by M J Webb
The spectacular and imposing fortress city of Dassilliak lay just inside Perosya’s northern border with its neighbour, Nadjan. The two countries shared a turbulent history which was littered with disputes and wars over land and power. Dassilliak had been built centuries ago to guard against marauding warriors from the north. The armies based there had protected the Perosyan citizens and their successful trade markets and routes of commerce for many years. The city was situated on a large open plain, sandwiched between three high, impassable mountains that formed an impregnable barrier. The awesome natural defences had deterred any would be attackers and allowed the inhabitants of Dassilliak to live in relative peace for many years. But, that was all before King Vantrax’ rise to power and his subsequent attempt to conquer the entire continent. The fortress city had once again found itself under siege.
The only way in and out of Dassilliak because of the surrounding mountains was to the north. Here, the Perosyans had constructed an incredibly thick and high defensive wall, built into the mountainside at the eastern and western ends, and running all the way across the plain. This formidable structure was a daunting spectacle to behold. It had never been breached, despite several attempts to sack the city over the years. The enormously impressive wooden gates which dominated the centre of the wall were laced throughout with jinta, an lightweight but tough and resilient metal. This protected them from the effects of fire and strengthened them against any attempts to use battering rams. The light metal added little to their overall weight, but their size meant that it took several teams of soldiers to operate an elaborate pulley system each time they had to be opened, the main reason why a much smaller ‘door’ had been cut into the wall nearby in order to allow pedestrians to leave and enter the city with ease.
Princess Zephany rode her horse slowly through the great courtyard and up to the main buildings which dominated the square. She had relaxed slightly now that she knew she was safe from pursuit but she was completely exhausted. Her aching joints were crying out desperately for a prolonged rest, her energy reserves were all but gone. She stared up wearily at the magnificent buildings that surrounded her. The young royal had heard stories of the city’s wonder as a child, but now that she was actually inside the much vaunted wall, she had never seen anything so grand and she was immediately in awe of the Perosyan’s achievements.
As she neared the huge palace complex, the walls to the nearby buildings closed in on them so fast that it unnerved her horse and it reared a little, as if wary of the unfamiliar surroundings. Zephany controlled her mount with ease. She leant forward to stroke his neck, whispering soothing words of comfort in his ear. He settled immediately upon hearing her voice.
The escorting warriors led her straight to the main entrance of the palace. She was greeted by a small party of official looking civilians, accompanied by several armed guards and led by a huge soldier with an immensely intimidating physique. He was obviously in command of the ‘welcome party.’ He introduced himself as, Beronias, ‘Captain of the Guard.’
“Now that I have given you my name stranger, who are you? What is your business here? Why do you approach us from the north, from King Vantrax’ lands? And how is it that his soldiers chase you? Explain yourself,” the soldier demanded. The guards on the ramparts had informed him of Zephany’s improbable escape, which they had been fortunate enough to witness first hand, and her explanation of events, which he had decided to hear for himself.
After all she had seen and done, Zephany was at the absolute limit of her patience and endurance now. She was not used to being spoken to in such a fashion. ‘I will be damned if some, ‘jumped up captain’, is going to address me in such an insolent manner!’ she thought. She lifted her head slowly to look him in the eye and her blood began to boil.
“I do not appreciate your tone, soldier! I am Her Royal Highness Princess Zephany of Rhuaddan, daughter of King Artrex, commander of his horse soldiers, and heir to the throne!” she replied proudly. “I have risked my life to come to you now, I am tired and I very nearly did not make it through the enemy’s lines. My purpose? I carry an urgent message for your leaders, it is of the utmost importance, and I have to deliver it in person. I must be allowed to address the Juyen immediately!”
The captain was not put off by her attempts at a rebuke and he stood his ground. He looked her up and down for a second or two as he considered her request. “Krmmnn... I apologise if I offended you, your majesty. But, how do I know you are who you say you are?”
“You do not,” was Zephany’s short reply. “But I tell you this,” she added. “If you do not hear me now, if you deny me the chance to speak to Prince Laertral and the leaders of the Alliance, you will be doing your people a great disservice. You will probably be responsible for ensuring their demise, and the final defeat of the Ruddite Rebellion! A great and vast army of hired killers is approaching your walls. It is more powerful than any force you could imagine, you will not be safe here in your sanctuary for long, it is not coming to offer you terms of peace! King Vantrax means to destroy you all, he will stop at nothing and he will leave no enemy standing. I tell you, we do not have time to waste!”
The captain glanced over at the civilian entourage he had with him expecting some guidance, but they all remained silent. No one seemed to want to accept the responsibility of having to make such a decision. So, he nodded at the Princess.
“Very well, the Juyen does not convene for another hour. You shall have your audience. You may use that time to freshen up, if you wish? Please, come with us now, we will show you to one of the guest quarters.”
***
Zephany desperately needed to sleep. She had managed to ‘dose off’ for short periods when she was on her horse, as they rode to the city. But it was fleeting moments of broken sleep she had gained which did little to ease her weariness. Her tired and aching body needed more. The Princess knew however, that if she closed her eyes now, even for a second, she would probably not be woken when the time came for her to attend the council chambers, and that could have drastic consequences for all those she cared about, and the world she loved. So, she had a wash, changed into the long, slender robes which had been provided for her, and brushed her long, blonde hair. When the guards finally arrived to escort her to the Juyen, she was ready and waiting for them and she looked beautiful, every inch a perfect Princess.
She was shown to a very large building across the main courtyard which she presumed correctly to be the great hall. It was exceedingly grand, lavishly decorated and she could hear lots of different voices arguing from behind the enormous, closed doors, which were guarded by two soldiers armed with spears. Her escort banged three times upon them with his fist and the noise from within ceased immediately. The doors were opened from inside by two more guards and Princess Zephany walked regally through them to instantly become the object of a thousand staring eyes.
The huge chamber had several rows of elevated seats on either side of a central floor. They were crammed with people of all races, dressed in a variety of clothes and uniforms, and clearly taken from all classes of Estian society. There were soldiers, statesmen, merchants and, in the far corner, a public gallery was crammed full with peasants and city dwellers, all no doubt here to catch a glimpse of the stranger from the north they had heard about, who had arrived without warning, claimed to be a Ruddite Princess, and demanded an audience with their leaders.
Crown Prince Laertral had been addressing the Juyen when Princess Zephany had arrived. He was therefore standing in the centre of the floor and he beckoned her to join him. The escorting soldier left the chamber and the doors slammed shut. Zephany walked slowly over to the Prince and stood at his side, feeling perhaps the most nervous she had ever felt, and trying to control her shaking hands.
Laertral was a kindly looking man in his mid twenties. His father had died in battle when he was just thirteen years of age and he had been ruler of the kingdom of Perosya from then on. Perhaps as a consequence of his relative inex
perience when he attained the throne, he had so far proven to be a weak and indecisive leader. He was still relatively young, still growing himself, and he had been unable to exert any authority over the warring factions amongst his own people, never mind within the great alliance. He struggled to silence the mutterings in the crowd.
“Thank you. Thank you. Hear me, good people. Silence if you will, I beseech you. That is better, thank you. You will all have heard of our guest’s arrival, I am sure. This is Princess Zephany of Rhuaddan. She has travelled a great distance. She has managed to break through the enemy’s lines in order to bring us a message from her father. Her royal status warrants a hearing at this council and I ask you all to pay her heed. We will all now hear her words. Please, quiet I say!”
Laertral gestured with his right hand inviting Zephany to speak, before retiring to take up his own seat on the front row. Zephany took one almighty gulp, she was not used to public speaking and this was an extremely large audience for her to address.
“Srrr... My gratitude, your majesty. Leaders of the Alliance, people of Estia, I... I seek your help! We in the Ruddite Rebellion have been fighting King Vantrax for many years in the north, as you know. My uncle’s army is very strong, but we have...”
“Yes, yes, we know all about you and your little rebellion, Princess. We do not need a history lesson here. Though, we had heard that it is almost defeated? That King Artrex now commands only a few thousand warriors? Have we been misinformed? Is that not so? If true, then what good is a few thousand against...” began a dissenting voice, shouting from the second row of seats.
Zephany was a little shocked by the sudden interruption coming so early into her speech, but she responded to it immediately, intent on seizing the initiative and deliberately interrupting the speaker in turn, without allowing her to finish what she was saying.
“We were defeated, that is so. We did command only a few thousand loyal warriors, though I would stake my life on the valour and honour of every single one of them! However, all that you say was true, a few days ago. But, who am I addressing, may I ask?”
A well dressed, impressive and formidable looking woman in her mid thirties rose to respond. “I am Yelena, High Priestess of Siatol.”
“Well, Yelena. Everything has changed now in my country. Our army, which was small and demoralised it has to be said, has now expanded beyond all belief. It has been filled with fresh volunteers who are eager to carry the fight to King Vantrax and his legions once again. It is on the move as we speak. We are marching south for we need time, time to train and equip our new recruits. This ‘New Rebel Army’ as some have called it, will be at your gates tomorrow!” stated Zephany, loudly and deliberately. She looked around the entire chamber to ensure that everyone had heard what she had said. It was a premeditated attempt to shock her audience, and it worked.
“What??!!” cried another of the Juyen members. This time it was someone from the front row who rose immediately to challenge the young royal. The whole chamber fell silent to listen to what was being said. “My name is Eyatrav, Princess. I am First Minister of Siatol. What do you mean? Please explain yourself, why does your army come here to Dassilliak? What are you doing here and what are you asking of us?”
“Look,” began Zephany in reply, now addressing the whole Juyen confidently and with purpose. “Our army is being pursued from the north. King Vantrax himself leads their force, and they are very close. We have finally managed to lure him out of his hiding place. At last, he is no longer protected by the great fortress of Heron Getracht and he is on the field of battle. But, his forces are too strong for us at present. We need your help, we have to have more time, and you...”
“Frah! You want us to do your fighting for you!” bellowed a lord named Getron, who was sitting amongst the contingent from Ursium.
“Ay, Getron is right!” barked Lord Delfius, sitting next to him. “We already face a mighty army ourselves, one which is so feared that it has us hiding away behind these stone walls. Have you all forgotten that fact? Why would we choose to face another? To ally ourselves with these rebels, to make enemies of such a force, it is suicide! No, we cannot help them, I am sorry but...”
“Ahem. Excuse me, but… Tell me, I am curious to know, what has changed to bring about such a dramatic reversal in your father’s fortunes? How does a small rebellion on the brink of destruction transform itself in only a few days to become such a major threat to the evil one? A threat which he has taken so seriously that it has enticed him to leave the safety of Heron Getracht and venture so far south? Tell us, please. I am sure we would all like to know,” interrupted Queen Sorrell, as she instructed both of her soldiers from Ursium to sit down with a flick of her hand. Zephany gave a tired sigh as she prepared to explain all that had happened.
“Where do I…? You are all correct. We were beaten, we were running constantly from one defeat to another, we were lost, and we had no hope of victory. We all knew it. But then, the Keeper returned. He has been resurrected and he has brought the stones, he...”
“A Keeper you say?” asked Queen Sorrell, with increased excitement. “Krmmnn... That changes everything. Good people, hear me now. We cannot ignore history. Nor can we turn from the prophecies that have been handed down to us. A Keeper? That has guaranteed you our attention at the very least. Where is he now? Is he with your army? How many warriors does Vantrax have with him? And precisely what is it that you are asking of us?”
“I will tell all I know, though in truth I know very little. The Keeper’s name is Jake. At this precise time he is with the wizard, Tien. The old man of legend still lives, and they have found him. Together they are trying to restore the stones that are broken, or replace them with new ones if they can.”
The entire Juyen seemed to take a collective breath when Zephany said that the stones were broken. The feeling of shock and concern in the room was abundantly clear, but the Princess continued talking quickly, before she could be interrupted again.
“They can be fixed, Tien has assured us of that,” she lied. “Believe me, you have not seen this Keeper, he is different from the stories I have heard of the others, those who came before. He is strong, fast, powerful and clever. He can...”
“Yes, clearly you have been greatly impressed by him, but what of King Vantrax? How many warriors does he have with him on this march? And when will they arrive here?” asked Caro, a huge and powerfully built knight. He had been the Perosyan champion for the past ten years by virtue of the fact that he had remained undefeated in the yearly melee, the no holds barred fight which decided who would have the enormous honour of bearing the title.
“He has a strong force with him, I will not lie to you. But, it is nothing that we cannot handle if we join together and use our minds. We have enough seasoned warriors between us to withstand any attack on this city, no matter what numbers they have. I am here to tell you that they will be upon you tomorrow, maybe. That is why I... No, we, need you to send an army out to meet King Artrex and his people, to protect him and discourage the enemy from launching any attack before he is ready to meet it. We are hoping that you can surprise the Southern Army where they least expect it, from the rear, and ease my father’s path.”
“A diversion? That is all you ask of us?” asked Caro.
“Yes, of sorts. But no! I have come to ask far more of you this day, I have to be truthful with you. We may have to conduct a fighting withdrawal into the city, where we can rest and recover before we continue the fight and take it to the enemy, before we can make him pay for his arrogance and for the suffering he has inflicted upon our realm.”
“Raart… I am sorry Princess, you ask too much!” snapped Yelena once more. “We are barely able to protect and feed our own subjects. We cannot afford to lose any soldiers protecting you and yours. And this Keeper you speak so highly of, we have no idea...”
“Kraar!!! Look! Can you not see? All of you… You can not afford to do anything else!!!” interrupted a frustrated and incensed
Princess Zephany. The weariness and fatigue she felt was now contributing to a severe lack of patience and understanding. “We are your only allies, your only hope of deliverance now that Vantrax is finally on the move! You do not realise it yet, but war is already upon you. There will be no escape, not for any of you. I have lived with his tyranny and I know his state of mind. How long do you think you will last if we are defeated, and he turns all of his might against you? He will take this city eventually, either by force, or by starving you out. Make no mistake, he means to end it all here! This is the greatest peril you have ever faced. I offer you your one chance of securing final victory. It will be a long, hard struggle but we will prevail. Yaarrgghh! You are not blind, why can you not see what is right before your very eyes? The time for talking is over. The time for making a stand is here and now!”
She turned in her exasperation to address the public gallery.
“Please, all of you... You have to hear me now, I beg you! I was not a believer in myths and legends. I am no fool I assure you. I knew how hopeless our situation was, and I was ready to concede defeat, to give in and accept whatever fate had in store for me. I had known the truth of it for a long time, though I would never declare it publicly for fear of destroying the fragile morale of those around me, those who looked up to me despite my youth. But then, two young boys from a far away land entered our lives as if by magic, by some strange power that I do not pretend to understand. But neither do I choose to dismiss it! For that would be arrogance of the worst kind, and of unforgiveable consequence. These ridiculous strangers with their outlandish clothes and ways, they actually dared to question the way of things. They had me questioning the way of things! I began hoping against all the odds for a better future, a better life for me and my people, and I actually began daring to believe that it could still happen. My friends, let me ask of you now with all sincerity, what have we all become? Look at us! We argue and we fight amongst ourselves like squabbling filaks, when we should be supporting each other and galvanising our people. And we hide. We hide away in our towns, cities, caves and forests, cowering in dark, dank corners to conceal ourselves from dangers we know we should be meeting head on, hoping that they will pass us by in the night without so much as a breeze. Well, I for one do not want that kind of life, I am tired of hiding! I am sick to death of retreating and running away! I was not raised that way.
