The leading elements of the Evandian force had crossed the river, and Karvik walked over to Stavin with his golden Dragon’s Tongue and helmet in his hands. “You gotta quit leaving these things laying around, Stave. Someone might think it’s real gold.”
Stavin took his things with a smile of thanks. “Well, I finally have a sword.” He held Shovar’s sword up. It seems so much heavier now. “Maybe I will let Varik use it next year.”
Barvil was right behind Karvik. “Maybe so, but Karvik will be leading that team, not you, Prince Stavin.”
All of the missing men stared at Stavin and Barvil. “Did you say Prince Stavin?” Warleader Kel’Nastan asked in a stunned tone, and Barvil gave them a brief description of the events that had led up to that day.
Lord General Zel’Rantal soon joined them. “Prince Stavin, what are your commands?” he asked as he walked up to Stavin’s side and bowed.
Stavin looked at him, then in the direction of the Andarians. “We follow them and make sure they all go back to Andaria. Any of our traitors we catch are to be sent to Twin Bridges. No summary Courts Martial for them. I want King Kalin to have the final say as to their fate. Maybe they’ll know who some of the other traitorous lords are.”
Fifty thousand men cannot move quickly. The Andarian Army took twenty-nine days to all make it back to Andaria. It was an orderly retreat, which made life much easier on the men and animals, as well as the few people who remained in the countryside.
When Stavin reached the border, he spoke to Lord General Zel’Rantal again. “You are stopping here, General, but we’re going on. I’m going to Deralvad to speak to King Jallat. Someone put the idea of this invasion into his head, and I want to know who it was.”
The general shook his head slowly and said, “Prince Stavin, I cannot allow you to do that.”
Stavin smiled slightly, then actually chuckled. “Sir, you cannot stop me. Don’t worry.” He looked over his shoulder at the three hundred and thirty warriors behind him. “The Royal Guard is in attendance.”
The general turned to Barvil, but he just held his hands up. “Don’t look at me! I couldn’t make him behave when he didn’t even have one star.” Barvil looked pointedly at the four stars on Stavin’s shoulder. “After that battle, he outranks me now.”
* * *
It took Stavin and the Farindian Royal Guard seventeen days to reach Deralvad, the capital city of Andaria. They traveled all but unopposed; the forces of Andaria falling back in awe when Stavin laid his hand on the hilt of the dragon-wrought sword. It was just a few spans past the middle of the seventeenth day when they topped a ridge and looked down on Deralvad.
The city was magnificent. Most of the buildings they could see were of red brick, with white stone highlights prominent on the majority of them. Red and orange tiles made up most roofs. It sat in the center of a large valley, and all around it could be seen neat, orderly fields of grain. The road they were on led to the entrance of the city, though there was no sign of a wall to the sides. There was just an enormous arch that spanned the road, with lightly built gates across it. It was as if the gates were just ceremonial.
As they approached, hundreds of men in dark red uniforms that were similar to the rust-red of the Andarian Army rushed out to bar their way. Stavin told Barvil to stop, then rode forward alone.
“I am Stavin Ne’Aniston Zel’Andral, prince of Evandia,” he announced in a loud voice. “I seek an audience with King Jallat.”
A man in an impressive uniform stepped forward and stopped a few paces from Stavin. “There is no Prince Stavin of Evandia.”
“There is now,” Stavin answered. “King Kalin adopted me.”
The man’s nostrils flared and he took a wide stance in the middle of the road. “You may not pass.”
Stavin dismounted and walked forward. When he was two paces from the man he laid his hand on the hilt of Shovar’s sword and was engulfed in Dragon Magic once again. “I am Stavin Dragon Blessed,” he said in a voice that echoed off the sides of the buildings behind the man. “I will see King Jallat.” Stavin continued walking forward and the men melted away before him. Barvil led the rest of the warriors forward as well, and Karvik caught up Blu’s reins as he passed.
The route through Deralvad to the palace was easily distinguished: It was the best maintained of all the roads. Stavin walked, the glow of Dragon Magic wreathing him, and the people of Deralvad fled or knelt as the notion took them.
Stavin walked up to the gates of the palace and was once again confronted, but this time it was by six hundred men and women in the blood-red and gold uniform of the Andarian Royal Guard.
“Halt! You may not pass!” a man shouted as he stepped forward.
Stavin just shook his head and continued walking. “Inform King Jallat that Stavin Dragon Blessed wishes to see him.”
“You may not pass!” the man shouted again.
Stavin continued walking and the man finally fled. An avenue opened to the gates, and the gates themselves opened as Stavin approached. He walked through into the palace of King Jallat and was immediately assaulted by flights of arrows. Nothing touched him. He shook his head slowly as he walked. He was peripherally aware that Barvil and the rest had stopped outside the palace, confronted by twice their number of Andarian guardsmen.
People scurried around like ants as Stavin walked, but he paid them no heed. His entire being was focused on reaching King Jallat. When it became apparent that no one and nothing was going to stop him, a man in an elaborate tabard came to greet him.
“His Eternal Majesty King Jallat has graciously acceded to your wish for an audience,” the man said as he bowed to Stavin.
Stavin continued walking without saying a word.
“You must dress appropriately for the court! You cannot go into the court wearing armor! It’s not allowed.”
Stavin continued walking in silence.
“You must change into--”
Stavin raised his hand, palm out, and the man flew backwards into a wall and crumpled to the floor. Stavin didn’t say anything, even though he was extremely surprised by the results of his action. Got to be more careful. He approached a set of ornately carved doors and raised his hand once again, but a pair of guardsmen opened the doors and stepped aside. Stavin had to fight down his mirth: the guardsmen looked terrified, even though they were each twice his size.
The court room was not as ornate as the one in Twin Bridges. The people, however, were. Stavin was reminded of his assessment that the lords were like a flock of peacocks, and again had to fight not to laugh. That wouldn’t convey the seriousness of the situation at all.
He walked to the base of a dais and stopped, looking up at the man sitting on the throne. King Jallat was older than King Kalin, and nowhere near as handsome. His head was bald except for a fringe of gray hair. He looked like he never saw the sun, and ate far too much. His complexion was bad, and Stavin was forced to conclude that he was not well. His hands shook with a palsy of some kind.
“W-W-What do you want?” the king asked in an unsteady voice as Stavin stopped.
“Justice, King Jallat,” Stavin replied.
“Who are you to claim justice in Andaria after forcing your way into the palace?”
Stavin smiled, though the king could barely see it past his helmet, and replied in a loud, clear voice. “I am Prince Stavin Ne’Aniston Zel’Andral, called Dragon Blessed, second in line to the throne of Evandia.” His voice echoed in the room as people all around him ducked away from the sound. Softly, Stavin. No need to shout.
The court was silent for a moment. King Jallat finally asked, “How is it that you claim to be of the Chosen Clan of Andral?”
“By adoption, King Jallat,” Stavin replied in an almost normal voice with a bow.
King Jallat took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out in an explosive sigh. “Who do you make a claim against, Prince Stavin?”
“Whoever convinced you to attack Evandia, King Jallat.�
�
There was a commotion in the courtroom as several lords broke for the doors. Stavin ignored them, but King Jallat did not.
“Bring them before me!” he shouted, and six lords were forced to face the king by the Royal Guardsmen. “What have you done?” the king asked in a dangerously soft tone.
“Your Majesty--”
“I had no part in--”
“I am Innocent! Innocent, I tell--”
“Silence!” the king bellowed, and the lords quieted down as he glared at them. The king shifted his attention back to Stavin. “Is there a specific charge that you seek justice for, Prince Stavin?”
Stavin bowed slightly. “Yes, Your Majesty. Someone arranged for traitors to attack the palace in Twin Bridges, seeking to kill King Kalin, Princess Marina, and Prince Sarvan. They survived, but Sarvan’s wife, Princess Ehrwan Ne’Fordan Zel’Andral, was killed. I swore that I would avenge her death.”
“You have no proof that the plot originated here,” King Jallat said as he eased back in his throne.
Stavin nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty, we do. Your cousin, Lord Alred Zel’Lamal, was the leader of the plot in Evandia. He counted on his relationship to Your Majesty to help secure his claim to the throne of Evandia. He was aided by lords in Your Majesty’s court. Your army invaded Evandia just moments after the palace was attacked. That could not have been coincidence, Your Majesty.”
King Jallat frowned as he looked down at the lords his guards were holding and shook his head slowly. “Alred is a fool. Always has been. You are correct, Prince Stavin. I was convinced that it was in Andaria’s interest to attack Evandia, but only because of the number of border incursions we’ve suffered. My only purpose was to secure our borders. Now you tell me that Alred and some others were playing me for a fool.”
“Your Majesty, I swear that I had nothing to do with this,” one of the lords said, but Stavin was looking at him with new eyes and shook his head.
“That is not the truth,” he said in a normal tone.
“You dare call me a liar?!” the man screamed.
“I do. I can see your falsehood. I wonder if this is what Truth Seers see?”
“It is,” a man off to the king’s right said. “I also say you are not telling the truth, Lord Zel’Hassal.” Turning to the king, he bowed deeply. “If Your Majesty would pose the questions, we can see if these men speak the truth.”
The king nodded. “Did you fools conspire with Alred Zel’Lamal to overthrow the rightful ruling family of Evandia? Each of you answer.”
“No, Your Majesty, I had nothing to do with anything like that,” one of the lords said, but the Truth Seer was shaking his head.
“That is not the truth,” the Truth Seer pronounced, and Stavin could see the falsehood as well. He shook his head, and King Jallat acted with remarkable speed to resolve the issue.
“Remove that traitor from my presence,” the king ordered, “and remove his head when you get outside.” The now-weeping lord was dragged away by a pair of Royal Guards.
Now that they knew they could not lie to save themselves, the others confessed and begged for mercy. It was the same story that Stavin had heard in Evandia. The Zel’Andral line was weak, and Evandia needed a new king. The soldiers on the border had committed atrocities on both sides to get the kings to go to war.
King Jallat snarled, “Execute those traitors,” to his guards, and the lords were dragged away. Looking back at Stavin, the king asked, “Is there anything else, Prince Stavin?” in a remarkably controlled tone.
Stavin bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty, but perhaps we can discuss it in private? I believe that it will take a lot of discussing.”
The king nodded and stood. “Court is dismissed. Prince Stavin, please follow me.” The king turned and walked away, and Stavin followed just a few paces behind him. “Do you glow like that all of the time, Prince Stavin?” the king asked over his shoulder, and Stavin let go of the sword.
“Not as brightly, Your Majesty, but yes, to some extent I glow all of the time,” Stavin replied. “It’s the reaction to having two dragons’ magic close together.”
Stavin shook his head. “Nor I, Your Majesty. Until Shovar pushed his sword into my hand, I didn’t know what would happen if the magics touched.” The king looked back at Stavin and nodded. “I had heard of that, but you were burning like Arandar Himself a moment ago. What was that?”
“That, Your Majesty, was the reaction of two dragons’ magic touching.”
“I’d never heard of that before,” the king commented.
He paused and shook his head slowly as he grinned. “I was afraid we’d just burn up if we fought. That’s why I hoped we wouldn’t have to fight. One of us had to survive to end the war.”
The king stopped and turned to face Stavin. “You issued the challenge, but you didn’t want to fight? What did you hope to accomplish?”
“An end to the war, Your Majesty.”
“Is that why he shouted back that he yielded?”
Stavin nodded. “I believe so, Your Majesty. And was murdered by one of your generals for doing it.”
“What would have happened if he had killed you?” the king asked in a stunned whisper.
“I don’t know, Your Majesty,” Stavin replied in a soft voice. “What I wanted to happen was for your army to go home and leave Evandia in peace. For my death to be the last.”
The king was staring at Stavin in stunned silence. “You must have known he wouldn’t kill you.”
Stavin shrugged. “I had hope, Your Majesty, but with the fate of thousands in our hands, I was willing to make that sacrifice.”
The king shook his head. “He owed you the life of his granddaughter.”
Stavin sighed as he studied the floor. “What I did for Amarna and the others, I did because it was the right thing to do. What I offered him was a way to end the war. He chose the most honorable course.”
The king shook his head and turned away again. “We shall have to discuss this at length. It’s rare to find that kind of courage these days.”
Stavin didn’t say anything else until they reached a council chamber that was almost identical to King Kalin’s. “Take a seat, Prince Stavin,” the king commanded, and Stavin walked over to stand behind a chair opposite that of the king, but courteously remained standing until his host sat. As he sat, other men and women filed into the room.
“Prince Stavin, these are my councilors. I hope there is no problem with them being part of these discussions.”
Stavin bowed in his seat. “Of course not, Your Majesty.”
“Very well, what is it that you wish to discuss?” the king asked.
“Farindia.” Stavin detailed the annexation proposal, but he modified it slightly in Evandia’s favor. “You see, Your Majesty, that the agreement would favor Andaria. Evandia would take over the bottom two fifths of Farindia, leaving the rest to Andaria. If we use the Kahrant River as the border and come straight across to the Andarian border town of Haltar, it divides the old kingdom fairly.”
“And King Kalin wanted you to present this proposal to me?” King Jallat asked.
Stavin’s expression turned rueful. “No, Your Majesty. Princess Marina was going to present the idea to him when she got back to Twin Bridges. We of Kel’Kavin presented the idea to Princess Marina during the winter.”
The king was watching Stavin closely. “You and Princess Marina are overstepping yourselves a bit, aren’t you?” he asked with a slight smile.
Stavin bowed in his seat. “Yes, Your Majesty. King Kalin just wanted to annex Kel’Kavin to bring us into his service. The rest of Farindia was not involved. However, we of Kel’Kavin are the last remnants of the Farindian royal house. Most of us have at least some royal blood. Some more than others.” He paused as he considered how much more royal blood Karvik carried than he did. “It is our desire that our kingdom not be left as it is. Since we don’t have the necessary force to unite the kingdom under one of us, we thought that the Andarian and Ev
andian Royal Houses could.”
“It eliminates Farindia as a separate kingdom,” one of the councilors observed.
“We eliminated the Kingdom of Farindia long ago,” Stavin replied, “when we let the royal house fall. The revolt turned Farindia into a wasteland for decades, and even after two centuries we still haven’t fully recovered. This will let us move on into a future that will be brighter for all of us.”
“Your Majesty, if I may?” one of the councilors asked, and received a nod from the king before continuing. He turned and bowed to Stavin, holding the badge of his office against his breast. “Prince Stavin, the area you are ceding to Andaria is the better of the two. Why is that?”
“Because we don’t want to go to war over it, lord. And,” Stavin added with a one-shouldered shrug, “we don’t want those thieves in Kahrant’s Pass in our kingdom.” He told the story of their supplies as bare fact. There were looks of consternation round the table and one of the women stood next. Like the men, she was dressed in finery that would have made any of the women of Kavinston stare. Even in her most formal attire, he’d never seen Marina wear that much jewelry. “Prince Stavin, you are a Master Trader? How is that possible?”
Stavin told that story as well. By the time he was done, servants were lighting lamps around the room. Stavin glanced at them and grimaced. “Your pardon, King Jallat, but I need lodgings for my guards. There are three hundred and thirty of them.”
King Jallat looked at his majordomo and said, “See to it.” The man left immediately and the king turned his attention back to Stavin. “Prince Stavin, I think we are done for the day as well. We will consider your proposal most carefully, but don’t expect an answer in less than two days. I want to look at some maps before I do anything final.”
The Andarian Affair Page 32
