have. Her eyes focused on Dax. “I must consider how this will be done,” she said. “Promoting you to general wasn’t hard, but promoting you to king? That’s quite a different matter.”
Dax leaned forward. “One thing we must not do is reveal my connection to the throne of West Landly,” he said firmly. “I explained this to Venjet. If I announce myself as the missing King Ambergriff, West Landly will face a political crisis every bit as difficult as ours. They have a good queen who thought only to help us when the Tharans attacked. I want no trouble for West Landly.” He sat back and folded his arms. “Can you do this?” It was his only requirement, but it was a big one.
For a moment, the chamber was silent. After a bit, the queen nodded. “Wise words, and I agree. It wouldn’t do to have both East and West Landly in turmoil. Not with the Tharans sitting just to our south—not that they ever would think of taking advantage of it,” she finished sarcastically.
She looked thoughtful for a time. “If this is to be done, we must be circumspect. I will make no quick decision tonight. We need additional allies on the assembly. For the moment, no one here will say a word.” She looked around the group, and her eyes lingered on Scarlet.
Dax jumped in to defend his friend. “Scarlet has known for a long time, but I pledged him to silence. I’ve trusted him with my life too many times not to trust him now.”
Satisfied, Queen Layna nodded. “We must tell the assembly soon, but we must tell them carefully. When we move, we must be quick and decisive. The decision must be made before the factions can mount opposition.” She looked at Dax and nodded. “Oh, yes. As much as the people of the kingdom love you, some on the assembly will hate you as king.”
She sighed and stood up. The audience was over. Dax and the others rose with her. She gestured toward the door. “Dax, this will be a happy task.” She smiled. “Now I must think and plan for how it will be done.”
Chapter 2
Manzard Tollon arrived early for the meeting of the Assembly of Nobles, as was her habit. She enjoyed watching the others arrive to see if she could tell what was on their minds. Who would end up shouting at whom today? Who would smile, knowing they had done some devilment to undermine someone else’s position? If the kingdom’s situation had not been so perilous, Tollon would have found the great game a fascinating diversion. Even in these dangerous times, the play of power politics, a close-quarters battle of words, fascinated her.
Most of the assembly had arrived by the time Abba Wessel plunked his bulk down on the seat next to her. He always sat beside her, and after the weeks of meetings had stretched into months, she had actually gotten to enjoy the man’s company. “Manzard!” he exclaimed breathlessly. “You are looking unaccountably lovely today.” He adjusted himself more comfortably into his seat. “Why don’t we sneak off behind one of the pillars outside the anteroom for a rendezvous on our morning break?”
She patted his hand. “Oh, Abba. You know my old heart couldn’t take that much excitement. Maybe tomorrow.”
He gave a nod of a bow. “Until then, fair lady. I wait with great anticipation.” Their usual morning exchange completed, he asked, “So what rumors have you heard? The queen has called a full session today, and it’s not even that time of the month.”
Wessel was old and fat, but he had a keen mind and a sharp tongue, which he shared with Tollon but few others. Living far to the north and east in cattle country and being from a distant branch of nobility, no one considered him as a candidate to rule. With few friends at court and only small wealth within his family, Wessel, much like Tollon, had little influence on the assembly. They could vote, however, and that meant the other nobles and great houses would talk to them—when and if they wanted their votes.
She thought for a moment before she replied. “The queen has something important to say, else she wouldn’t have called us all here today.”
“Well, I hope she doesn’t go on as long as Dogare did yesterday. I thought we were in serious danger of missing lunch.” He patted his paunch. “And for me, that counts as a crisis.”
Tollon smiled in response, but she did not have a chance to reply, because the queen stood up and rapped on the table for attention. “Nobles, counselors, and wise persons of East Landly, I hereby call this full meeting, the seventy-eighth of its kind, into official session.”
“I’m so disappointed,” Wessel muttered under his breath. “I thought we were closer to a hundred.”
Tollon ignored his comment and scanned the day’s attendance in the audience. Twenty chairs to the side near the entrance doors were reserved for invited visitors, where sometimes a hint of the day’s business lurked. General Dax was there. He had attended several sessions in the past, but today a young officer wearing a scarlet sash accompanied him. She arched her eyebrows—a very good-looking young officer. One of the Ugori sat beside the young officer. She had an urge to wrinkle her nose at the sight of the large, rough-looking man, but she carefully suppressed it. With her family’s small influence, she gave away nothing of her feelings.
“And now it’s time for old Nagott the maggot,” Wessel muttered quietly just so she could hear. Even though Alford Nagott pronounced his name with the accent on the second syllable, Wessel repeated the line at the opening of every meeting when the clerk of the assembly read the account of the last meeting.
When finished, Nagott nodded to the queen, and she took the floor again. “Nobles and gentle people of East Landly,” she began formally, “today I have a new name to examine as ruler of our kingdom. It is a name known to all, but not yet considered. A name, I have just learned, that has as much royal Landly blood as any in the room. Without a doubt, this man has demonstrated his courage and commitment to our kingdom of East Landly.” She paused a moment and looked around the room. “General Gard Daxdendraig, I declare I stand fully and completely behind you as the next king of East Landly.”
