Everyone knew that he hated his position, he found it weak and demeaning, and just another thing that took him away from the battlefield which he insisted needed him more and more each day he was in office. The only reason he accepted the position is that he and many of the other sorcerers knew that he was the right man for the job. The fact that he didn't want it, and yet carried out the duties of his office without fail stifled any objections there may have been from within the order.
It was said amongst the soldiers, that Zander had won more engagements for the Protectorate than the Knights had, and not many were willing to dispute that fact. A joke had spread a few months earlier in the form of a list that some soldier or another had compiled and titled 'Top targets of import for the Dracair' which listed Zander Halcyon as number one, two, and three on the list followed closely the Arch Magus. It is said that Zander is near equal in power with the Arch Magus, but no one held the Arch Magus in higher regard than Zander did. When he was training with the Sorcerers it had been Simon Windsbane that had taught him many of the spells which he used in most of his battles.
His fierceness on the field of battle is the manifestation of the love that he harbors for the citizens of the Protectorate. When he is not on the field of battle or otherwise predisposed with his position as Tetriarch he can be found strolling the landscaped gardens of the parks, or talking with people near the temples at the Hall of the One God. Some find it hard to believe that this soft spoken man could be the same man who is considered a force of nature unto himself on the battlefield. A man who has granted mercy to the Dracair as often as one of the wolverines have left Death's Edge(which has only been reported once, and the claim is suspect). Anyone who has truly looked into the eyes of this man however cannot doubt that his fierce love can quickly be focused into near certain death for any Dracair crossing his path.
Zander's smooth scalp seemed natural with the ebony grace of his corded body, and the violet sheen in his eyes allows people to see his gentle nature, and for those who look deeper, the power that seethes within ready to be released.
Megan Lane coming in beside Zander seemed small in comparison in size and power. Yet anyone who called this woman weak in the earshot of others would probably be challenged to several duels by soldiers, if not pummeled on the spot. She is the High Priestess of the council of Churches, coming from the church of Cypheria, which is the largest church in the Protectorate. That alone would have been enough to garner such support from the men of Safeharbor, but to her eternal chagrin it was not the main reason. At fifty two years of age, she still maintained the figure that she possessed when she was twenty. Her strawberry blonde hair fell to the small of her back, and her sky blue eyes have made more than one man stop dead in his tracks. Many of the soldiers harbor a secret love of this woman, and rarely has she been known to reciprocate these feelings. Her figure could only be called supple, and she remained in shape to serve where she was needed. The powers which she calls upon through the goddess Cypheria are only rivaled by one other in the church according to Nim's notes. Victor then remembered the name which had been written as a side note after the comment, and thought of the conversation Ashur and Nim had earlier, wondering if there could be two Dunnagan's.
The Mages took their places lining up along the railing to the left of the royal family and Dodrick chanted a few words and lights erupted above the nobles in a display as grand as any fireworks. Which earned him a glower from the Arch Magus, and a slap on the back followed by a hearty chuckle from Zander, which Dodrick reciprocated with a wink for the Arch Magus. He then turned to Zander chuckling which soon turned into a full belly laugh for the pair when the Arch Magus without saying a word turned Dodrick's clothing to that of a jester, and quickly back again which made Victor wonder if it had really happened or if it had been only an illusion.
“High Commander of the Knights, Steward Cantel” The Announcer continued seemingly unperturbed by the display.
The man who came out was completely hidden behind the Royal family until he stepped out to the right of Analya and Lagelion. At just short of five feet Stewart Cantel did not appear to be the man one would be expect to be in charge of the entire military strength of the Protectorate. However, he was considered almost as dangerous as Zander Halcyon. His keen intellect has been disputed to be equal to if not more than that of the Arch Magus Simon Windsbane, and on several occasions the Arch Magus has said that he would not wish to match wits with the High Commander. His Brown eyes were reflecting that intelligence well, and Victor noticed that Stewart's hair was cut regulation length.
Nim had gone into great detail about the battle prowess of High Commander Cantel and his skill with the short swords he now wore at his sides. It was a running joke amongst the knights that either Stewart's daggers had grown long from the speed in which he moved, tempering the weapons like a blacksmith, or that his swords had grown short out of respect of the man's stature. It is also said that he only wears armor when he heads home to his wife. The closest description Nim could ascribe to the Commander in a battle was that he had the senses of a spider and the reflexes of a cat, if ever there were lords of the respective species. At forty eight Nim said he hadn't slowed a whit since he was twenty, and Victor knew that if Nim couldn't notice a difference, there either wasn't one, or it was replaced by skill and experience to make up the lack.
“High Lieutenant Commander Elyse Winterstar-Theromvore”
It is said that when Elyse Winterstar agreed to marry Adrian Theromvore she broke more hearts in a single night than had been broken in the time since the disaster. Even at forty six she was still the ideal dream that any soldier held for a woman warrior. Her golden blonde tresses and her piercing blue eyes have made more soldiers follow her her blindly than even her strong battle presence could account for. Her skills were considered superior, even in a land where the common man has to be as well honed as a elite soldier on one of the other continents on Terrazil. Just as supple as she was thirty years before when she was sixteen and training with the knights, and twice as toned. She also wore her longsword at the ready. Before taking her place beside her commander she stopped next to Analya and gave her daughter a hug.
“Lord General Adrian Theromvore, Calvary Commander Rigel North, and Admiral Abe Swiftflow” Announcing the last three men who would appear the announcer stepped back from the landing to disapear through a side door.
Adrian Theromvore was everything you would expect from an infantry general and more. Standing much closer to seven feet than six the Lord General commanded respect simply by being. It has been said frequently, and without much dispute that the man was as broad as an ox. His size belies a speed that is near that of High Commander Cantel. He wields two war-hammers that would be more than enough for most men to use with both hands and still be unseemly. Soldiers often try to find a Dracair scout for their General in order to place bets on how far the thing will fly when hit. At fifty, men steer more clear of him than they did when he was in his twenties, whether it is his reputation, or the look of a campaigner, not many would make him angry on purpose.
Adrian's mother had come from the Stroml'dier in the north and when the blood of the Stroml'dier joined with that of the Theromvore line it made one of the greatest infantrymen the knights have yet to see. He went to take his place beside his wife, High Lieutenant Commander Winterstar-Theromvore, trying to avoid the same public display of affection that his wife had given their daughter. When he was nearly to his position, his wife turned and simply smiled at him, he backed up as if a Magnus Dracanai was charging him, before walking over and giving his daughter, and then his wife a hug. High Commander Cantel bade him bend down, and whispered something in his ear that made him smile and chuckle before taking his place to the right of his wife.
Rigel North can only be described as average, of average height, average strength, and average presence. He achieved his position through cunning tactics and the respect of his fellow cavalrymen. The kind of man who could get lost i
n a crowd, his black hair is cut just short enough to keep him from being bald, and his hazel eyes reflect a man somewhere between nonchalant and brilliant. One thing that can be said for him though, he can ride a Cradium lizard like he was born to it. When the thirty six year old cavalryman stepped beside Adrian Theromvore, it was easy to forget he was there.
The last man of the procession was Abe Swiftflow. Everyone knew that Abe had been a pirate before the King enlisted him into the navy, and it was only mildly surprising to see how quickly he rose through the ranks. A hair above six feet his light brown hair was put back in a ponytail and his sea blue eyes reflected the element he is most comfortable in. He is a swarthy fellow showing his time at sea who walked with a gait of confidence that came only from manning a ship and facing death from forces most mortals can't control. The swagger that came with it was all Abe. That was one of the only faults that people found with him surprisingly, but his cockiness stemmed from the knowledge that he was the best at what he did, and he did it with a great deal of skill. Rumors abound say that he is one of those rare individuals that can control the element to which they are akin, some call them warlocks, but in his case, they refer to him as a sea Mage. He swaggered up to his position to the right of Rigel North and grinned broadly.
When Admiral Swiftflow took his position the King looked about ready to speak, but before he could,Adrian grabbed the handles protruding from his back and pulled out his hammers. Those near him pulled back to give him berth and he took a step back to give his massive weapons the space they would need. He began juggling the weapons from one hand to another, and after he got the rhythm down Victor was thoroughly impressed. As soon as he seemed comfortable with the rhythm the High Commander Stewart Cantel pulled one shortsword out, and in the blink of an eye and tossed it into the fray, and without a hitch it joined the hammers in their revolutions. A moment later Cantel pulled his other shortsword and threw it into the mix. Now Adrian was juggling his two massive warhammers and two shortswords grabbing the hilt of each as they spun with expert precision. Abe made a low whistling noise and The Lord General nodded to the man a moment before the Admiral's curved cutlass joined the display in a gasp of approval and applause from the audience and even that of the royal family and the Mages. Without slowing or changing rhythm Adrian threw first one sword then the other back to Stewart Cantel, then he threw Abe his cutlass in what seemed to be the same motion that his hammers disappeared into their positons behind his back.
“Showoff” muttered Dodrick in a tone loud enough to be heard by all those around but still seemingly a whisper. The dwarf and the large General exchanged a glance and broke into laughter setting a festive mood for the event.
When the laughter had died down a bit the chatter started up. The announcer started up the steps to stop the noise when Lagelion held up his hand forestalling the man who bristled indignantly. Lagelion then walked over to General Theromvore and whispered in his ear and then walked back to his position. Victor wasn't sure what was about to happen, but he knew it would probably be entertaining.
“Attention!” Barked the General, his tone conveying the fact that he expected to be obeyed. The effect was as it should be in a city where everyone trains with the knights at one time or another. Everyone went silent, ridged, and Victor noted that quite a few lines had appeared amongst the crowd where there had only been a milling mass moments before. Adrian Theromvore nodded with a smile of approval, and looked back to Lagelion to acknowledge him as speaker.
“Lords and Ladies, there will be plenty of time to converse in the hours to come. I would request your attention for the minutes to come to be directed towards the King, and the Council of the Protectorate.” His voice also seemed well suited to giving orders, but he was able to do it in a way that made them more of a request, as opposed to the General's tone that had been a requirement. Lagelion Daystar then turned to his King and bowed respectfully acknowledging him as the new speaker. “My Lord.”
“Thank you Lagelion.” Theodrik had never lost his composure throughout everything that happened as expected of the King, but now his stoic features broke out into a grin. “Citizens of Terrazil, Another year has come and gone yet we see, we hear, and we act.” This brought a rousing applause from the citizens of Safeharbor that knew he was referring to the advice handed down from Dalton Theromvore to future Kings, and citizens of the city. As the King looked around the room Victor noticed that his grin turn into more of a mischievous grin than a cheerful one somewhere in the process. “There is one matter however that needs to be resolved before I can continue with my speech.” This started the murmurs up again, no matter what scowls the General gave in people's directions.
Theodrik Theromvore the second turned his head downward towards the people at the bottom of the stairs, and Victor gulped at having the King's attention so close at hand. “Cousin, you have been away from us for far too long. You have always had a place among us, and it has been empty too long. More than that though I need your advice now more than ever. Come, join your family, join your comrades, and more importantly, join your friends.” Victor just figured out who the King was looking at when he felt Nim's hand come to rest on his shoulder. Theodrik Theromvore held out his hand towards Nim and motioned him forward. “Some of you may know him as Nim Mithriannil, but most do not know that his given name at birth was Nimus Theromvore son of my aunt Natalia Theromvore who later married a wealthy merchant named Pierre Mithriannil.” Nim's hand involuntarily clenched as the King let this knowledge become public, in fact it was information that Nim had never given to Victor either. He didn't like not knowing things, as Nim reminded him often, it's the information that you didn't get that can get you killed.
One instant he had been standing amongst the crowd at the bottom of the steps the next he found himself being pushed up the steps by the pressure on his shoulder. Every head in the room turned to the two figures climbing the stairs, and Victor was sure, most of the eyes were not on his companion. Keeping his head straight, and his wits sharp Victor matched Nim's pace up the stairs so that he wasn't being pushed along by Nim in a disgraceful manner. Victor was glad when Nim removed his hand from his shoulder when they were about halfway up the stairs, because it said that Nim trusted him to do what was needed to be done without coaching.
“My Lord” Nim said, and Victor bowed in the same manner at the same time as his mentor. “I am honored to have earned your attention.” Victor felt himself being summed up by all the eyes in the room, but it was the ones in front of him that weighed the most upon his psyche. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see both the knights and the Mages looking at him, and he could feel the noose tightening around his neck. It was the appraising looks he was getting from the royal family that was making his hair stand on end though. The prince's and the princess seemed to be somewhere between considering him a threat and elation at finding out they had a young child in their family they didn't know about. The Queen had a look of recognition in her eye that Victor couldn't quite place. It was the look he was getting from the Royal Advisors Analya Theromvore and Lagelion Daystar that really confused him though. He couldn't quite place the look in her eye, he thought it was somewhere near hope, which didn't make sense in the least. Lagelion however had a look of worry carefully concealed with his stoic Elven features, but visible to someone who knew what to look for, as Nim had trained Victor to do.
“Come, Join us, we have much to discuss later.”
“Yes, I hope my advice can aid you in the times to come.” Victor knew there was a by-play going on between the two, hinting towards more things that Victor didn't seem to know about. If he wouldn't have been scared to show any emotion in front of any of these people he would have frowned, he almost did in spite of it all. They took their place with the other adviser, and Victor tried to move behind Nim so that he wasn't in plain sight, it wasn't good habit for someone who has made his life as a thief to be visible. Nim's hand coming back down on his shoulder, placing him slightly in fro
nt of himself, destroying any hope for Victor's peace of mind.
“Good, now that our assemblage is complete on to the matters at hand. Let it be known that on the Fifteenth day of the Month of Preparation that Theodrik Theromvore the third who is now of an age to command will be given Captainship over the fourth company of the Three Twenty Third.” Acting as if this was the first he had heard of this, Theodrik the third embraced his father and saluted his commanders. The Three Twenty Third was the Third Battalion in the Second Brigade of the Third Division. One of the things the Third Division was known for was reliability, that was probably because that is where most of the soldiers who were getting older got sent. It's said by some that the Third Division is for washed up has-been soldiers, but according to Nim, four out of five soldiers who have been able to walk off a battlefield in the last thousand years have been from the third division. Old soldiers have been in war, they know how to kill, and more importantly they know how to survive while killing. By putting him in charge of one of the companies of the Three Twenty Third the King and the commanders were giving him troops that would follow intelligent orders and would also tell him if he's being an idiot, and not as politely as your supposed to tell an officer such a thing. The most important thing though, is they would keep the prince alive, and would each die before the prince. Victor was nodding to himself when he noticed High Commander Cantel watching him with a knowing smile.
“That is not all of the good news I have about my son though!” The King intoned loudly as to silence the chatter that had once again started up. “I have been in discussions with his Royal Majesty Gertrude Helmenvier of Tien'Dier about a very important matter. Since King Helmenvier's last visit to our wonderful city all my son seems to be able to talk about is his Majesty's second daughter Tara.” At this quiet chuckling broke out amongst the crowd and the prince had enough sense to look embarrassed. “Gertrude also told me that his daughter was similarly infatuated, so we came to an agreement. So, without further ado I would like to introduce my son's betrothed Princess Tara Nichole Helmenvier.”
Victor Deus (Heritage of the Blood Book 1) Page 21
