Respectant

by Florian Armaselu

  “Jail for the rest of your life, and three stories every day for me.”

  “Seeing you every day, it doesn’t sound that bad. I hope that your husband will agree, but what a pity that I am not younger.”

  “We will meet again at dinner,” Cleyre said, and people stated to leave the room. She glanced at Codrin, who nodded. “Uncle, please stay.”

  “So you have some use for me,” Manuc said, when they were alone with Codrin.

  “For you? No. But we need your soldiers.”

  “I don’t know why you need more soldiers to take on that toad named Albert, but let it be. I expect to receive better meals in jail, for my cooperation.”

  “I don’t need them for Albert, I need them for Orban,” Codrin said.

  “Ah,” Manuc said, rubbing his chin. “Orban is a sharp one, something between steel and poison, but I still don’t understand why you need so many men. After that melee in Poenari, he was left with less than a thousand soldiers. I don’t see him winning a battle against you.”

  “I don’t want to win a battle. I need to take Arad.”

  “That’s a different kind of animal. A siege.” He looked at Codrin and pointed at the window behind him – it was raining.

  “There will be no siege; we will just pretend to lay one.”

  “Do you think that Orban will be scared? Perhaps enraged, but scared?” Manuc almost grinned, then stopped himself.

  “He will not be scared, but many in Arad will be. I am counting on them.”

  “That could work.” Manuc rubbed his chin again, calculating his options. “But niece, you must take my old bones out of jail and let me join the young wolf. I would like to see Orban’s face after he loses Arad. You know how much I like him. As much as I like poison. I promise you a good story when I return.”

  “Agreed,” Cleyre said, smiling, and placed her hand over his. “I think that you deserve to eat now.”

  Dinner was over, and on the tables remained only cakes and wine. There were more people than at the last dinner organized by Cleyre, and they were still talking in small groups scattered here and there, when she stood up and walked to the middle of the room.

  “I have an announcement to make.” Cleyre looked solemnly around the room, and everybody became silent as she walked toward Codrin, who was leaning against the window. “I Cleyre, Duchess of Peyris, pay allegiance to Codrin and recognize him as the King of Frankis. Your majesty,” she said and made a deep curtsy.

  Most people in the room were surprised, though they had expected her to pay allegiance to Codrin; they were surprised by her recognition of him as the king.

  Codrin was surprised too. She must have had a Vision, he thought, understanding that there was now only one way open for him. He could not embarrass her and, by refusing this chance, he would block his own path. Such opportunities rarely come twice. So be it. “Duchess,” he bowed slightly, then placed his right hand on her shoulder, “I accept your allegiance. Rise now.” Codrin extended his arm, clasped her hand and pulled her up. They walked together, and he seated her, after kissing her hand.

  Walking back, Cleyre looked at Phillip. She had spoken to no one about this, so he looked both surprised and undecided, but under her intense stare, he nodded briefly. She had inherited Stefan’s trait of bending people to her will, just by looking at them with her expressive, deep blue eyes. Once Cleyre was seated, he went to Codrin.

  “I, Phillip, the heir of Deva, speak in the name of my father, the Grand Seigneur of Deva. I accept to pay allegiance to Codrin, the King of Frankis. You majesty,” he said and knelt in one knee.

  “I accept the allegiance of the Grand Seigneur of Deva,” Codrin said, and repeated his previous gesture of acceptance, raising him up.

  Manuc found Cleyre’s eyes fixing him intently, and he frowned. Then he smiled. This is my chance to be a player in the new Frankis. And my chance to lose, if the Circle wins. “The road to the kingdom is not easy, and the Circle is a strong enemy. They have another king in mind. Fate take the Circle, maybe you were born to break the curse of Frankis.” Manuc stood up, went to Codrin, and proudly paid his allegiance.

  The next morning, they interrogated Clewin’s deputy, but he did not know much about the Circle’s plans. One of his men knew Nicolas, and told him that it was the deputy who had killed Emich.

  “You killed a delegation under Fate’s banner,” Codrin said sternly. “Even the rope is too lenient, but luckily for you, I don’t like torture.”

  The man was hanged in the main plaza, and in what had become his mark, Codrin placed a placard with ‘traitor’ and ‘the Circle’s tool’ on his chest.

  There was a last meeting in the Council room, and Cleyre, Codrin and Costa met before it.

  “Costa has a question about that night when you took the West Gate.” Her face bore a pleasant smile that masked her thoughts, which Codrin took as a sign that she knew what had happened.

  “It must be related to some arrows flying over the wall,” Codrin smiled back. “Well I think that it’s about time to form the Council of the Realm.” The idea had come to him the day before, and several times he had pushed it to the back of his mind. No one had told him, not even the Empress, but when there was a Seer of the Realm, there was a Council too. He was evolving slowly. “A new Fracture is coming; the Lights of the Wanderers foresaw it in their Visions, and I will let Cleyre explain that to you. When there is a Fracture, there is also a Seer. This time, I am the Seer of the Realm. I need your help to unify Frankis as fast as I can and gather the other kingdoms under my military command for the next nomad invasion. Together with Vlad, you will be the first members of my Council of the Realm. If any of you wants to stay out of this, speak now.” He looked at them, and one by one, they nodded their agreement. “Before I leave, you will take the oath for your new position. Now let the others in.”

  It was a brief meeting; most things were already arranged, like Manuc joining Codrin with three thousand soldiers. Nicolas would stay in Peyris with Cleyre’s army. Vlad would leave as soon as the meeting ended, going toward Arad with twenty scouts, the army following them at a slower pace.

  “Codrin, be careful,” Cleyre said and embraced him in front of the captains and Knights gathered in the Council Room.

  “Who knows when we will see each other again?” Codrin said and kissed her hand. “But this time, I leave you in good hands.” He looked at Costa.

  In the afternoon, after they took their oaths for the Council of the Realm, Codrin left Peyris with four thousand soldiers; the largest army he had ever led.

  Chapter 22 – Codrin

  It was almost dark when Vlad and his three men entered Arad. Seventeen more stayed at an inn just a few miles away from the city. It was dark, when he reached Panait’s house, and a few moments later, he was at the table, eating with them.

  “Codrin will be here soon,” he said after the pleasantries were finished.

  “That’s dangerous.” Panait’s left eyelid was twitching, and he rubbed at it gently. Patterns of light flowed across his face from the candles. Playful, they made him looking less worried than he was. “There are soldiers from Arad who saw him in Poenari. They even gave a description of him to Orban. Until two months ago, no one here knew what he looked like. For the moment, they have not made the link with Tudor, but soon they will. That’s the worst moment.” He gave a long sigh, and rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

  “Does he want to free Vio?” Delia asked, her voice less tense than Panait’s.

  “In a way,” Vlad smiled, and his hazel eyes glittered. “He is coming to take Arad.”

  Panait swallowed, and with an effort he asked, “But does he have enough soldiers?” The vertical lines between his thick eyebrows deepened. “Orban took some losses in Poenari, but he is still able to gather almost a thousand soldiers. And he kept most of his guard here, only half of it fought against Codrin. His best soldiers are here, four hundred of them. And Orban is not without allies; even the Circle will try t
o help him, though I may be able to delay that. But not for long.”

  “Codrin has four thousand soldiers.”

  “How...?” Panait was stunned, and his wide eyes settled on Vlad as if he was a kind of ghost.

  “The Duchess of Peyris and the Duke of Loxburg have paid allegiance to him. The Grand Seigneur of Deva too. Dornan is dead, and his city belongs to Codrin now.”

  “That’s a hard blow to Orban. Dornan cared about his granddaughter, Lanya, and was a strong ally.”

  “Things have changed, all the north is with Codrin. They have recognized him as the King of Frankis.”

  “What?” Panait let his knife fell on the table, and he stood up abruptly. “This is the strangest news I have heard in all my life. And the best since the day, a long time ago, when Delia agreed to be my wife. He walked quickly around the table and shook Vlad’s shoulder. “Then we have a King. Bucur was demoted by the Circle, so there is nothing in Codrin’s way. He will marry the little Duchess of Tolosa and all Frankis is his.”

  “Codrin is not too fond of the Circle’s plans regarding Tolosa.”

  “The Circle doesn’t mean only Maud and Octavian. I am the First Mester of Arad and part of the Circle too, Vlad. Cantemir is the Secretary of Arad and part of the Circle too.” Panait shook his head, his mouth set in a tight line.

  “There are few people Codrin trusts more than you two.”

  “What are you planning?” Panait went back to his place, and Delia placed a hand over his, gripping it gently.

  “We don’t want a siege. Too many people would die, and the city will suffer. The first hours after a city is taken are always lawless; you know that. With your help,” he glanced at them with a hopeful look, “and Cantemir’s, we may be able to convince Orban to surrender. Codrin will leave him alive and in a good position.”

  “Orban is unpredictable,” Panait said warily, and rubbed the tip of his nose while his brows knit tightly.

  “Unpredictable but intelligent. He has only four hundred men in Arad. The other six hundred are with their Knights, scattered across the Seigneury. They can’t come to Arad’s rescue; we have blocked two third of the ways in. Or out. And most of them will not even try. Tomorrow, all the roads will be blocked and the trap will close.”

  “It may work,” Delia said.

  Not yet fully convinced, Panait forced himself to be silent. To breathe long and slow. To hope. “I will talk with Cantemir tomorrow.”

  “So you mean to say...” An accomplished speaker, Cantemir found himself at a loss for words. He had accepted Panait’s invitation and now found himself in the First Mester’s house with two of Codrin’s men. “You mean to say...” he pointed abruptly at Vlad, “that Tudor is Codrin. And you mean to say that I was a fool all these years.” He closed his eyes, tipped his face back, and he felt the warm sun through the window. It did not calm him.

  “There was a certain necessity to his split identity, and very few people knew of this. That doesn’t mean that the others were ... fools.” Vlad set his glass down carefully, then looked up at him, eyebrows raised.

  “I don’t need your opinion on whether I was a fool. How many is a few?” Cantemir tilted back his head to catch the last trickle of wine, and set the empty glass on the table.

  “Three years ago, Dochia was the first to realize it. There is no need to explain how,” Vlad chided softly. “A year later, my brother Pintea and I arrived here, and we lodged in his house in Severin. We fought for both Codrin and Tudor, when the need arrived. Everything stayed within this little circle for a while. Jara and Cernat didn’t know until we came here to free Vio.”

  Cantemir accepted the facts with a catlike blink of his eyes. “There were more fools than I thought,” he mused and tried to smile, but it didn’t come out natural. “And you?” He glanced at Delia and Panait.

  “Fools too,” Panait laughed, “even when he stayed in our house. Delia figured it out when Codrin tried to take Vio away. He was badly hurt and hid here for almost three weeks. You know that. But it was not the wound which revealed his identity. It was Vio. She jumped into his arms when they met. Of course, she called him Tudor, so Delia worked it out only later.”

  “I feel better. A little better. And anyway, Codrin saved my life twice. He can fool me as much as he likes. So,” he looked at Vlad, frowning in thought, “Codrin wants Arad, and you think you have enough soldiers to take it before winter. Four thousand soldiers, you said.”

  “We would prefer a peaceful solution. Sieges are bloody things, and conquering cities usually turns ugly, even with the most disciplined armies.” Vlad turned his palms out, looking at Cantemir.

  “You have a lot of experience.”

  “One siege in Poenari. Bloody. Perhaps fifteen hundred dead. Two years ago, Codrin took Mehadia. He negotiated, and no one was harmed. A month ago, we took Peyris. Half fight, half surrender. Less than a hundred dead, but dead nevertheless. Arad is not Mehadia, and Orban is still alive, but that would be a good example to follow.”

  “Orban is indeed alive. That makes quite a difference, in fact.”

  “I am ready to negotiate with him.”

  “If things turns bad, you will end in a pyre, Vlad. Let me think of something. I need to talk with Jara too; she has a good influence on Orban. When will Codrin arrive?”

  “In two days. The north of Arad should have been taken by now. I am thinking couriers will arrive today to bring the news to Orban – we will let them pass – and there will not be enough time for him to gather his army. He has only four hundred soldiers in Arad, if he chose to fight, and most of them will not be happy to fight against Codrin again.”

  ***

  Motionless, Orban listened in silence everything that Codrin, Cantemir and Panait had to say, his only visible reaction a slight arching of his left eyebrow. In his hand was a letter from Cleyre, the new Duchess of Peyris. Are they betraying or saving me? He glanced at his Secretary and First Mester. Both, maybe? Manuc is silent, and usually he likes to talk. Phillip is silent too. And that young man, Vlad; I had him in my hands, but how could I know that Codrin and the Wraith of Tolosa were the same man? When all was said, he closed his eyes and made his decision immediately, but chose to stay silent for a while. The old fox knew how the wind blew; it was not from his bellows, and there was no good spitting into it. All eyes in the Council Room were on him, and Orban knew it, though he could not see them. How did Codrin convince Manuc? That man is more stubborn than a mule, and his pride reaches the moon. And King of Frankis? Maud will swallow her tongue and praise him. That is something I would like to see. “That sounds acceptable. I will give up Arad and hand all my Knights over to you. These are my conditions: I stay here, in the old wing of the palace. It’s separate, and there is no need for us to see each other.” A list of servants, guards, rights, even access to library, garden, stable and wine cellar followed. Orban’s memory was as prodigious as his intelligence, and he filled almost five pages with his orderly writing. “I will keep the following lands and castles.” He took another sheet and wrote five names on it. “That’s enough to keep me a strong Knight, but you will grant me the title of Seigneur. My son will inherit everything, except my title. My daughter will be raised as a Signora, and she will receive a dowry from you, suited to her position. I am sure you will find her a better husband than I can. Cantemir will help you; he has a soft spot for Lanya. My Knights keep all their possessions. The Chief of the Guard, the Spatar and the Secretary of Arad keep their positions. The same for their men. There will be no siege, no battles and you get all my soldiers, losing none of yours. Or theirs,” he added after a moment of thought, pointing at Manuc and Phillip. “With Arad, Dorna and Severin, you have a good grip on central Frankis. The north seems to be your ally. Take the south, and you will finally become the King of Frankis. My conditions are not negotiable.” He frowned for a few moments. “Regarding my marriage with Jara; it’s up to her to decide what’s next.” My position is weak; I am like a dangerous beast that i
s not quite dead yet. The vultures that did not dare attack when I was strong, are circling over me now. Under the shadow of Codrin, Arad may be my sanctuary. The vultures will not come here; he is the strongest predator now.

  “That’s quite a long list,” Manuc said, to give Codrin more time.

  To their surprise, Codrin reacted as fast as Orban and accepted everything. Almost. “But,” he said after giving his agreement, raising his forefinger, “I will appoint a new Chief of the Guard and Spatar. Your men will become the second-in-command. They will be on probation for two years.”

  Orban frowned, and then he smiled. “It seems that we found common ground.”

  Codrin glanced at Jara, and it took her almost a minute to speak. “I haven’t decided yet.” It was not as bad as I initially thought, but I can end the marriage after Codrin takes Arad. Should I?

  Everybody was expecting a few days of hard negotiations, but Orban was intelligent enough to understand that he would lose Arad one way or another; everything took less than two hours. The news spread fast in the city, calming the gnawing fear brought by the four thousand soldiers at the gate.

  ***

  “Lady Lanya,” the servant, an old man, said, bowing slightly, “your presence is requested. Please follow me.”

  “Who has requested it?”

  “I was not told, my lady. Perhaps your father.”

  Lanya flinched, as she was afraid of Orban, but she stood up and followed the servant. “I will return soon,” she told Vio. As it became a habit, they were reading together in the library.

  “I will finish the book before you.” Vio grinned, raising her head, and returned to her reading. A few minutes later, she heard footsteps coming toward her, and she thought it was Lanya. From the corner of her eye, she saw men entering the room. She adjusted her position on the sofa and pretended not to see them.