Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

“Silence.” She ordered and he saw something in her cool gaze and calm tone that warned she wouldn’t hesitate to slit his throat. “Captain, have you paid the men their wages yet.”

  “Nay, they only received enough funds for a drink and a hot meal at most. They’ll receive payment once we get you and the others to Royal City. Why?”

  The tip of her sword didn’t waver and her steady gaze held the man in place, making it impossible to move. “Check his breast for I believe we have a traitor aboard.” The man’s eyes lit up and he tried to say something, but the tip of her sword came closer and tasted his blood and grew slightly in response.

  Heeding her words the captain approached and only relaxed when he realized her sword wouldn’t move or harm him. He began patting the crewman’s tunic and nearly instantly found a solid bulge beneath, pulled out a leather sack and gasped as he opened it. His features grew grim and furious as he clearly asked “What say you to this? It is impossible to have so much for your usual wages when you came aboard with only a change of clothes.”

  “I…I…I…” He tried to say, but the evidence became impossible to deny as the captain dumped the contents on the deck. Several dozen silver and a few gold pieces scattered and not one person went after them like a starving hound for scraps. “The money was too good.” He mumbled.

  “What have you told them!” Lily demanded. “Speak or I’ll let Shade have a new thing to chew on.” And right on time the enormous Shadow Fang proudly approached and towered over them all.

  The threat made the man cry and spill everything. “They know about this ship, who’s aboard and our destination. I was trying to get us to weigh anchor so that we could get off the ship. They’ll be after us at any moment. Please, let us leave before we are all killed for no reason. This person we’re following is as good as dead, I don’t see why we need to risk ourselves for nothing.”

  “Nay, we had a simple job to do and you made a decision that will cost us more than the petty change on the ground. Where has your honor gone? I’m sorry but you give me no choice for such treachery.” The captain laid a hand on top of Lily’s sword guard and said “Death will be your only salvation.” He snapped his fingers and two burly sailors approached. The man screamed for mercy moments before the audible snap of his neck being broken permeated the windy air.

  Lily put her sword away as the traitor’s limbs ceased to spasm and was thrown overboard. The captain simply nodded to Lily’s unspoken question and upraised eyebrow. “Alright men, it looks as if our trip has taken a turn for the worst. I don’t take kindly to those who risk my ship or passengers and if anyone else has betrayed my trust like the sinking corpse jump off now while you got the chance.” Not one of the fifteen men even batted an eye as they resolved themselves for the approaching problem. “Well then, man the defenses, throw over all unnecessary cargo to lighten the old gal and hope the wind keeps filling the sail.” When the men began hurrying the captain turned to face Lily and the others. “I wish I knew if we could escape, but I’ve got a feeling all those ships back at port are after us. Better get your gear ready to go. I’ll also have the lifeboats prepared incase.”

  A large, cold and wet nose touched her cheek and Lily turned and began writing what just happened. He growled and looked over the dark water to curse at the dead person for such deceit.

  Not even a few minutes later a man climbed the crow’s nest and shouted that they were being pursued by three fast ships and two battleships. Most torches were doused to make it harder for the approaching ships to find them. Then the worst news possible happened. The man with the highest vantage point of the ship shouted three battleships made a blockade further up the river. The captain quickly had Clift and Shade jump off the ship since the shore laid only a quarter league away. He had nearly everyone board the two lifeboats. Lily noticed him not coming and said “Come with us!”

  “Nay, as long as darkness works in our favor I’ll do what I can to wreck havoc on these worthless men. Soldiers don’t belong on the water, only true sailors can claim that right. Besides this old gal of mine has one last good fight left in her. I hope you can reunite with your love. I’d feel just as you do if I was parted from her.” He caressed a slick rail tenderly. “If your endeavor succeeds, what I’m about to do will be worth it. I wish all of you luck and happiness.” He nodded to the four men to drop them into the water for they chose to stay behind and fight till the end.

  Once the boats began rowing in the darkness the main ship sped north without slowing. Just as they reached shore to find both Shade and Clift soaked from the long swim all turned to find the pursuing ships pass right by them and follow the captain north.

  Ten minutes later came the unmistakable sound of cannon fire and faint yells of men. It didn’t last more than a minute. Some of the men who worked with the heroic captain began to cry appropriately. Hours before day arrived only four battleships sailed back to Tantene.

  By morning everyone used the cover of trees to find the signs of the battle. The captain destroyed three cutters ships before ramming his ship into a battleship.

  Shade wrote in the sand when enough grieving passed. ‘We cannot wait much longer. Since we cannot rely on ships to travel we must run and use cover the trees provide. We must go.’

  “He’s right.” Marlin stated.

  “When isn’t he?” Lily asked with mild humor to not allow the captain’s final moments to bring her down. “We’ve got our things, let’s go.” She then turned to the surviving crewmembers. “What are you all planning to do.”

  One of them said “We’ll go back to Tantene and see if anyone will hire us. Most of us don’t have families because our love is on the water. Safe journey, Princess Lily. We hope you succeed and change the way things run in these land.”

  “Thank you. And safe journey to you, all of you.” They smiled and began a long walk back to Tantene.

  Lily and Krum mounted Shade while Clift supported Marlin and Niranene. Together they moved quickly north, following the Byro River towards the Royal City, but out of sight should any ships find them charging north.

  ***

  Chapter 21

  “Clarify that statement again soldier.” Rakkian said from atop Beta and felt a moment of trepidation from the words the haggard young messenger just relayed.

  Catching his breath he reiterated “The queen has sent me to tell you that she requires your presence immediately. Someone has come to report that Prince Alex and his grandfather Gerieg have both been captured. Sir, that is all the queen sought fit to inform me.”

  He grumbled and his faithful partner waited calmly for an explanation. Rakkian quickly told the messenger to return to his post as he kicked Beta to turn around and quickly charge into the heart of the army. Many troops offered raised hands in greeting and his new position as king wouldn’t allow for complete dismissal to those who fought beneath him. Rakkian raised a hand in return while going against the flow of marching troops. Beta continued surprising the general-king with speed and agility to reach Allahandra’s carriage without trampling over a single individual when it would be all too easy.

  Before even fifteen minutes passed he located the familiar white dome of the ostentatious, horse drawn carriage. Her personal guards parted once they recognized him. The driver pulled on the reins and brought the movement of the queen to a complete stop. A commander came close to see what the problem was, but the general simply ordered “Proceed to the next point as always and set up camp an hour before sundown.”

  “But sir, that won’t give us much time to set up…”

  “I understand, but it must be done. We are already a full three days behind schedule and the melting snow isn’t helping much. We already lost a score of men due to the river’s ice breaking yesterday and the efforts to save an entire battalion. Because of Lieutenant Lowe’s incompetence at not heeding Commander Jakz’s orders to find a proper place to fjord cost us a day to rescue the men. Next time keep a tighter hold on your subordinate’s leash. We’v
e just entered Ra’van’s territory and Jakz, along with many others know their home better than we from Alluan do, ya?”

  “Ya. I’ll keep the troops marching as you order.” Then the commander spun around and began pushing the entire marching force forward.

  Rakkian dismounted, grateful for being born to a tall and large body for the shorter men who bonded with fiend lords had a much harder time mounting and dismounting their partner. He pulled out his tablet and told Beta to rest and he smiled before circling around and dropping to the cold ground with a grunt. The general then knocked on the door to say “My love, you said you needed me.”

  On the other side he heard her voice. “Come in, but make sure we aren’t disturbed.”

  He looked at a few guards and knew they heard and a simple nod was all they needed to push out and form a perimeter so that none could approach near enough to overhear the conversation. Once the task had been accomplished he turned the handle, opened the thick door and stepped inside. Hanging from the center of the roof was a small oil lamp incapable of spilling. It offered enough light for Rakkian to see his beloved sitting on a seat in the back and the dress she wore barely revealed the child they created. Her impassive features gave him the reality that the situation wasn’t false for usually she’d brighten his day.

  Beside her looked a heartbroken Breaker.

  Sitting on the opposite side were three older men. Two he knew well enough. Travis and Janken sat to either side of a man as impeccably dressed as Janken, but he wore white gloves, had a folded blue cloth in a breast pocket and a gold chain linking to an object in a pocket. The man looked familiar, but he didn’t know why.

  Shutting the door, Rakkian unclasped his battleaxe and laid it against a wall while sitting beside his queen. “What has happened?” he started.

  All eyes turned to the new man. He leaned forward and worry lines did little to weaken the calm tone of his voice. “King Rakkian, we met only briefly so allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Kikren, servant to King Gerieg, but my arrival here isn’t one I ever wanted to do. My presence now should be meaningful for out of all my orders mine king had given me, this one would only occur under the worst circumstances…”

  “Start from the beginning, it would be more understandable, ya?” Allahandra requested while laying a hand over her husband’s item clad gauntlet.

  He nodded, understanding she needed to hear it again for better understanding. “Back during the Fall, the king and I heard for the first time about Zara and Kyri, through Janken. With Elo and Sheer we four set off too reach the Royal City first and we did make it with a few days to spare.

  “When Kyri and Zara arrived I hid myself in a cave while the king spoke with his granddaughter. I knew it would go easier if it were just the two of them so I waited patiently till my services were required. This all happened about three months ago and I’ve spent a month searching for this army, just for clarification.

  “By the next morning Sheer informed me to remain, but everything seemed to be going well. Unfortunately the worst happened while she flew to write out my instructions.

  “King Gerieg was betrayed, but not by either Kyri or Zara. Runkamon, Rake, Jerkin and a dozen of Ra’van’s most powerful warriors captured Gerieg and Elo. Sheer, in a fit of rage I had never seen from her, flew from the cave when we saw the fight from afar. She tried to intervene and knock everyone out, but Rake got to her before her shriek would be effective. The fight was quick, but Rake got the advantage and killed her before my very eyes.”

  Now Rakkian understood why Breaker looked so sad and saw a large flight feather clutched in his talons, but the coloring was darker than his and understood it was the proof of his fallen mate’s demise.

  Kikren continued, but his voice thickened slightly with emotion. “After Sheer died both Gerieg and Elo found the strength to fight and slew two warriors before becoming subdued again and I can only infer this, but I believe Runkamon said if Gerieg wished for Elo to continue breathing he should surrender.

  “There wasn’t any other choice.

  “Then I found the traitor when he arrived. It was a three legged Shadow Fang lord.”

  “Midnight?” Rakkian asked with anger.

  Kikren nodded. “That is all I can think of for we all know its hard to kill one of the Big Three and it’s nearly impossible to cut off a limb. How much do you know about Midnight?”

  “Only what Beta has told me. He tried killing Crest, Shade challenged him, won a hard fight, Midnight dishonorably tried to kill Shade, but Elo used his acid to melt off a leg and eventually he was banished.”

  “That is how I heard it also, but I believe he wanted revenge and allied himself with Runkamon. Believe me, if I could have done something to get my lord out of his son’s grip I would have done so.

  “After my king and his partner were chained and bound so they couldn’t escape they were taken to the palace, but Zara and Kyri looked so distraught after seeing Gerieg taken I took a chance to speak with them, using a secret passage that hadn’t been discovered. In truth I almost died at the Makkian’s claws, but Zara pleaded I do everything to help save her grandfather. We were all afraid Runkamon had his claws deep within her, but after hearing the truth at how cruel and evil her father is she wants to free herself.”

  “Why doesn’t she?” Allahandra wondered.

  “Runkamon has used the power of Dominance upon her and has made it so she cannot leave under her own strength, nor can Kyri leave either. Whatever they do they cannot leave the tower to get as far away as possible. They’ve become prisoners without the need for chains, but the true king is too skilled to be bound in such a way.

  “I then went to find a few contacts, but couldn’t risk rescuing our king from the usurper for fifty King’s Guard block any persons from entering or leaving who doesn’t have specific orders. They are keeping the capture of Gerieg secret, but then I got word that Runkamon sent his best warrior to kidnap Prince Alex.

  “Just under two fortnights ago I got the disturbing news that the prince had been captured.”

  “How?” Rakkian wondered with growing frustration. “I’ve seen Alex in action and it would take a miracle to even cut him and with Shade and Ava who never leave his side it’s impossible to subdue him without a full battalion of level five warriors. You make it sound as if a handful left to get him and unless Runkamon left the city, which our spies say he hasn’t, I don’t see how it could have been done.”

  “I believe you are intimately familiar with this person. General Peile captured the prince and by now he has reached the city or he will in the next few days.”

  Bloodlust thundered through the new king’s veins at hearing that particular name. Images and horrible memories flooded him. That night so many years ago that bastard took everything from Rakkian. First finding his wife with her throat slit and watching helplessly as his young daughter was being raped by Peile before leaving her dead with a broken neck.

  The only thing keeping him from going on a rampage to release all his rage was Allahandra’s delicate grip on his arm.

  Rakkian now believed Kikren’s story. The man had to leave as soon as information on Alex’s capture had been verified for the first person likely to rescue Gerieg would be none other than Alex and if he were captured the last capable group with enough strength is Freelan.

  Allahandra waited patiently and watched her love’s emotional features and felt saddened at the torture he does to himself, always feeling responsible for his late wife’s and child’s death for not being able to do anything. His gauntlets clicked as he balled his fists repeatedly out of frustration, but she felt glad he didn’t allow his emotions to take control at such a crucial time. But out of everyone she felt heartbreak of her own, watching her faithful Fury continue to shake and cry while staring longingly at his mate’s feather.

  “Now you know what I do.” Kikren said and leaned his weary old head back. “What is the plan now?”

  Allahandra continued holding her husba
nd’s hand and slowly stroking her partner’s feathery back to say “Since Alex and the other succeeded in freeing Jugo from Yosh’s grip, Runkamon will find it impossible to garner support from there. That is the only good news we’ve received recently.

  “As you’ve undoubtedly heard, nearly every able bodied man and a great many women from Alluan answered my call to arms. We left with nearly a hundred thousand, but we’re down to half that now. Not only has the long journey been tough, but sickness during these winter months forced a great many to remain behind. Most found their way back to Central City to find shelter, but it’s not hard to believe all made it. The healers have been as overworked as all the fighters. And my treasuries since leaving will only survive for another eight weeks. Many of the mercenaries will leave the very day they no longer receive funds and about seven thousand dissolving will weaken us further.

  “Out of all our troops only the fiends seem to have the best morale for they understand the greatest battle will be coming soon. We’re about three day’s march from Mylan and afterwards we’ll head straight for Ra’van’s Royal City. I’ll be fitting for it’ll be the first time it’s walls will be attacked for all the times they attacked our home.

  “The only thing I can say with certainty is this news about both Gerieg and Alex’s capture will definitely bring the troops morale down. I can guess the fiends will see it as a challenge and rush off to free the Furions that they would follow to the death. But we cannot allow this news to be hidden for the stories will spread and it won’t be beneficial. I can already sense the suspicion it’ll cause with four Furions waiting in one location. One is bad enough, but if the troops begin telling stories it will seem as if Alex has become a traitor and we all know he’d rather die than serve Runkamon.”

  “As would King Gerieg.” Travis added.

  She nodded.

  “For now we must proceed to Mylan, capture it and finish off Runkamon and anyone else who stands in the way of freedom.” She announced and began preparing for the speech she’d need to give when the march ends for the day. Hopefully it’ll make the troops want to free him sooner since he did save many over their lives at one time or another.