“I believe that is the core of what I am meaning. As for power, you have your magic. However, from all accounts, it isn’t trustworthy, and no matter how strong you are, I doubt you could match the entire Tower at once. For soldiers, you might think of putting together an army, but you will need leaders. That is one thing I could help you with.”
“Do you think Cass would agree to do it?” Bren asked hesitantly.
“I think Cass would be a decent choice, but for leading troops, Flynn would be a much better choice. Though, I don’t know if he would agree to such a task. If you wish, I will call him here and we can all discuss it. That might give you a better chance at convincing him,” Jacob offered.
“Please do,” Bren said, after giving it a great deal of thought.
It didn’t take long for Jacob to have not only Flynn in his office, but Cass as well. Bren still wasn’t sure about having Flynn at the head of his force, but he trusted the Weapons Master’s choices. He hated it, but he knew that it was his mother’s teachings were rubbing off on him. “What is the use of having people more knowledgeable around if you refuse to heed their advice?” That was one of her favorite saying, and in this case, Bren had to agree.
“Flynn, I have a job offer for you,” Jacob said, once the two men stood in front of his desk. “Bren needs a leader for an army he is putting together to enforce his role as king of…Bren, what do you plan to call your Kingdom? It needs a proper name instead of Mage Town or the Tower.”
“Torin,” Bren said quickly. “My father created the town and Tower, so I think it is only natural that it be named after him.”
“That might work on more than one level given that your father is still seen as a hero by almost everyone in the region,” Jacob said in agreement. “Bren needs someone to lead the army of Torin. What do you say Flynn?”
“Weapons Master, I cannot stand nobles. Why would I agree to be the lapdog of one? I want to be a warrior of the Katanaga,” Flynn said, his voice sowing his clear distaste at the offer.
“Flynn, I know of your distaste, and it is a problem. Not only in this, but in your chances to move any higher than a foot soldier in the Katanaga. A leader of the Katanaga must be able to work with nobles. You don’t have to respect them, you have to learn to at least act like you do. If you took this job, then in a few years, I might be able to recommend you to be an officer within our nation’s forces.”
Bren could see the wheels in Flynn’s mind working as he processed what the Weapons Master had told him. “If you believe it will help my chances with the Katanaga, I will accept the chance to lead the armies of Torin…But, don’t expect me to bow to you,” Flynn said, aiming the last statement at Bren.
“”Cassius, the reason I called you here is for a different reason. A king needs a guard that he can confide in and trust. It has become customary in the past few years that many nobles hire Katanaga soldiers for this task. You have already proven to be ready for service. The only thing holding you back is your lack of experience, I believe this post would be a perfect example to show off your skills. What do you say?”
“I would be honored Weapons Master,” Cass replied quickly, giving Bren a quick wink.
“In that case, Cassius and Flynn, I promote you to full rank of a true Katanaga,” Jacob said, pulling a pair of clean read cloths from his pocket and handing it to Cass and Flynn.
“Now that you are both true Katanaga warriors, you no longer have to train with the others, but I hope that you will. It will give them something to strive after. Now, I suggest you three get together to talk about what steps you should take next.”
CHAPTER XXV
Without a proper place to plan, the Weapons Master loaned them the war room of the fighter’s academy. Bren never liked the name war room. His mother spent many hours in hers, though most of the time it was to discuss any type of planning, not just wars. The room normally had vast maps, covering every inch of the country as well as nearby ones.
“Do you guys have any ideas of where we should start?” Bren asked, unsure of himself.
“Just great, a king who doesn’t have any thoughts of his own,” Flynn said as he rolled his eyes. “I would suggest first, we get a base. The fighter’s academy is a start, but we can’t work from the soil of a foreign power. It will make us look weak. Second, we need to get you some better clothes…a king who looks like a popper just isn’t very appealing,” Flynn added with a smirk.
“I think a uniform would be a nice touch. Something that will show that we are unified, but do you have the funds for that? It could get costly to outfit more than a dozen people, but the more you can field, the stronger effect it will have. ” Cass added thoughtfully.
“If we do that, then we will need separate uniforms for the guard and the regular army. It will give a more pronounced feeling, as well as help to separate the two,” Flynn said, the ire having completely left his voice.
After more than two hours of discussion, the three had a starting of a plan. Bren having title in the way of funds, would have to request assistance from Rane in the form of a loan. Flynn wanted him to request the same from Farlan, but Bren couldn’t set aside his pride to request funds from his mother. It would take a while for Bren get a response from King Killian, so until then, they would see if there were any stores in the non-human side of town that would be willing to help with their needs. At the same time, they would need a base. Cass suggested they once again, look in the non-human side of town, yet try to keep it close to the center of town as possible. Otherwise, it will be as if their showing too much favor. The other thing they would need would be people…That was going to be the hard part, but it was also the most important. As long as the Tower had control of the only real force in Torin to uphold laws and collect taxes, nothing Bren could do would change the cities structure.
As he three left the fighter’s academy, they found a surprise waiting on them outside in the form of a large rock hound. Bren was happy to see Avalanche, though not just for her company. She had been one of her father’s companions and was as well recognized as his father. Having her along would help them…He hoped.
It didn’t take long to reach the non-human side of town, and as always it was easy to see when they crossed the invisible line in town separating the two. Bren knew that they didn’t have the luxury to be picky, so they entered the first clothing shop they found. As they entered the shop, Bren was surprised to find that while the outside of the building looked shabby, the inside held some impressive looking goods. All of the clothing was well made and looked on par with something his mother might buy.
“Young masters, what brings you to my fair shop,” a musical sounding voice said from the back of the store.
Turning toward the sound of the voice, Bren saw a young looking woman with golden skin and green eyes. Bren knew instantly that she was an elf, but not a full blooded one since she did not have the metallic eyes of her race.
“We have a proposition to make,” Bren said politely.
“What would that be my young lord?” She asked kindly, though her eyes took on a hardened look.
Bren took a deep breath and tried to remember the long statement he had prepared. “My name is Bren Farlane, the son of Thaddeus Torin, and the rightful heir of this land. I am in the need of clothes for not only myself, but those of others in the future. At the moment, I have no funds to pay for these, but should you supply me with what I need, I promise that as soon as my funds arrive, I will pay you a fair price.”
“That won’t be a problem sir. If you would be willing to sign a bill of debt, I can have the funds retrieved from your father’s estate on the Elven Isle,” She replied with a smile.
“My father has an estate on the Elven Isle?” Bren asked dumbfounded.
“Yes, he was given the land of a noble when he visited some years ago. He is only a minor noble there, but his coffers should still be full. If not, I am sure that the elven nobles would cover any outstanding debts,” She replied, cocking her h
ad slightly to the side.
“Would there be a way for me to have some of those funds brought here for my use?”
“I don’t see why not my lord,” She said with a light smile. “You would just need to send a letter requesting the funds to the Isle. I am sure they would be here on the fastest ship that the elves have in port.”
“What would be the best method to get my letter to the Isle in due haste?” Bren asked happily.
“If it would please your lord, I will have it sent with my own request for the release of funds. We have an elf that has some well-trained hawks that can have it there within the day.”
“I would greatly appreciate that,” Bren said smiling brightly. Now he would not need to seek aid from outside sources, or at last he hoped that his father’s coffers would be enough to cover the cost of his little rebellion.
“Now that we have settled that, what would the young lord be needing?” She asked proudly.
“I need some clothes fit for a king,” Bren said, all hesitancy having left his voice. “I need the same for my two friends. They need to look similar, but they need to be different as well,” Bren tried to explain, but seemed to be doing poorly on that front.
“If the young lord would tell me what he needs the clothes for exactly, then I might be better able to help him,” The elven maiden said after Bren attempted to explain what he needed a third time.
“I need clothes for myself, to make myself imposing…As for my two friends, one will be the general of my forces, and the other will be my personal guard and confidant,” Bren replied honestly.
“I can do that my lord. I just need to know your royal colors and what your crest is?” The maiden asked smiling.
“Crest, royal colors?” Bren asked, though the question was aimed at himself. He had known in the back of his mind that he would have to have one, but had never really given it much thought. “For the colors, I think I will go with hunter green and black. As for a crest…”
“If you don’t mind a suggestion, the crest used for your father…I guess it would be you now, since your father is gone, is that of a gorgerin eagle.”
“Could you tell me a bit about the gorgerin eagle? I don’t wish to sound rude, but I don’t want my crest to be named after a creature I don’t know anything about.”
“Certainty sir,” The elf replied, as she started pulling out lengths of cloth that matched what Bren had asked for. “The gorgerin eagle, while smaller than its brothers, is one of the fastest flyers in the skies, but that is not why my people seem to love the creature. The eagles live in large families, unlike most birds, and when one nest is threated, every eagle in the family will fight to the death to protect it.”
“I think that it would be a great choice for my own crest then,” Bren said happily.
“Then if the lord would give me a few hours, I will have him a suitable pair of clothes to wear, but the rest will take me a few days. That is unless one pair will do,” She said with a wry smile.
Bren agreed and waited for the maiden to prepare the two notes for him. As she slid them to him to sign, Bren noticed her hesitancy. Looking down, he noticed that she was only asking for a single gold for all the work she was doing. “I think your price is wrong,” Bren said shaking his head.
“I know it is a bit pricy, but I promise it will be top notch work…far above what you will find anywhere else within the city,” She replied quickly.
“No, that’s not the problem. My mother has always told me to pay a fair coin for whatever I buy. Otherwise, it will give artisans no real incentive to improve their craft. If the other work in your store is an example of your work, a single gold is not enough to cover the cost. Would it offend you too terribly if I paid ten gold? While I still find that to cheap, I don’t know what funds will be at my disposal, so I need to spend what I do have wisely.”
“Ten gold, is well more than I am supposed to charge. The Tower would have a fit if they learned I charged that much for this order,” the maiden said with a surprised look.
“Then don’t let them know. It is my gold and I will spend it how I see fit. Now, do you know a place where I could get a seal made? It seems that if I have an emblem, I will need an official seal.”
“I would have thought you would simply go to the Drunken Anvil for that,” She said with a smile.
“I guess Crusher would be the best bet for any blacksmithing I would need. I keep forgetting that he is here…Don’t let him know I said that,” Bren said with a slight laugh.
“My lips are sealed my lord,” the elven maid said, giggling slightly.
“Then, I guess I know where our next stop will be. Can you have my clothes sent over there as soon as they are finished? I don’t think Crusher will let me out of there within two hours.”
When the elven maiden agreed, Bren and the other two headed to Crusher’s shop. They found the dwarf working hard at his forge, making normal farm tools. “I’ll be with ya in a moment boy. If I don’t finish this right now, tha metal will weaken and it won’t last tha season,” Crusher said as soon as he noticed them.
Bren waited patiently as he watched Crusher bang away on the metal. It was a soothing sound, as the hammer it the metal of the hoe that Crusher was working on. After the dwarf raised the tool up to inspect his work for the third time, he dipped it into a vat of oil, causing the metal to catch on fire, tempering the blade. After waving it around a few times to put out the flames, he turned toward the small group. “Now, what brings ya back ta me shop?” Crusher asked, setting his finished work aside.
“I need a favor?” Bren said smiling.
“Figured as much,” the dwarf replied, scowling. “Why can’t ya ever visit just because ya want to buy me a keg of ale? So, what is it that ya need boy?”
“I need an official seal made, and I might need the weapons to outfit a small army soon,” Bren said determinedly.
“Why would ya be needing weapons ta outfit an army?” Crusher asked, raising his eyebrow.
“I am going to take control of the town from the council,” Bren answered, a determined look on his face.
“Just like yer father,” Crusher said, shaking his head. “Well nothing fer it. I can make a mold and make ya a fair amount of swords pretty fast but they won’t be high quality. As fer the seal tell me what ya want and I should have it ready within a day…two if ya picked something with a lot of detail.”
“I need one with a gorgerin eagle.”
“Then two days it is boy…As fer the cost, I won’t work fer free. I expect ya ta pay me as soon as ya can boy. From tha looks of ya, I might be waiting a while though.”
“I’ll pay you as soon as my money arrives from the elven Isle,” Bren reassured the dwarf.
“Yea, yea,” The dwarf replied, waving his hand as he started sketching designs for the seal on a piece of parchment. “If ya don’t pay, I’ll just send yer mother a bill.”
“Now, we just need to find a base to work from,” Flynn said earnestly.
“If ya be needing a place to call yer own fer a bit, I would suggest tha Broken Arrow Inn. Those fool council members kicked old Tali out because he couldn’t afford their land tax, so it’s just setting there empty.”
“We could give it a look,” Bren said cheerfully. “Not like we have any other ideas at the moment.”
The Broken Arrow Inn was much different than Bren had expected. Especially given that the other places within the non-human district were in such poor shape. The inn was well made and had a pleasant look to it. Just like they wanted, it had been built close to the main section of town. Bren guessed given its location and build that it had been made before the council had such an iron grip on the people. That would also account for why the owner was no longer allowed to keep his doors open.
After prying off the boards that had been nailed over the doors, Bren and the other two entered. There was a thin layer of dust that floated into the air as they pushed open the doors, stinging Bren’s eyes and tickling his nose.
“It will take a bit of cleaning, but it’s not a bad place. Should be large enough to sleep at least fifty, and with a little work, we could turn the common room into a decent throne room. It isn’t perfect, but I think it is the best we can hope for,” Flynn said approvingly. “Let’s check out the owner’s quarters, they are normally on the other side of the bar.”
The owner’s quarters were not large, but it had four rooms. More than enough for Bren and any guards that he might need. As Bren looked at two of the rooms which had small beds, Bren started to feel bad for the previous owner who most likely had been forced out, along with his young children.”
“Not a bad start given that we only started this morning. We need to see to the clothing and setting up here before we start recruiting for your army and making our presence known to the council. A group of mages and tower guards would put a quick end to what you are doing here,” Cass said with a grim smile.
“We will deal with that when the time comes,” Bren said with firm determination. “For now, why don’t we get something to eat and order some food and supplies to be brought over here? Then we can head over to Crushers to see if the old dwarf has an ideas. He might be a pain to deal with, but he’s a lot smarter than most people give him credit for.”
“Your son is surely keeping this interesting,” Humanius said as if he was watching some troubadour play for his amusement.
“I can’t believe that he has to do this,” Thad replied angrily. “After years of oppression by the Brotherhood, you think the mages would know how it feels and wouldn’t jump at the chance to do it to others.”
“That was a mistake on your end,” the god replied. “If you knew the true nature of most humans, you would have made sure that everything was set in stone as soon as you could. Your race are some of the most diverse people I have ever heard of. For every kind person who seeks to better the world, there are two who are only out for their own gain. It is an endless cycle of pain. One where the evil people tend to rise the highest, due to their own warped perception of the world around them.”
Forgotten Mage Page 22
