The False Prince (Fall Of A King Book 1)

by Fuller, James

  Lepha threw his arms up in the air in frustration as he stood from his chair. "More damage is being done every day that we do not act. Who knows what this Wizard is doing right now - he could be killing others as we speak. I say we go there and we kill him."

  "How will you find him?" Ursa replied casually.

  The question seemed to throw everyone in the room off.

  "What do you mean, how will I find him?" Lepha asked. "Look for the man who looks like Prince Berrit."

  "He has mastered a form of the Gift that has allowed him to alter his appearance. What makes you believe he cannot change himself into someone else? You would never know who it is," Ursa reminded them.

  Lepha sat back in his seat, a look of respect and contemplation on his face. "I had not thought of that, Ursa, that statement holds much truth."

  "Then, what are we supposed to do?" Barkel, Dragon's Coves Champion asked. "If he can change his appearance we may never be able to track him down."

  "We will send assassins," Uveal cut in. "Several of them so they have a better chance. We will inform them of what to be aware of and what the situation is, that is what they are trained for."

  "Assassins?" Antiel laughed aloud.

  "I do not hear you offering a better plan," Uveal shot back.

  "Yes, well, assassins are outlaws and to be arrested if their identities are confirmed," she replied. "I do not see reason using one evil to help take care of another."

  "Desperate times call for desperate measures," said Uveal, his tone not hinting any disapproval. "This is a unique circumstance, and our options are few."

  "As much as it pains me to do so, I must agree with Uveal," Lady Jewel said, her eyes glistening with inner conflict.

  Antiel nearly fell backward from her chair. "You cannot be serious?" she stammered out, forgetting to address Jewel by her rank.

  Jewel sighed, "Desperate times call for desperate measures," she echoed with a shake of her head, then looked directly at Uveal, "I do not like it any more than you, but if it is necessary, then I will permit it."

  "I may have a solution to this problem," Ursa announced. "I have been thinking this over for many days now, wondering about this very problem." Everyone stopped and waited for him to explain. "I remember a story my old mentor Solmis, told to me of a rare, enchanted relic he had acquired after saving a strange man's life. It was a very old, simple dagger - I recall seeing it but once. The quality was poor and it looked to be of little worth, yet when held you could feel the power within the blade. The man claimed the blade could filter through the falsehoods of deception and see what was hidden behind. I believe this relic may be the instrument we need."

  "Can you be sure it will work?" Lepha asked, hope hanging in his every word.

  Ursa's grim expression was more than enough to answer. "I cannot be certain, all I know for sure is when I held the blade I could feel its power. I cannot even be certain Solmis still has the relic. But if he does, it may be our best chance at ensuring we find our enemy and his accomplice."

  "That does not give us much to go with, now does it?" Barkel grumbled. "A magical dagger, that may or may not even work for what we need it to. Not to mention, we do not even know if the dagger exists, or if it has been lost to time. I do not like it."

  "It is not much to go with, but I suppose it is better than what we have come up with so far." Antiel shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

  "Where does Solmis live?" Lady Jewel asked.

  "Apologies, my Lady, but I cannot tell you his whereabouts," Ursa replied, his hands held out in apology. "Solmis is a very private man, and does not like strangers knowing how to find him."

  "This is absurd!" roared Barkel. "This is Lord Marcus' lands and he has the right to know who lives upon it!"

  Lady Jewel held up her hand and silenced the Dragon's Cove Champion. "Take what you need. How long will you be gone?"

  "I shall return within the week," Ursa replied, standing from his seat. "I shall leave immediately."

  "I shall have an escort waiting by the gate, to take you out of the city so you are not delayed or recognized," Jewel said.

  "What if you do not return in time?" Uveal asked.

  "Then do as you must," replied Ursa.

  "I shall pray each night that it does not come to that, Ursa," Lady Jewel replied. "But if it does, we will send the assassins." Ursa nodded his understanding.

  Ursa turned to leave but stopped and faced the group again. "I would ask a small favor of Antiel and Lepha, if I may." Jewel nodded. "While I am away, will you see to my apprentice, Meath, and continue with his training. It would serve him well to be occupied while I am gone." Ursa glanced at the Princess for but a moment, but no one noticed. Both Wizards nodded their agreement and Ursa thanked them before leaving the room.

  "This meeting is adjourned. We shall resume our normal tasks until the time given for us to make a decision," Lady Jewel said, standing from her seat as the others nodded their respects and left, until only Nicolette remained. "I am sorry for this, my child, but you are needed for these proceedings now. You are the Queen of Draco Kingdom now, and you need to bear witness to all the events which take place within it."

  Nicolette smiled up at her , "I know Aunt, I am just overwhelmed and not prepared for all this."

  "I know, my dear girl, I know. How could you be? It will be all right - we are all here to help you, until you are ready to take full control of the kingdom. Then the process of finding a suitable suitor will come next, someone who has nobility to become a king."

  The last words out of her aunt's mouth turned Nicolette's stomach and her aunt must have noticed.

  "That is a long way off my child. I am sorry for bringing it up - that was foolish of me. I was not thinking clearly."

  "It is all right - it is something that will have to come to pass sooner or later," Nicolette replied, fighting the sick feeling inside her. "It is all just so much, with father's murder, our mad flight here and the false Prince pretending to be Berrit, the man to whom I was meant to wed. I just… I just am so… so very lost." Nicolette looked up at her aunt, who returned her gaze with compassion. "I do not believe I am ready to be the Queen of Draco Kingdom - I do not know if I ever was."

  "Hush child, do not say such things." Jewel embraced her tightly. "You are just under a lot of strain and your world has changed so drastically… so quickly. It is to be expected that you feel such things, but do not allow it to take firm hold. You are the Queen of Draco, and you will be a magnificent Queen. One who will be loved and remembered forever, like your father is and will always be." Jewel pulled away to look at Nicolette. "Relax my child, Lord Tundal and Lord Dagon and I, along with Ursa will see to the running of Draco Kingdom until things have settled down and you feel you are ready to take your rightful place on the throne. Until then, grieve and mourn and find yourself again."

  Nicolette embraced her aunt tightly. "Thank you, I am sure after some time I will be able to clear my thoughts and know what I need to do."

  A ruckus outside drew both their attentions to the window. "What is going on out there?" Lady Jewel asked, looking out the open window by which Nicolette had been sitting.

  *****

  "We were told to stay within the castle's walls, Dahak!" Zehava argued sternly.

  "So what, we are just to leave her out there, alone and helpless on her own, in a strange new place full of folks that hate her kind?" Dahak shot back, his temper flaring at his friends.

  "We understand the situation, Dahak - we do not like it any more than you do, but our situation is still in peril outside these walls for the moment." Meath interjected.

  "No, your situation is in peril outside these walls," Dahak barked back. "No one knows me; no one cares about who I am. I am not the one who has a bounty on his head!"

  "Dahak, listen…" Zehava tried to say.

  "No, you listen. I left her out there - it is my fault she is not here with us now. It is my fault she might already be dead out there!" Dahak eye
s brimmed with tears of guilt.

  "I am sure she is fine for now," Meath replied, finally seeing what was really bothering his friend. "She is a smart girl…she has survived in more hostile environments most her life."

  Dahak looked both his friends hard in their eyes. "Would it be different if it were me? If I was the one lost out there, would you just leave me out there and not even try?" His voice was shaky as he did his best to keep his voice calm.

  "Of course not!" Zehava answered. "You are like a brother - of course we would come in search for you."

  "But Shania is different?" He mused back at them. "Expendable because she is not one of us? She risked everything! Her own life even, to help us in that camp and this is how we repay that debt?"

  Both Meath and Zehava hung their heads, ashamed of themselves - Dahak was right.

  "That is not what we meant," Meath said, having a hard time meeting his normally meek friend's gaze.

  "I understand why you could not come, Meath - you have a bounty on your head that word has yet to lift. Zehava and I do not. We should be out there searching for her."

  "You are right, my friend," Zehava replied, his voice coated in shame.

  Dahak turned back to the small gateway that would lead to the large courtyard so that they could leave the castle walls and into the city. "I need to pass by," he said calmly to the two guards who barred the gate.

  "As heartfelt as your plight is, we have our orders - you are not to leave the castle grounds." One of the guards said.

  "Let me pass!" Dahak said more firmly, his glare sharp.

  "Not without new orders from Lady Jewel," the other guard said, squaring his shoulders and firming his jaw in case there was an incident.

  Dahak's hand touched the hilt of his short sword, more out of instinct than desire. Meath saw the look in the guard's eyes at seeing such a threatening move, and stepped forward to intervene.

  "What is going on here!" the stern voice of Lady Jewel asked from behind the group.

  "I want out," Dahak answered back, his voice matching her sternness. "So I can look for our friend."

  "I have sent several people out this morning to look for someone of her description, or for any news anyone might have about her," Jewel replied. "You must give it time - I am sure by the end of the day we will have some news or if the Creator graces it, she will be found and brought back here."

  "She is not going to be in open sight…she will hide, because she is afraid and lost," Dahak told her, his tone softening a little.

  "He makes a good point," Zehava added. "Not to mention there are thousands of new faces in the city, I am sure several will match her description. Even if we cannot see her, she may see us."

  Jewel stood there a little shocked by the fact that they did not back down after her reply. Yet she could not deny the logic in their words. "I shall make you a deal then. You give my men until the morrow, if no news comes, then I shall allow you two to go in search for her."

  Dahak begrudgingly agreed, than he stormed off.

  Zehava sighed, "I have never seen him like this - he is taking this a lot harder than I would have expected. I will go try to calm him down."

  "Thank you for that, it will mean a lot to him," Meath said, once he and Lady Jewel were alone.

  "I normally would not have taken such impudence, but I understand him, as the rest of you have been through a lot recently and so I shall overlook it this time," Jewel replied calmly. "But I am glad I have found you, Meath - you are to go see Master Ursa in the royal stables immediately."

  The sables were warm and musky with the smell of fresh horse manure as Meath entered. Several fine beasts welcomed him with soft whinnies in hopes that he was there to take them for a ride. Two stable hands were busily readying a brown and white spotted mare, for what appeared to be a extensive journey.

  "I was almost afraid I would not see you before I left." Ursa came up from behind Meath. He was carrying two bundles wrapped in a heavy cloth. The larger one contained several loaves of flat bread, biscuits and dried meats - the other, smaller, damp one carried a medium sized block of goat's cheese.

  "You are leaving? Why?" Meath asked, his face flooding with confusion.

  Ursa placed the cloth bundles into his saddlebag and tightened the leather flap. "Yes, I will be gone for a week. I need to go see Solmis - he may have something we will need to defeat our enemy."

  "I shall saddle a horse quickly and come with you." Meath turned to find one of the stable hands, but stopped when Ursa's hand rested on his shoulder.

  "I shall be going alone, and I will have no arguments otherwise," Ursa says sternly. "While I am away Lepha and Antiel will be attending you with your training to keep you occupied until I return and can continue."

  "I do not understand why I cannot come with you," Meath argued, even thought Ursa had told him not to.

  Ursa climbed onto his mare and set himself in the saddle. "Meath, do as I have said, I shall return in fortnight, perhaps less." Ursa urged his horse forward and out of the stable towards the gates where a group of armed men awaited to escort him out of the city.

  Meath watched Ursa ride off through the large gateway, regret holding his breath as he watched him leave.

  *****

  It was midday in Dragon Cove and the main market place was busy with activity. With the thousands of extra folk that were in and around the city, merchants were eager to peddle their wares at better prices than their competitors. The extra population within the city brought about extra activity among the thieves and cutpurses, who mingled within the crowd picking out easy marks for their underhanded trade.

  "You will be pleased to know that I have heard news of your one friend who abandoned you at the tavern," Barnaby said, while he casually walked through the center of the marketplace, displaying an air of arrogance in his demeanor.

  "Tell me what you know!" Shania asked eagerly, being sure to keep her hood shadowing her face. Barnaby assured her that inside the thieves' compound that her half-bred heritage would cause her little concern, but they were no longer in the compound and so caution was necessary.

  Barnaby smiled with pride at her. "It is not a lot of information, but it may be useful." Barnaby offhandedly bumped into a well-dressed man as if by mistake, his hand quickly relieving the man of his coin purse on his belt. "My pardons, sir; I was looking not where my feet where taking me."

  "No harm done, sir," the man replied, tipping his hat and continuing on completely unaware of what had just transpired.

  Shania was impressed by how smoothly Barnaby had moved and how easily he had removed the man's purse without incident.

  "Where was I?" Barnaby continued, slipping the purse underneath his dark blue tunic. "Ah yes, your friend. Well, as it turns out your friend, what was his name again?"

  "Dahak," Shania replied, getting closer to Barnaby to avoid running into a passing group.

  "Yes, Dahak, apparently he did not return to the barracks he was stationed at after his first day was over. Nor was he there in the morning when training began."

  Shania frowned, but no one, not even Barnaby could see it from beneath her hood's shadow. "That not much help."

  "No, it is not, but I heard another piece of information as well that was even more interesting. Apparently there was a disturbance in the castle last night." Barnaby stopped, allowing two finely dressed ladies to pass in front of him. He bowed his head respectfully with a charming grin, causing the two women to blush.

  "What does that have to do with my friends?" Shania asked, rolling her eyes at his attempt to charm the ladies.

  Barnaby gestured that they carry on. "Maybe nothing, maybe everything. Do you not find it odd that the same night your friend goes missing is the same night there was something amiss within the castle? Not to mention your other friends were no longer at The Nails Edge tavern you said they had stayed at. Word is, they left with a group of soldiers toward the castle early yesterday morning." Barnaby stopped again and turned to look har
d at Shania. He could see her eyes from beneath the shadow of her hood. "I am no fool and I am getting the sense that you and your ‘friends' are up to something, and I doubt I really want to get involved. I already have enough blades at my back, I need not add royal ones." He looked around to be sure no one was paying them any attention. "You saved Keisha's life and for that I thank you, but I truly cannot afford any more trouble. It would be my guess that your friends are somewhere in the castles dungeon, meaning there is nothing more you or I can do." He continued walking towards a shady looking vendor's booth. "But there is one more kindness I can do for you before we part ways."

  Before Shania could say anything, they were standing in front of the shady weapon vendor's booth. Several others browsed the dealer's wares, but with little interest for the cheaply crafted bronze blades, kataras and other concealable hand weapons.

  "Ah, welcome," the rat-faced vendor said, a wide rotten toothy grin on his face. "You like what you see, yes?" He spread his hands over his shameful wares.

  Barnaby picked up a small bronze dagger and frowned at the vendor disappointedly. "I see nothing of worth, which makes me believe my sources were wrong in telling me you had quality wares." He tossed the dagger down on the bench with a sigh. "Unless you have something of value to show me, I shall take my silver elsewhere." Barnaby pulled out the purse he had stolen earlier and jingled it to make his point.

  The vendor's eyes widened at seeing the bulging purse. "I may have something more to your standards." He turned and opened a large wooden chest behind him and pulled out a fold of leather. "I just got this piece this morning and was told to hold it for a few days," he placed the leather fold on the table and opened it, "since it still had blood on it."

  Shania gasped as the vendor revealed the twin blade she had lost, when she had saved Keisha's life.

  "Ah, I see by your acquaintance's reaction that she is indeed interested in this piece." The vendor rubbed his hands together eagerly, anticipating a high sale.