Lord Buck grasped his wine glass and drained it, never taking his eyes off Drake. “No wonder Rochelle and Mellody are sharing a bed like little girls again. That nightmare creature—no, I shouldn’t say that.”
“Yes, you should,” Drake said quickly, drawing a frown from the elderly lord. “Daemons are the stuff of nightmares. And of legends. Many of the old tales of demons are really about daemons. They are really very nasty creatures.”
Lord Nathan slapped his armrests with both hands and stood. “It’s of no consequence. We owe Adept Drake for the life of our queen. And I owe him for my son’s betrothed, once he finishes his term with the army.” Lord Nathan smiled and walked over to the window. “Saunder will be here in a few weeks on rotation. He’ll finish his term here unless Bresardia attacks us again.”
Drake let a hint of a smile curve his lips. “I’m sure Rochelle will be delighted.”
All the lords gave him looks of utter shock. “Adept Drake, you forget yourself,” Lord Kerin said softly.
Lord Buck looked at his peers and Drake, then let loose a sharp bark of laughter. “Ha! No he doesn’t. We all know it’s true. Rochelle may be discreet, but she’s made her preference clear in the past. Probably another reason for her refusal of Malcom.”
Lord Alain nodded his agreement. “That, and good sense. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again now: Bevan wasn’t in his right mind when he agreed to that betrothal.”
Now Lord Dennis spoke. “If you will excuse me, King Bevan was in failing health, but he was in no way impaired when he agreed to King Malcom’s proposal. I was, after all, his physician.”
The other lords looked at Lord Dennis closely. “True,” Lord Buck admitted, “but there are forms of influence that a physician would not see. Magic would be an example.”
“And the king would not let any Magi near him except Mellody, and she was still a student then,” Lord Wesley pointed out.
Drake listened for a moment, then shook his head. “No, my lords, magic strong enough to influence the king’s mind that much would have been obvious to even an apprentice mage. But there are other ways to bend a mind.”
“Such as?” Lord Buck challenged.
Drake shrugged. “The king was being medicated. A suggestion whispered into his sleeping ear over and over again would make him believe it was his own idea. There are several other ways, but that is the easiest and sounds like the most likely from what I’ve heard.”
“But who did the whispering?” Lord Alain asked, looking around.
Lord Buck’s face was an immobile mask as he looked around. “Someone with something to gain.”
Chapter 11
WORD OF THE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT reached Bresardia on the same day the conspirators were executed.
-{Unfortunate,}- Crawn’s mind voice said. -{They were good tools, though none too bright}-.
King Malcom looked at Crawn and gave him a twisted smile. “Yes, and they acted rashly. And just who in the five hells gave them our daggers. That’s like waving a flag saying Bresardia was involved!”
Crawn looked at the king placidly. -{We were}-
Malcom harrumphed. “It was clumsy to advertise it. What’s wrong with simple, unadorned knives? Now Rochelle has something to use against us that will draw allies to her side.”
Crawn stretched luxuriously and yawned, showing his gleaming white fangs to the king. -{As intended. We can take advantage of it by claiming that it was simply a plot to discredit us. After all, only a clumsy fool would proclaim who he was in such a situation.}-
Malcom nodded slowly. “Of all the things that they call us, fool isn’t one of them.”
Crawn again fixed his eyes on the king. -{Except about the female.}-
Malcom took a deep breath, then let it out in an explosive sigh. “That may be true. Perhaps it is time for a different strategy.”
Crawn nodded. -{We must take the continent. This time I will be with your army. No human Mage can stand against me, no matter how strong.}-
The king looked at the Ocellen and nodded. “Very well. I shall instruct General Boatwright to begin his preparations.”
* * *
The palace was in an uproar for twenty days after the assassination attempt, but the day finally came when the queen put her foot down. “Lord Heral, enough is enough. You have found no trace of any other conspirators within the palace. That leads me to believe that whoever is involved is either very clever, or absent. You will remove the men from my bedchamber immediately.”
Lord Heral clenched his teeth, making himself look unpleasantly like a bulldog. “Queen Rochelle, we cannot leave you alone...”
“I won’t be,” the queen snapped back, shocking the commander speechless. “The two most powerful Magi in the kingdom are just a few feet away. Lady Mellody has been with me every night, and Adept Drake has been just the other side of the wall.”
“Still...”
“No, Lord Heral. Your men may guard the door, but no one stays in my bedchamber. Is that understood?”
Lord Heral clenched his teeth again, but finally relented and nodded. “As you command, Your Majesty. I will, however, have ten men in your outer chambers, and ten more guarding the door to Lady Mellody’s suite as well.”
The queen nodded and raised her hand in dismissal. “That shall be sufficient, Lord Heral.”
The commander bowed deeply and departed, leaving the lingering impression that he would thoroughly enjoy spanking the queen’s recalcitrant bottom as he all but stomped away.
Mellody managed not to giggle until the door closed. “Roe, I think he knows full well why you want his men out of your bedchamber.”
“I’d bet on it, Melly, but he doesn’t dare say it,” Rochelle answered, hiding her own giggle behind her hand.
Saunder and Drake simply looked at one another and smiled, then Saunder stood to go to Rochelle’s side. “He’s a Vernian, Roe. He has to object to our being together until after the ceremony.”
“Vernian?” Drake asked, leaning forward. “A religion?”
“Yes, honoring Lady Vern, one of our old gods,” Saunder replied.
Mellody elaborated. “The worship of Vern came to Vernardia before we became a kingdom. It was because of Vern’s leadership that we became a kingdom at all. That’s where we got our name: Vernardia, The Land of Vern.”
Drake paused, remembering a beautiful blue and red dragoness named Vernisdrake. She was of the right age, thirty to thirty-five hundred years old. That would have put her in her ‘adolescent’ phase fifteen hundred to two thousand years in the past. Still, it could have been another dragon. He shrugged and nodded. “I hadn’t looked that far back into the history of the kingdom.”
“The point is that Vernians have developed a belief that both men and women should be virgins before they are married. That way they will only know one another and will never be tempted by old memories, and they will always be faithful to one another.”
“Doesn’t work,” Saunder said softly. “Men still go out to see what they are missing, and I suppose women do as well. I prefer Bresin’s teachings.”
“Don’t we all?” Rochelle asked, grinning broadly. When she saw the look of confusion on Drake’s face she giggled. “Bresin is another of our old gods, but not as old as Vern.”
“And Bresin founded Bresardia?” Drake guessed.
“No, of course not,” Mellody said in an exasperated tone. “Bresardia was founded two hundred and thirty-seven years ago by Lord Eldric Bresard. He named the kingdom and capital after himself after he proclaimed himself a king.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Rochelle interrupted, recognizing Mellody’s “lecture tone” and saving Drake a scolding. “Drake will have plenty of time to learn Vernardian history.”
Mellody glared at Rochelle, then nodded. “Bresin teaches that practice makes perfect. Including practice at lovemaking. Once a person is of age, Bresin’s teachings encourage them to explore and experience all the various pleasures of the
body. That way, when they find someone they love, they will have the background to know how good it is and will stay faithful after the vows are said.”
Drake considered what Mellody had said carefully, then tilted his head to the side and grinned. “I have to admit, I like Bresin’s teachings better.”
“And I’m ever so glad of it,” Mellody murmured with a sly smile that sent Rochelle into a giggle fit.
Mellody and Rochelle traded glances and Mellody stood, taking Drake by the hand and pulling him toward the door. Looking back toward Rochelle and Saunder, she grinned and said, “We will see you in the morning, but not too early.” She added a wink and a giggle before saying, “And try to get at least a little sleep.”
Laughter and a thrown pillow chased them through the door as they laughed, and Mellody firmly locked the door behind her. “We aren’t going to sleep in our bed tonight, Drake.”
Drake gave her a puzzled look. “Why not?”
“Because Roe is loud.” She paused and watched as Drake’s face ran through an array of emotions as he realized what she meant, then he burst out laughing.
“Oh, is she? Well, we’ll just have to make other arrangements then, won’t we? The sofa?”
Mellody nodded. “That’s where I usually sleep the first night Saunder is back.” Drake smiled and focused his mind and magic. The sofa blurred and stretched, becoming longer and wider.
Mellody watched in rapt fascination as Drake used more power than she could possibly harness to just make a more comfortable bed. “I’ll never get used to that,” she whispered, making him chuckle once again.
“Well, hopefully, you won’t have to. Once things settle down, we’ll be able to focus on more important matters.”
Mellody nodded and dragged the comforter from the bed.
* * *
Word of the Bresardian attack arrived three days later. Queen Rochelle faced the full court with a young army messenger at her side. “My people, the Army of Bresardia has once again crossed the border. General Preston is gathering his troops and beginning a forced march toward the Bresardian border to stop them again.”
The queen paused to let the gathered nobles react for a moment, then spoke again. “It pains us, for we wished to have an elaborate wedding for Lady Mellody,” she smiled softly at Mellody, then looked back up at the court, “but we find that time is against us. It is the order of the crown that Lady Adept Mellody Carstairs and Adept Drake Standralson shall be wed at the completion of court today. We further command the presence of the full court to honor our beloved friends.”
Lord Glen Hawkinson and his wife, Lady Francine, stood and waited for the queen’s acknowledgement before speaking. “Queen Rochelle, the preparations for Mellody’s wedding are less than half complete.”
The queen nodded. “We are aware of that, Lord Glen, but this cannot be delayed. It is the desire of the crown that Adept Drake be fighting in his own lands this time. We feel that he will be more…involved…in the war effort than he was when he first routed General Boatwright.”
Lord Glen and Lady Francine looked up at the gallery where Drake was sitting and nodded, then returned to their seats.
Queen Rochelle raised one hand minimally, and Mellody came to her side and knelt. A soft, sad smile touched her lips for a moment, then hardened once again as she looked up. “Adept Drake, attend us,” she commanded, and Drake quickly made his way to kneel before the queen. “Adept Drake, have you any objection to hastening the marriage between yourself and Lady Mellody?”
Drake managed not to smile as he answered, “No, Your Majesty.”
“Then so be it. Is the Prelate of Bresin in attendance?”
An elderly woman in deep blue robes stepped forward from her place in the lower tier and walked forward to kneel in front of the queen. “I am at your service, Queen Rochelle.”
The queen nodded and gestured her over to the side as she continued. “My noble lords and ladies, court is concluded for today. Please remain where you are for the wedding.” Standing, she waited for Saunder to join her before leaving the dais and taking the Carstairs seats with the peers.
The prelate was quickly adjusting to the situation and stepped forward, walking to the center of the step just below the queen’s throne. Mellody and Drake had moved to a point just below her and were looking up expectantly.
The prelate smiled as she looked down at the young people before her. “We are gathered here to bind these two people together,” she began, reciting the words she had said hundreds of times in her years as a priestess. “It is in their hearts and minds that we bind them, for only in their hearts and minds can true bindings be made.”
“Adept Drake Standralson, why have you come before Bresin this day?”
“I have come before Bresin to wed Lady Adept Mellody Carstairs,” Drake replied. Saunder had coached him on the proper phrases in the early morning hours after the word of the attack had arrived and Mellody had proposed this idea.
The prelate nodded and turned to Mellody. “Lady Adept Mellody Carstairs, Heir of Carstairs, why have you come before Bresin this day?”
“I have come before Bresin to wed Adept Drake Standralson,” Mellody answered, her voice sounding just a trifle triumphant as she spoke the words.
Now the prelate looked up at the queen and nodded before continuing. “Do you both come to this union of your free will, without reservation?”
Drake and Mellody answered together, “We do.”
“Do you come to this union with the belief that you can spend the rest of your lives happily in one another’s arms?”
“We do.”
“Then I greet you with joy, and pronounce you husband and wife.” The prelate smiled, though there was a hint of worry at the corner of her eyes. At this point in most weddings the spectators burst into shouts of joy, but the gathered nobles were almost deathly silent.
Mellody stepped away from Drake and turned to face him. “My husband, as is my right, I confer upon you the title of Lord Carstairs.”
Now the nobles began to applaud politely as Drake turned to face them. That applause became just a little louder as Drake caused his elaborate court clothing to change, becoming a Mage robe in the blue and silver of the Carstairs family for just a moment, then changing once again into the simple robes of an Adept Mage in the Vernardian Army.
Mellody’s fine dress had also changed when Drake’s did, becoming a Mage robe in her house colors, only to be replaced by an Army robe matching her husband’s.
Queen Rochelle stood and took Saunder’s hand, then walked to Mellody and Drake’s side. “We joyfully greet Lord and Lady Adept Carstairs. Take your seats, Lord and Lady Carstairs,” she commanded and Mellody and Drake quickly obeyed.
Turning to face the court, Rochelle nodded. “I have ordered the mobilization of the army once again. It is my belief that we must end this conflict once and for all, and to that end I have changed my previous instructions. The Bresardians are not to be simply thrown back this time: They are to be destroyed.”
The rustling sound of more than a hundred people gasping echoed through the room as Rochelle stood clasping Saunder’s hand. “Bresardia must come to understand that neither Vernardia nor her queen will ever be theirs.”
Chapter 12
CRAWN LED THE ARMY OF BRESARDIA at an easy pace. The Vernardian border garrison had fallen to his magic in moments, and the heartened Bresardians who followed him saw his presence as a sign that the gods were with them.
They had marched to and through the Vernardian border town of Woodhead, ten days’ march from the coast, before they learned that a warning had been sent ahead. Crawn was with General Boatwright when he received the news.
“My general, the warning has gone out,” a young lieutenant reported, standing stiffly at attention in the presence of his commander and the creature that sat at his side. “A prisoner was bragging that a pigeon was sent to Mount Royal and they expect the army to be marching toward us as we speak.”
&
nbsp; -{It is of no consequence. When the army arrives, they shall be destroyed.}-
General Boatwright looked at the Ocellen and sighed. “The Adept that the Vernardians hit us with last time will undoubtedly be with them again.”
-{Such was the plan,}- Crawn said, looking at the general through slitted eyes. -{I shall deal with him. You shall deal with the rest of their army. It is the king’s command that you utterly destroy the Vernardian army this time. No one is to be spared.}-
* * *
Drake and Mellody spent one night as husband and wife then prepared to go with General Preston. Drake, however, had plans that he hadn’t told anyone about.
Drake reached out and took Mellody by the hand at supper. He said, “Mel, I’m going ahead to stall the Bresardians,” causing Mellody and Rochelle to choke.
“No! Drake, they have someone with them who is destroying every Mage they face. You can’t face them alone!” Mellody all but shouted.
“Mel, I may be the only one who can face whoever this is. If I can stop them and kill the Adept with them, I doubt General Boatwright will be eager to face me again.”
“Drake,” Saunder said softly, “it isn’t ethical for you to use your magical abilities against the common soldiers of the Bresardian army.”
Drake looked at Saunder and nodded. “I won’t. But the Bresardian Ambassador warned us that they were seeking more powerful allies. It’s one of them that I’ll be facing.”
Saunder shook his head. “You won’t be that far ahead of the main army, Drake. It isn’t worth the risk.”
Drake smiled a secret little smile that Mellody was already beginning to hate. “I’ll be a lot farther ahead than you think, Saunder.”
The Chronicles of Amberdrake Page 10
