Blood-Stained Heir (Ascent Archives Book 1)

by T. Norman

Silence found no relief as they ate their meal. When he was finished, Tyrell rose from his seat and left the hall without acknowledging his father.

  He had his swordsmanship training in the yard. Without thought he went through the actions, letting his mind wander as his body did the basic movements. He was often whacked on his knuckles, legs, and arms by his instructor as his thoughts drifted through his most recent readings.

  Before he knew it he was leaving the yard with several new bruises, but finally able to return to his studies.

  In his room he quickly removed his leather and made his way back to the library. When he opened the large doors he was shocked to see his father standing at his desk flipping through the pages of a book.

  "I had this room built just for your mother," Hugh mused. Tyrell had never seen his father set foot in this room before. "She spent so much time in here, reading and studying."

  "Everyone says that I’m more like Mom than you." Tyrell was thankful for that.

  "Ever since your mom disappeared you've been spending all your time in here. Don't think I haven't noticed." Hugh walked away from the desk toward his son. "What are you looking for?"

  Tyrell wasn't ashamed of his research, but knew his father would see it as foolish. "I'm searching for clues to where Mother went." He cast his view aside.

  Lord Hugh let out a sigh. "I figured as much. She's gone, you need to accept that.”

  Lady Gloria Inglest had been traveling back from Gold Pass, where she was visiting her daughter, when her wagon was attacked. Everyone in the caravan was killed and burned, but there was no sign of her remains. Lord Hugh and the rest of the kingdom believed she died in the attack, but not Tyrell.

  "They never found her remains. We don't know that she didn't get away." Tyrell was determined to find his mother alive.

  "All the bodies were burned. We don't know that she wasn’t there."

  Tyrell hated discussing his mother's fate with his father, as it always made him upset. "And we don't know that she was. Am I hurting anyone with my research?" Tyrell clenched his fists in anger.

  "You are hurting yourself, which hurts me. When I die you will inherit this castle, and I need you capable of doing so."

  "You think because I would rather read than play with swords I won't be a strong leader?" Tyrell couldn't stand his father's ignorance, "I can understand why Mom left." He felt the sting on his cheek before he knew what happened.

  Lord Hugh's hand was red from the slap. "Don't ever talk to me like that again. Your mother was killed, leave it at that." He stormed out of the library.

  Tyrell walked to the desk and threw the books from it in frustration. He sat with his head in his fists, infuriated by his father's comments.

  "Hey, Tyrell, what's wrong?" Tyrell looked up to see his lone friend standing in the door.

  "My idiot father, as always."

  Tomir Dow waddled into the room to approach Tyrell. "Parents are always like that. Don't let it get to you."

  What Tomir lacked in height he made up for in weight; Tyrell was thankful that he was not built like his friend. "I know. What are you doing here?" Tomir didn’t spend much time in the library, as his parents were both peasants and he was brought into the castle as a servant.

  "I came to see you." Tomir smiled at his friend.

  Tyrell appreciated his friend’s attempt to lift his spirits, even though he didn't want his spirits lifted. "I think I found what my mom was looking at.”

  “Oh, really?” Tomir exclaimed. “That’s good! What did you find?”

  “My mother had been reading books with stories about the brothers of old.” All children knew the tale of the three heroic brothers. Long ago in the realm of Draxos, wild beings call Mathox ruled the land. Citizens from across the realm fled in fear for their lives. Death and destruction were all the future held until the day the three Barrow brothers formed an army powerful enough to push the Mathox back into the Skirling Mountains from which they came. The oldest brother, Ansal, was the bravest soldier in all the land. He led the army against the Mathox. The middle brother, Dussel, was a cunning archer. Many believed he could move among the shadows and even make himself invisible to his foes. The youngest brother, Del, was the smartest of the three. He gave his life to reading and learning about the history of Draxos. In his studies, he uncovered ancient magic and was able to harness it to defeat the Mathox with his brothers.

  The brothers were able to surround the last of the Mathox in the Skirling pass. The Mathox leader, Ma Tu Hett, sent his men on one last charge to kill the brothers, but to no avail. Ma Tu Hett was forced to flee into the mountains, trapped by a powerful spell from the brothers. But after the battle was won and the Mathox defeated, the three brothers grew weary and resentful of each other. Ansal, in search of power, moved west of the Skirling Mountains and founded the kingdom of Ansaroth. He built the city on a system of mines and spent many years bringing the best smiths and armorers to Andarok, the new capital of Ansaroth, in order to build an army to increase his power. Dussel moved east of the Skirling Mountains to found the great city of Ellsdorf in his new kingdom Dusseldorf. Dussel brought with him artists and musicians from around the realm. He sought to bring peace and joy to all. Del took his books and went to the Dragon Tower on the Thoros Sea. Ansal and Dussel built their kingdoms to either side of the Skirling Mountains, in order to keep peace among each other but also to stay ready in case the Mathox returned.

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “I’m still working on that. Have you ever heard of the Barrow prophecy?”

  Tomir shook his head in confusion. “I know about the Barrow Brothers, but not a prophecy.”

  Tyrell expected as much, and explained, “The prophecy says that the Mathox will return to power, and when they do the brothers will return to defeat Ma Tu Hett, the leader of the Mathox, and his followers.”

  “Do you really believe that?”

  “There have been reports from all around Ansaroth of Mathox attacks,” Tyrell said. “They’re coming back. Why else would my mother search into this?”

  “I guess it makes sense, but how does it help find her?”

  “She was looking into this prophecy, too, and she had to have gone somewhere to look for answers. So that’s where I’ll go.” Tyrell was determined to find his mother alive.

  “Where’s that?”

  “Where all of this started,” Tyrell didn’t like the answer, but he knew it was his only choice. “The Skirling Pass.”

  Tyrell saw the messenger arrive at the castle through the library window. Shortly after, he was summoned to his father’s quarters, where he found his father reading a parchment unrolled across his desk.

  “Sit,” he commanded his son. Tyrell could tell that his father was upset. Tyrell complied without argument and sat down across from his father.

  “What news is there?”

  Lord Hugh looked at his son with dark eyes. “We have received news from Andarok; we are to gather all our able forces and march to Daleon. We’re going to war.”

  Tyrell was shocked by the news; they had been at peace for so long he didn’t expect a war. Lord Hugh continued. “With winter on its way, this puts us in a dangerous place. I am going to need you to stay here and keep watch over our lands.” Lord Hugh didn’t trust his son to run the castle, but he didn’t have many options.

  Suddenly a smile crept over Tyrell’s face. “Father, let me go as your envoy,” he said. “As your son, I can represent our people, letting you stay back and keep watch over our lands.”

  Lord Hugh sat back in shock. “You wish to take our men into battle? Why?” He cast a suspicious look at his newly helpful son.

  “I want to prove that I can be the leader you want me to be.” He stood as he spoke to reinforce his position. “Captain Fallan will lead the men while I will be the face of our family. You know that it’s more important that we prepare our lands for winter rather than fight this feud. Send me in your place so you can focus o
n the problems here.”

  Lord Hugh saw the boy’s reasoning. “If you insist, I will send you as my envoy,” he conceded. He rolled up the parchment and handed it to his son. “You leave in the morning; I will assign which men are leaving with you. We can’t spare a large force but it will be better than nothing.”

  Tyrell smiled and asked, “Can I bring Tomir with me? If I am to lead I would like someone with me I can trust.”

  “Fine, take the pig. He’s not needed here anyway.” Lord Hugh had very little respect for Tyrell’s friend. Tyrell bowed to his father and turned on his heels to leave his chambers. As he reached the door his father called out to him. “One more thing.” Tyrell turned to see his father sitting up and smiling at his son, “When you reach Gold Pass, you are to join our forces with theirs.”

  Tyrell clenched his fists at this news. “Only their men?” By the smile on his father’s face, he already knew the answer.

  “Yes.” He began to laugh. “They’re being led by their captain’s wife, however.”

  Tyrell slammed the door and stormed down the hallway. He might have taken after his mother, but his dear sister was every bit their father. See you soon, Amalia.

  18

  Carn and Don traveled mostly in uncomfortable silence. After three days straight of travel they came across the small town of Sweetwood.

  Carn knew the silence between the two couldn't last once they got into town. He took it upon himself to move forward. "If you expect an apology, you won't get it. I made my choice and I don't regret it."

  "I don't expect you to," Don replied solemnly. "You saved my life back there, so to me we’re even."

  Carn was shocked. His respect for Don had grown since they left Vendos.

  Letting the uneasiness fade, Carn said, "Let's head into town and find an inn. Hopefully we can find temporary work, too." He wasn't sure where they should go, but knew they needed to get as far away from Vendos as possible.

  "We shouldn't stay here long, we don't want to draw unwanted attention." Don was a bright man, a veteran soldier, and Carn valued his opinion.

  "I agree. Let's get to the inn and see what we can find."

  The two men rode into the small town, greeted by the smell of fish. Located between the Thoros and Fading seas, Sweetwood was in an ideal location for trade.

  In the center of town Carn and Don found the inn, the largest building around. They brought their horses to the stables behind the inn and then entered the building.

  Inside a few men sat by the hearth with drinks in their hands and the owner stood behind the counter, but otherwise the building was empty.

  Carn and Don approached the innkeeper. "My friend and I were looking to rent a room for the night. We also put our two horses in your stable outside." Carn knew there would be a stable fee, but figured he should start out on the innkeeper's good side.

  "Two silvers from both of you for the night, and one for the horses." Carn emptied his pocket and two silver coins and four bronze coins fell out.

  "I'm afraid this is all I have." He looked at Don to see if the man had anything he could contribute.

  "Are you in the market for a couple of horses?" Don asked the innkeeper.

  He shook his head. "I'm afraid not, but I tell you what, we have a group of messengers in town that might be interested. You can find them on the east end of town. Bring them down there and then come on back; we can make a deal after you've dealt with them."

  Carn was hesitant to give up the horses in case they were unable to find what they were looking for in town, but right now they needed the money in order to eat and have somewhere to stay for the night. "Thank you," Carn said and left a bronze coin on the counter. "We’ll be back in a little while."

  As they were walking out, Carn noticed that one of the men at the hearth watching their every move.

  "I saw him as well," Don assured Carn. "We’ll have to keep an eye on him."

  "Thank you for your business."

  Carn and Don walked away from the sale of their horses unhappily. They were only able to get five silvers for both horses, but because they were desperate for money, they took what they could get.

  "Don't look, but one of the men from the inn is on our right," Don warned Carn as they made their way back to the inn.

  Carn was uneasy. Something wasn't right and they had just sold their means of escape. "Is he alone?"

  "It looks like it. He isn't trying to hide that he's watching us."

  They continued to walk back toward the inn, periodically checking to make sure the man watching them didn’t follow.

  At the inn, they went inside to find it empty except for the innkeeper. "I see you found your way back,” he called in greeting. “Let's get you set up with a room. Can I get you two some food?"

  Carn's stomach grumbled. He hadn't thought about how little they had eaten during their trip. "That would be great, thanks." He moved closer to the man before he asked his next question. "Those men that were in here earlier, do you know who they are?"

  The innkeeper shook his head. "The one is a local, he spends most of his time here. The other two I've never seen before. They left shortly after you did."

  Carn didn't like that answer. Something was off about these strange men, and they would need to keep their guard up.

  The innkeeper showed the two upstairs to a vacant room, passing two closed doors before reaching the room where they would be staying.

  "Thanks, we will be down shortly to eat," Don told the man as he left.

  "I don't think we should stay here long." Carn had spent a long time in the Royal Army and knew the king had spies everywhere.

  "I couldn't agree more. I’d like to get a warm meal in my stomach first." Don rose from his chair and began to head back downstairs. Carn followed him into the main room, where they took a seat at the bar.

  As the afternoon passed more and more patrons filled the inn, putting Carn on edge. At every sound of the door opening he would quickly turn around to see who was entering the inn. They had yet to see the two strange men who had been watching them earlier.

  Don sat and talked to a few locals, sharing stories and drink with them. Carn kept to himself, choosing instead to return to their room after dinner for some rest. As he opened the door he had a sudden pang of fear—someone was in the room with him.

  He slowly and silently began to reach for his sword, hanging on the edge of the bed.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice came from the darkness.

  "You’re the one who should be rethinking your choice," Carn retorted. This man couldn't be more than a dirty, lowly thief to lie in wait in the darkness.

  The man laughed at Carn's comment. "Confident are we?" he asked as a chair was pushed across the floor. Carn saw a match strike as the intruder lit a candle. It was the same man who had watched them leave the inn earlier that day. "I'm only here to talk, that's all."

  "Let's talk, then." Carn moved and lit another candle; he wanted a better view of this man. "Why have you been following us?"

  "You're a no-nonsense kind of guy, I see. I like that." He smiled. The man was tall and even though he was thin, his muscles were well defined. His tan skin accented his bleach-blond hair. "I hear you are looking for work?"

  It was Carn's turn to laugh. "That's why you followed us, because we’re looking for work?"

  “No, you caught my attention because you’re a soldier; I followed you because I think we can help each other.” The man stepped toward Carn and reached out his hand. “My name is Henrik Exeli.”

  “Carn Sharpe.” The two shook hands. This was the first time Carn had introduced himself without his military rank; it was a strange feeling. “Let’s talk.”

  “Before we do that, let’s get your friend up here.” Henrik walked toward the door and whistled down the hallway, closing the door and rejoining Carn. After a couple minutes, Carn could hear shuffling in the hallway. The door was flung open and Don collapsed onto the floor; Carn could tell h
e was drunk. A large man stumbled in behind him, closing the door and using it to support himself. He was drunk as well.

  “Carn, this is my friend Two Foot.” Henrik gestured toward the man blocking the door.

  “Don, this is Henrik.” Carn gestured from his friend on the floor to Henrik sitting in his chair.

  “Now that we’re all here, let’s talk.” Henrik gestured for Don to sit on the end of the bed, but he chose to simply roll over and lean up against the wall. “I believe we have mutual interests.”

  “My only interest is ale,” Two Foot burped as he spoke, wiping drool from his bearded face.

  “I know, Two Foot, and it seems like you might have to fight Don here for that, but I am talking about our other business.” He turned back to Carn, the man he wanted to talk to. “We’re gathering fighters. A few friends of ours were captured by some city guard and we’re looking to break them out.”

  Carn’s suspicions held true. He figured that whatever work entailed, it would be violent. “You think four of us will be enough?”

  “Absolutely not. I’ve got a crew waiting.” Henrik spoke calmly, sounding completely confident in his plan.

  Carn scratched his chin in thought. “What’s the pay?” He knew Don would agree with whatever he chose to do.

  “Three silvers each.” It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing, “But if you survive and our mission is successful, you’ll both get three more.”

  Six silvers each. Carn could tell Henrik wasn’t one to bargain, so he didn’t even bother trying. “What do you think, Don?”

  Don’s head fell forward, shooting back up as he stopped himself from dozing off. “I’m in, but only if you pay me in ale.”

  Henrik laughed at the man’s response. “We can arrange that.” He turned toward Carn, waiting for an answer. “So what do you think? Do we have a deal?”

  Carn stood and reached his hand forward. “We’re in.”

  Henrik shot up with a beaming smile on his face. “Good! We leave at first light; you two might want to get some sleep tonight.” He shook hands with Carn and walked toward the door. As Two Foot opened the door and began to leave, Henrik paused, “I hope neither of you get seasick.” With that, he turned and left Carn alone with his drunken friend.