Tears of War

by A. D. Trosper

  Lalani turned her eyes back on Kalila. “I am well-versed in running a successful nation. As a strong Spirit mage, I will also be able to sense the emotions in a room and within a specific person at close range. I will be able to tell if someone is lying to you.” She glanced briefly at Toren. “In the event of a visit by Shadow Riders that is above the abilities of the mages—and it will be—I can send for help. I am not a Dragon Rider so I cannot send direct thoughts. However, I can send the sense of need to either of the two Silver Riders, bringing help to Markene in a matter of moments.”

  Kellinar clapped Toren on the shoulder. “I told you she would be well protected. Against everyone.”

  Toren swallowed and eyed the mages nervously. “I guess she will be.”

  “Shryden and I will stay until tomorrow morning after you have made Kalila queen. Then we’ll give you a lift to Galdrilene.”

  Toren frowned. “Who is Shryden?”

  Kellinar pointed at the blue dragon filling a good portion of the courtyard. “My dragon.”

  “And you want me to ride on him?” Toren’s eyes were wide.

  Kellinar chuckled. “It won’t be that bad. Perhaps for now you should figure out where all of these people are supposed to sleep.” He frowned and glanced around. “Where is the rest of your family?”

  “I had them all stay in their rooms with guards at their doors.” He motioned everyone into the keep. “Once everyone is settled, I will have them come out.”

  Within an hour, Toren had his possessions moved from his apartments in the east wing of the castle and several beds brought in. Kalila chose to share the group of rooms with the six other mages. She didn’t say anything, but the occasional glimpses of fear Kellinar saw in her eyes told him she didn’t want to sleep alone.

  More beds were brought up and placed in the rooms across the hall for the Defenders. They would never be far from her. Kellinar felt she would be safe. Well, as safe as anyone was with Shadow Riders in the world.

  He collapsed in the large, comfortable bed in the room given to him for the night on the same floor as Kalila’s apartments. Exhaustion flooded him as he laid his head on the large, soft pillow. Despite feeling incredibly tired, Kellinar lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. He had spent the past week in Galdrilene and found his missed Anevay’s soft body next to his. In the same week he’d been separated from Taela and he missed her next to him as much. He exhaled and wondered when the day would come when they could all be together again. The night dragged on for several hours before he finally found sleep.

  Kalila woke with a start and sat up, her heart pounding as she looked up. Only the ceiling. No Ranit perched on a ledge, staring at her with empty eyes.

  A hand touched hers as Lalani leaned over the bed. “You are among friends.”

  She blinked a few times, trying to remember where she was. That’s right, she was in Markene. Early morning light crept around the edges of the heavy curtains hung at the windows. Windows heavily guarded by wards made by Katian with linked powers of the mages.

  She lay back against the pillows as Lalani pulled away and glided from the bed, listening to the others stirring in the next room. She wasn’t alone. Kalila took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Damn the Fates for allowing Sadira to infect her dreams.

  Kalila swung her feet over the side of the wide bed and stretched. Today Markene would have a queen for the first time in its history, and in all likelihood, many hands would turn against her. There was always the possibility some would accept her, but she didn’t hold out a lot of hope.

  It didn’t matter. She had protection and it had to be done. Markene would fall apart without a firm hand. A couple of years ago, Kalila would never have dreamed that hand would be hers. The last time Kalila had seen her home, she’d been fifteen. With her coming out ball over, she’d had several men vying for her hand. Beautiful dresses and picking the right husband from among her father’s approved selections had consumed her thoughts. Now at seventeen, she stood ready to take control of the nation, ready to take her father’s place. The girl Kalila had once been was destroyed and the woman that had been forged in the Kormai now took her place—her beauty marred with so many scars, no man would ever want her again.

  Not that it mattered. If she never took a husband she didn’t care. All of the things that had mattered before no longer held any importance. Her light blue tower robes were more than adequate. Fancy dresses no longer had the allure they once had.

  Kalila slid off the bed and walked to the wash basin to rinse away the sleep from her face. After running a brush through her hair she pulled the sides up. With quick twists of her wrists, she wound the front section of her hair into a neat bun on her head, leaving the rest to fall in honey-blonde waves down her back.

  She stared at her reflection in the mirror. The wide, ropy scars that ran down the one side of her face and onto her neck were clearly visible with her hair pulled up. People would just have to deal with it. Kalila stood for a moment longer, gazing into her own blue eyes. They looked the same, but there was a hardness to them now of innocence lost. She searched for any hint of the girl who had laughed and danced without a care in the world. After several long moments she looked away. There was no sign of that carefree person.

  Lalani gazed at her from across the room. “It does not do to mourn the past and what was lost. You need to be strong and face forward. How do you expect to see the blade coming at your front if you insist on looking behind you?”

  Startled, Kalila turned to the woman. “I thought mages weren’t able to read thoughts.”

  The Spirit mage gave a slight shake of her head. “It is true, I cannot see into your mind. However, I can sense your mourning and easily read where it comes from. Reading people is what I do.”

  Kalila looked back at the mirror. Lalani was right. Such was life, it moved on. She mentally pulled away from her past and what might have been and turned to face the here and now.

  Kalila pulled the light blue robe of the Tower of Air and Water over her head then buckled the belt, a shade darker than the robe, loosely around her waist. She looked up as Katian strolled in.

  The older woman smiled. “You have a big day today.”

  “I know.” Some of the worry she felt must have filtered into her voice.

  Katian patted her shoulder. “Your tower sisters will be with you every step of the way.”

  Kalila smiled back and pushed her nerves away until they were nothing but a small ball in her stomach. She couldn’t let any of it show today. If there was any hope of letting everyone know their new queen was not to be trifled with, they could see nothing but calm confidence.

  A soft knock on the door made her turn. She glanced into the adjoining room to make sure everyone was dressed before calling out, “Come.”

  The door swung open part way and a Defender looked around it, his sharp blue eyes sweeping the room. “Your brother is here to see you, my queen.”

  Taken aback, she shook her head. “You are Defenders of Galdrilene; I am not your queen.”

  He bowed his head slightly. “With respect, we swore fealty to you until such time as you send us back to Galdrilene, be that today or years from now.”

  Her brow furrowed. “What about your duty to Galdrilene?”

  “You are our duty to Galdrilene. We go where we are needed most and this is where we are needed. Hemmen had us swear fealty to you. He wanted no misunderstanding that our first duty is to you for the honor of Galdrilene. No matter what happens here, you will be our queen and commander until you release us from our oath.”

  Kalila controlled the surprise and the overwhelming love she felt for those in Galdrilene. “Thank you. Will you please send my brother in?”

  The guard stepped back and her brother came into the room. Toren glanced back at the door as it shut behind him. “They take their duties seriously, don’t they?”

  Kalila smiled. “There are none more loyal than the people you will find in Galdrilene.�
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  He nodded but said nothing as he glanced at the mages behind her and she knew he worried about his future there. He pushed his hand through his sandy hair and took a deep breath, his green eyes steady on hers. “Everything is ready. People are already arriving. They know they are coming for something important and attendance is required, but they don’t know the reason for it.”

  “So early?” Her nerves tried to rise up again and she shoved them back down.

  He smiled the familiar crooked smile she’d grown up seeing. He was barely a year older than her and they’d always been close. To see him now, a king and soon to be a Dragon Rider, made pride well up in her. Toren would find everything he needed in Galdrilene to grow into the man he was meant to be. “There will be a feast afterward, so there is no reason to worry about the morning meal. No sense putting it off.”

  Kalila took a deep breath and let it out slow. “I guess you’re right.”

  He held out his arm to her. “Would you be so kind as to accompany me, my queen?”

  She took his arm and gave him a small smile. “I will make you proud, brother.”

  He reached for the handle on the door and pulled it open. “I know you will.”

  They made a procession down the corridor. Five Defenders in front with the mages following directly behind Kalila and Toren. Another fifteen Defenders brought up the rear. As they passed one of the doors, Kellinar fell into step on the other side of Kalila.

  When they reached the throne room, Kalila saw more Defenders lining the walls mixed with palace guards who looked at the Defenders with distrust and confusion. Kellinar hung back near the side door they had entered from. Toren sat in the throne on the dais and Kalila stood to his right, one hand on the back of the chair. Her mother and five remaining sisters stood on the steps to the dais. Her mother had hugged her fiercely when they finally met again but she hadn’t uttered a word.

  She stood staring with empty eyes. Kalila knew her mother must be devastated by the loss of her husband; even so, life went on. One couldn’t walk around in a catatonic state. Now Kalila saw where Larna and Drisa had gotten the trait to just shut down and stop fighting.

  Slowly, the room filled as nobles dressed in their best filed in. Quiet, nervous conversation filled the hall and tension hung thick in the air. It only took Kalila a moment to understand why. Surely everyone in the city had seen Shryden land the day before. She was used to the sight of the dragons, but it must have caused chaos in the city.

  Gasps replaced the murmured conversation in the room as the assembled nobles and their wives caught sight of Kalila. Several sideways glances were sent her mother’s way. Understandable, since Kalila stood where her mother should have until Toren selected a wife. This wouldn’t be the last of their surprises this morning.

  When the big doors at the end of the room swung shut, Toren stood and the room fell silent as everyone bowed low. When they stood, Toren inclined his head a fraction. “Thank you for coming promptly. There is an announcement of great importance to be made.

  “As I am sure you are well aware, a dragon landed here yesterday.” Tension filled the room to the breaking point as everyone seemed to hold their breath. Toren continued, “It appears the legends that have been passed down for so many generations are only partially true. Galdrilene is not a crumbling ruin. It is in fact a thriving nation.”

  Whispers ran through those gathered and Toren let it run for a moment before raising his voice to get their attention. “The dragons of Galdrilene are called Guardians. It is their duty to protect and help.”

  Kalila watched disbelief cloud the faces in the room.

  “Some of those legends were unfortunately true. There are black dragons. They and their riders are everything our legends told of.”

  The fear in the room thickened. Kalila glanced at Lalani. Outside of a slight furrow between the mage’s pale eyes, her face remained impassive. Toren took a deep breath. “Another thing our legends were wrong about is magic. It does not drive the user insane.”

  “How can you know this?” Kalila recognized Haden’s voice. He stood at the front, his muddy brown eyes full of distrust and anger. “Are you taking the word of whoever came with that dragon?”

  “Do not speak out of turn Lord Haden.” Toren scowled at the man. “I am not trusting the word of the man who came with the dragon. I am trusting the word of my sister, Kalila, who thankfully has been returned to us. She has seen the black dragons and their riders. Our half-sister, Sadira, is one of them. The scars you see on my sister’s face are the work of Sadira.”

  Kalila lifted her chin as all eyes turned on her.

  “She has also been to Galdrilene. Kalila can use magic.”

  A collective gasp went up as the crowd pressed back. Toren ignored their reaction. “I can also use magic. More than that, I have been called to hatch a dragon.”

  Kalila shook her head slightly. If they moved back anymore, they would crush the people at the back of the room.

  “As such,” Toren continued without pause, “I am required to step down as the King of Markene. I cannot perform my duties to Markene and reside in Galdrilene at the same time.”

  All of the nobles began to talk at once, looking at one another fearfully. Lord Haden alone stepped forward, brushing his collar length brown hair back. “Then who will be king?” he asked, triumph in his eyes.

  Toren leveled a look at him. “As the sitting King of Markene and holding the throne by right of inheritance, by the laws of this nation, I have the right to name my successor.”

  Haden squared his shoulders and took another step forward. Apparently his desire for the crown overruled his fear of magic and dragons. The crowd behind him leaned forward, all eyes flickering between Toren and Haden.

  Toren drew himself up and Kalila felt a warm rush of pride. He looked so much like their father at that moment. His eyes swept over the gathered nobles. “My sister, Kalila, will assume my station. Markene now has a queen.”

  Amid more gasps and shocked stares, Toren stepped away from the throne, removed his crown and set it on the seat. Ignoring the rumblings of outrage, Kalila stepped forward, picked the crown up and placed its heavy weight on her head. Toren knelt to one knee, “My queen.”

  Lord Haden lurched forward, the veins in his face standing out. “You can’t do this! A woman on the throne? Markene doesn’t have a queen!” The formal speech of court fell away as he took three more steps toward the dais, his hands clenched into fists at his side. “Markene will be in shambles. No one will accept it!”

  As he approached another step, Defenders moved to block his path. Kalila glared at him. “Toren was well within his rights to appoint me to the throne. It mentions nothing of male or female in the law.”

  Haden’s face turned redder. Maybe she should have brought a Healing mage as well; he was going to burst a vessel somewhere if he kept this up. “That the appointed to the throne is male is implied in the law!” he spat.

  This was a make or break moment. If she wavered even in the slightest, the confused nobles in the room would side with Haden and she would lose the throne. Kalila pulled herself up and looked down her nose at him with an icy stare. “Implied or not, it is not specified. I am a direct blood line to the throne. I am sorry that you hoped to wrest control of Markene, but it will not happen.”

  She looked up and swept the room with the same hard look. “I am my father’s daughter and I have every right to assume this position. It is according to law and by the wishes of my brother, the former king.”

  “But…” Another lord’s voice rang out. “We have never been ruled by a queen. The people will revolt.”

  Kalila shook her head. “Because something has never been done before in this nation, does not mean that it cannot be done. Change comes to our world whether we like it or not. Shadow Dragons ride the dawn. Sadira will bring them here. She is more powerful than you can imagine and the magic she uses is twisted and evil. I have no wish to see Markene fall to her or see a
ny of you placed in the agony I suffered at her hands. I will not back down. I will not allow Markene to fall,” she dropped her gaze to Haden’s face, “and I will not stand by and allow this nation to be ran into the ground.”

  She looked again at the other man who’d spoken. “As far as the people, how they react depends largely on you. If the nobles accept it, the people will. If you do not accept it, you run the risk of them supporting me and turning on you. If it is a gamble you wish to accept, then by all means, take it. Remember though, commoners are often far more accepting of change than you are. Their lives are ever in flux and change must be embraced by them. They care more of feeding their families and keeping a roof over their heads. They have no time for the petty intrigues that plague the lives of pampered nobles with too much time on their hands.”

  More murmurs ran through the gathered people and worried looks filled more than one face. She’d struck a chord with them. Did they really want to take a chance on the preferences of the people? Kalila had always been a much loved daughter of the king by the people. They had adored her as child, loved her as a young woman, and mourned her loss when she went missing.

  Haden tried to leap forward and was stopped by the Defenders who wrestled him to his knees. Kalila stepped down from the dais and approached Haden. He glared up at her. She kept her face smooth as she gave him a frosty look. “I will give you this one chance to swear your fealty to your new queen. If you do not, I will be forced to exile you since I would not be able to trust you.” Not that she had any intention of ever trusting him.