"You shouldn't run through the hallway, young sir. One could get hurt." The large man smiled at him through his mustache, pulling him gently to his feet with one quick, fluid motion. "And who might you be, my young fellow?"
Even trying to be friendly, this knight was extremely intimidating. "David, Sir. David Ki Kalendeen."
The man pushed his long brown hair back, revealing a large scar running down the right side of his face. "Oh. Any relation to Lord Alexander Ki Kalendeen?"
"Yes, sir. He's my father."
"Ah, I see. Well, David Ki Kalendeen, it is a pleasure to meet you. I trust your head is no worse for wear? You may be the first person in ten years to put a dent in my breastplate," he said jokingly.
David rubbed his forehead. It was a bit tender, but he was not bleeding. "No sir, I'm fine."
"Good. Listen, young David, I need to find your father's courtroom. I am King Dorian's ambassador to Elgannan, and I wish to make my presence known."
"You're an ambassador?"
The large man gave a small bow. "General Lexar Sagaroth, at your service."
"What country does King Dorian reign, my lord?"
"Aragil, of course. King Tyral took ill this past winter, I'm afraid. His oldest son, Eric, was killed in a hunting accident two days before his father died. Tobias is a Holy Defender and could not return, so the crown went to Tyral's third son, Dorian." Sagaroth looked around impatiently. "Young master, I would love to discuss current events and politics with you all day, but unfortunately, I must find your father."
"Oh, my apologies, my lord. Go down this hall, up one story, and one of the clerks will assist you."
"Thank you, David. You've been most… helpful." The large man roughly rubbed his hand through David's hair. He hated when adults did that to him, but he was not about to protest to a man that looked as if he could carry two merchant's wagons on his shoulders without breaking a sweat.
David watched the man walk down the hall. Even the officers of the castle guards stepped out of his path. He was at least two hands taller than anyone else. He was also a lot wider, without a hint of fat on his body. How could anything have given him that scar on his face? One thing was for sure, if something could wound Lord Sagaroth, David prayed to God in Heaven that he never ran into it.
Turning around, and being much more careful, David continued down the hallway towards his brother's study. When he arrived, the door was already open. The morning sun was streaming through the stained glass windows behind Alexander's empty desk.
"Oh no!" he thought. "I'm late!"
He gingerly stepped into the room. It looked empty, but a nagging feeling told him that it was not. He heard the click of hard leather against stone, and tried to jump quickly to the side, but he was not fast enough. A pair of hands grabbed him roughly, fingers digging deeply into his ribs, tickling him mercilessly.
"You're late again, Pudd. This time you’re going to have to pay!"
David was laughing too hard to put up any resistance. "STOP IT! STOP IT! I HATE BEING TICKLED!" He tried to pull away, but Alexander grabbed him in a head lock and rubbed his knuckles back and forth across his trimmed blonde hair. Suddenly, Alexander let him go, wicked smile still plastered across his face.
"Welcome back to the world of the living, Pudd."
"Big oaf! And quit calling me Pudd."
"Whatever you say, Pudd." Alexander threw his head back in laughter. David did not think it was funny. With a quick leap, he threw himself into his older brother, knocking him back to the floor. Grabbing a handful of Alexander's thick blonde curly hair, David yanked. His brother never stopped his annoying laughter. Instead, he grabbed David by the leg and dug his thumb and forefinger into his flesh right above his kneecap.
David reeled backwards at the sensation of tickling and pain.
"Do you surrender, Pudd? Do you?"
"NEVER!!!!"
Alexander's free hand found his other kneecap.
"ALRIGHT! I SURRENDER! I SURRENDER!"
"What was that, Pudd? I didn't hear you."
"AAAAAARRRGH!!!!!! I HATE YOU, YOU HELL SPAWN!"
Suddenly the tickling pain was gone. Alexander got to his feet and offered to help David up. He smacked his brothers extended hand away.
"Oh, come on, David. Don't be angry. I just want to toughen you up a bit. You'll be leaving next fall, and the outside world is no place for a soft little Pudd like you." Alexander poked David's flesh on his side. "By the way, have you given any thought as to what you are going to do when you leave?"
David was pulling himself up off of the ground. "I don't know. Gabriel wants me to become a Holy Defender. Father wants me to come back after I graduate. I'm not sure what I'll do."
"You know you'll always be welcome here, even after father is gone, don't you? I want you and Eleenia to be my advisors."
"What about Gabriel? Do you think he'll ever come back?"
A look of sadness slowly washed over Alexander's face. "Now David, you know the answer to that. Not unless he is sent here by the Archbishop." His face brightened a bit. "So, you know what to do this afternoon?"
David rolled his eyes. "Yes, we've been over it at least a hundred times. I stand next to you, try to stay awake while Bishop Malachi drones on and on, then hand you the ring."
"And no fidgeting, no yawning, no picking your ass, and no looking around. Keep your eyes forward throughout the ceremony. And if you're lucky I won't tell father what you said about the Bishop. Remember, they were roommates at the University in Avonshire and have been best friends ever since." Alexander smiled, "Besides, the lecture you'll get from father will make one of the Bishop’s sermons seem like a blink of an eye. Good old Bishop Malachi. I've never known someone so in love with the sound of his own voice."
The two brothers started snickering at the joke. Alexander stopped smiling and turned his head to look out the window and let out a sigh.
"Are you still having second thoughts?" asked David.
"Yes. All this responsibility, I'm not sure I want it. Mareth is so beautiful, I love her dearly, and I know she will make a good wife, but…. Oh, I don't know. I want to see the world! I want to live my own life! I don't want to be measured up against father. He is not an easy man to be compared to." Alexander kicked his desk in frustration. "Stupid traditions. Why does all the responsibility have to go to the first-born? Why don't you become Lord of Lystra and I'll go off and have adventures across the Decian Sea or something?"
David smiled at his brother's suggestion. "I don't think I would ever get bored with so much power. How can you think of leaving with all you have here? Anyway, I heard a merchant saying that Black Jack Mulligan's ships were raiding all of the passenger ships coming out of New Portsmouth and selling the people into slavery in Greater Arabia."
"Sometimes I think I would rather face pirates than the responsibility father is heaping on me. He is so insistent that I 'follow in the family name'. He even named me after him. Do you know I actually prepared a backpack last night?"
"There is still time if you want to run. I won't tell anyone".
Alexander smiled and rubbed his hand through David's short blond hair, making him look even more unruly. "You better get going, Pudd. Father wants to see you. Any idea what it is about?"
"No. See you in a few hours." He turned to leave as Alexander followed him to the open door.
“Thanks for listening, brother. Oh, and before I forget…. One more to grow on, Pudd!!!!” Alexander yelled.
Suddenly, David felt a hand dig under the back of his pants, grabbing hold of his smallclothes. His feet were lifted three inches off the ground.
“AAAAAAARRRHG!!!!!”
Alexander let him drop, and quickly closed the door to his study, laughing deviously.
“I’ll get you for that, you oaf!!!” yelled David. There was no answer from the other side of the door, only laughter. Angrily, David
continued down the hall, shaking his head and picking at his smallclothes.
* * * * * *
Dameus waded through the waist-deep water, the stench of raw sewage rising from beneath him. A glowing yellow ball hung above him, lighting his way through the ice-cold water. Slime and other filth hung from the arched ceiling, only two hands from his head. He had been searching for several hours and his legs were starting to go numb, yet they had to be here somewhere.
The night before, from his room at the inn, he had magically searched the castle for the presence of the dead. His mind had traveled back, years into the past. Six men, criminals escaping from the dungeon beneath the castle, had found their way into the sewers that led to the River Vissik. The anticipation of freedom filled them, as did thoughts of revenge against their jailers. They traveled through the darkness, searching for the way out. Suddenly, their hopes turned to frustration as they encountered the metal bars blocking their way. The speed of the flow picked up and the water began to rise. They were too weak to fight against the current, and they were swept under. Pinned against the bars, they thrashed to get to the surface. Dameus had felt the sweet touch of death take them. It had happened so long ago, yet the feeling of their deaths was so strong.
Another sudden drop in temperature brought Dameus' thoughts back to the present. Sagaroth had damn well better appreciate what he was doing for him. He continued to trudge on through the vile water. The feeling of death was starting to get stronger. He was getting close.
Up ahead, a small tunnel branched off to the left. He hurried towards it, almost loosing his footing on the slimy, uneven ground beneath the water. Rounding the corner, Dameus spotted the metal bars that blocked the men's progress those many years ago. They were still intact.
Turning around, he stretched out his left hand. Yellow energy arced from his palm and a magical field appeared, sealing the side tunnel off from the main flow. The last thing he needed was for the current to carry the bodies out into the river. He then sealed the other end of the side tunnel off about twenty feet beyond the metal bars. His hand then started to glow red, and he plunged it into the water. Slowly, the water level receded until the ground was completely dry. The magical force fields still held the main flow back.
Just beyond the metal bars lay what he was looking for. Six skeletal corpses, still in tattered clothing, were scattered across the filth-ridden ground. Still plenty of time left, he thought, as he unsheathed a small serpentine dagger. Time enough to create six greater undead. He quickly produced five black candles from his robe. A quick blast of magical energy and they were dried. Pointing at the ground, flame shot from his index finger, charring the ground in the shape of a pentagram. He then placed the five candles at the apexes and lit them. Turning around, he grabbed hold of two of the bars. A yellow glow encompassed them and they crumbled away. Repeating this three more times left enough room for him to squeeze through.
"Well, my friends, your souls may be in hell, but it looks like what is left of your bodies shall have your chance for revenge after all," he said, smiling.
After several trips back and forth, he moved the pile of bones next to the pentagram. Carefully, he pulled bones from the pile, arranging them to create a complete skeleton within the circle. He sliced his hand with the dagger, allowing the blood to drip onto the skeletal form. As the blood drops splashed against the bone, they were instantly absorbed. He then kneeled and began to chant. The familiar yellow glow encompassed the bones and the skeletal figure sat up.
"Your command?" the skeleton said in a raspy voice.
Dameus looked up, sweating and hands shaking. Creating greater undead was a lot more draining than he had remembered. "Arise."
The skeleton stood up, staring at him with empty eye sockets, head tilted slightly to the side.
"Now help me with the others. We've a long task ahead of us."
* * * * * *
David sat fidgeting in the waiting area outside of his father's courtroom. It was past midmorning and the other people waiting were getting restless too. The hard benches that lined the gray stone walls were filled. Several townspeople were scheduled to have Lord Alexander III hear their disputes over rights to land, animals, and businesses. A merchant, most likely new to Lystra, was probably there to ask permission to set up shop. There was also a pregnant woman and an irate man, most likely her father, an annoyed popinjay, six farmers, two other merchants who both wore the patch of Lystra’s merchant guild, and General Sagaroth with two of his maroon clad soldiers.
Sagaroth stood up and walked over to David.
"Lord Ki Kalendeen likes to take his time, doesn't he?" the mountain of a man said.
David almost strained his neck looking up at the man towering above him. "You'll have to excuse father. It's a big day today, you know. He'll be along soon, I'm sure."
An almost evil-looking grin crossed Sagaroth's face. "I suppose it is." He turned to look down the hallway. "More than you know," he said under his breath.
Lord Ki Kalendeen rounded the corner, with several people right on his heels. David's mother was among them, talking as he was obviously trying to walk away.
"Listen, Alexander! I know there is something wrong! Can't you feel it? You should take some men with you and search below the castle!"
"I said no!" he replied, quickening his pace. "I'll send some men down, but I'm not going to lead them! Look at how many people are waiting for me. And the wedding is in a few hours." He stopped, turning to face her and clutching her hand. "Arianna,” he said, running his hand across her jet black straight hair, “I'm sorry, but I have my duties. It could take days to search everything beneath the castle. I'll send twenty armed men. Will that be enough to satisfy you?"
Arianna pulled her hands away and hugged herself, fear evident in her eyes. "No, it won't! You should lead them. You don't understand. Something isn't right! We can postpone the wedding until tomorrow. I need to know that nothing is wrong." She began to twirl her long black hair around her fingers.
Sagaroth stepped forward. "Excuse me, my lady. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. I'll gladly take my men and search beneath the castle."
"And who are you, sir?"
"General Lexar Sagaroth, ambassador of the King of Aragil, at your service, my lady."
Lord Ki Kalendeen turned to Sagaroth. "Thank you for your offer, General, but it shall not be necessary. My Captain of the guards is more than capable of handling the job."
"Well, your lovely wife doesn't think so, my lord." Sagaroth said with a grin as he took Lady Ki Kalendeen's hand into his own.
Lady Ki Kalendeen gasped and quickly withdrew her hand, taking two large steps backwards.
Although he was a hand and a finger shorter than the massive general, Lord Ki Kalendeen stood his full height and took a threatening step towards Sagaroth. With a strong hand, he pressed his index finger against the large man's breastplate. "I don't know what the etiquette of Aragil is like, General, but in Elgannan it is not considered polite to tell a Lord what to do in his manor. And if you ever, EVER touch my wife again, I shall destroy you where you stand. Do I make myself clear?" His voice rang with authority and confidence.
The entire room fell silent, and David visibly cringed. He was convinced Sagaroth was going to pick his father up by his long locks of blonde hair and swing him through the courtroom doors, but instead, Sagaroth gave a quick and humble bow.
"My apologies, Lord Ki Kalendeen. I meant no disrespect. As you observed, the traditions of Aragil are quite different than your own."
David noticed that despite his obsequiousness, Sagaroth's eye twitched in what was probably anger. His father turned and took a piece of parchment from one of the servants that had been following him. Quickly, he scanned the appointments.
Arianna snatched the parchment o
ut of his hands. "Alexander!!! What are you going to do about the…."
"Please love, finish your wedding preparations. I promise, I'll personally lead the entire castle guard though the dungeons and the sewers after the wedding feast tonight. Is that good enough?"
She glared angrily at him, and then let her face soften as she looked into his deep blue eyes. "I guess that will do."
Lord Alexander sighed with relief. "Good. Now, Lord Sagaroth, I'll hear you first. Please." He opened the door for the large general, gesturing into the courtroom.
The older man with the pregnant woman stood up, face even redder with anger. "My Lord, we've been waiting all morning! This foreigner barely just arrived, he did! I must protest…."
"My good Sir," Lord Alexander said, "I'm sorry to cause you any inconvenience, but we will get to your case as soon as possible." One of the servants took the parchment from Arianna and handed it back to Alexander. "Jarel, please have the kitchen send some of the best food up to the waiting area. No sense people being uncomfortable while they wait."
The servant gave a quick bow. "Yes, my Lord. Oh, sir? The stage is here." He turned and ran off down the hallway. The people in the waiting areas seemed a little less on edge at the thought of the food. The pregnant woman's eyes lit up and David thought he saw her start to drool.
Sagaroth walked into the courtroom, followed by his father. Two of the castle guards, dressed in red and gold livery with the family symbol on their breastplates stood holding halberds on either side of the large double doors. David always wondered about the significance of the family crest, a large eagle with wings spread and talons extended, overlaid on an ornate cross.
The door opened and his father stuck his head out. "David, will you come with us, please?"
David stood up and walked through the doors. The red and gold variegated carpet stretched from the door all the way to the throne at the other end. He estimated it was about 15 legs distance. On either side of the carpet, against the gray stone walls, stood suits of armor, each holding a different weapon and each in a different pose. Very few of them had the traditional red and gold markings, signifying them as Ki Kalendeen. David wondered if they were captured in some forgotten battle long ago. As he walked forward, there were benches set up in rows, facing the throne. His father was explaining the history of one of the suits of armor to General Sagaroth. It had the five cross crest of the Holy Defenders and was holding a large battle axe.
Blood Of The Righteous Page 5
