Sidney frowned. “Is it wise to reveal him at this point?”
“If we cannot trust those in this meeting room, our mission is doomed. The emperor’s offer to end the war must be discussed, and there is no one better to do it than Clint.”
Sidney nodded and led Queen Romani into the meeting room. As the Vinaforan queen’s constant companion, no one objected to the merchant’s presence in any of the meetings. King Wendal smiled and nodded as they entered and sat down. Moment’s later, the door opened again and a Federation general filled the doorway. There were several gasps around the table, but only Baron Stikman reacted by jumping to his feet. Garth entered right after Clint and smiled at the Prince of Korocca.
“This is General Forshire, the Imperial General of the Federation,” Garth declared calmly as he closed the door. “He is also known as Clint McFarren, an Alcean Ranger.”
Baron Stikman sighed with relief and nodded. “You could have saved a few years of my life by removing the uniform before coming here. What is an Imperial General?”
“It is a new post recently created by Emperor Jaar,” Clint replied as he took a seat at the table. “The position exists outside the normal chain of command. I report directly to Emperor Jaar and not Grand General Kyrga, who is now considered my peer. The writ is irrevocable, although I am sure that Kyrga will think of ways to terminate the agreement.”
“By killing you no doubt,” frowned Baron Stikman.
“No doubt.” Clint nodded. “As for the uniform, I was hoping to speak with Janay after the meeting. It would be best if she saw me in this uniform.”
“You had not mentioned that to me,” frowned Garth. “Are you sure that is wise?”
“Janay is not aware that you were responsible for her being brought here,” interjected Morro. “Wouldn’t it be better to leave it that way?”
“Emperor Jaar now knows my true allegiance,” replied Clint. “Hiding it from his family will mean nothing. I am hopeful that I can extract her son’s location from her.”
“You have tried that before,” noted Queen Romani. “It didn’t work then, and I have been unable to even get her to broach the subject. Why do you think you will be successful now?”
“I know the emperor’s secret mark,” answered Clint. “Sharing this knowledge with Janay will assure her that I have the emperor’s confidence.”
“I will leave that to your discretion, Clint,” stated Garth. “Let’s talk about the emperor’s offer.”
The door opened again and Wylan entered the room, his staff testing the floor before him.
“There is a seat next to me,” Karl offered loudly. Wylan nodded and turned towards the sound of Karl’s voice. “Seven more paces,” Karl continued. “The chair back will be just to your left.”
“Thank you,” Wylan said softly as his hand reached out and felt the chair. He eased his body into the chair and smiled. “Prince Bultar is sleeping in Sidney’s bed. The fairies are keeping him asleep.”
“Thank you, Wylan,” said Garth. “Clint was just about to tell us of the emperor’s offer.”
“The offer is simple and straightforward,” said Clint. “I am to take the A Corps to Despair and free the emperor. In return, he will cancel the invasion of Alcea.”
“And what about the horse countries?” frowned Baron Stikman. “With three hundred thousand men under his control, he will merely turn them against us. Are the Alceans willing to trade our destruction for their peace? Is that the type of allies the Alceans are?”
“We are allies until the end,” Garth replied sternly. “King Arik will not abandon the horse countries or anyone else at this table. We seek the destruction of the Federation.”
“Then why even entertain the emperor’s offer?” asked Baron Ohmson.
“There are other ways to destroy the Federation,” explained Garth. “The heirs that we have been gathering to rule after the war could also be used to tear the Federation apart without nearly as much bloodshed. Indeed, if there is to be bloodshed without an invasion, it would be contained within the Federation itself as individual members fight one another.”
“Clever,” smiled King Persimon. “If the countries of the Federation all withdraw, the emperor is left only with his Baroukan armies to battle his neighbors. Do you think that can be accomplished?”
“It would not be easy,” answered Garth, “but we would help it along. Before we get too far into contingency plans, I have doubts about the sincerity of the emperor’s offer. Clint will continue to play it out, but my plans remain unchanged. We have set out to gather the future leaders of the Federation. With the addition of Prince Bultar, that mission is complete.”
“We are still missing the heirs for Barouk and Aerta,” interjected King Myer.
“General Alden of Aerta is a decent man,” stated Sidney. “He has neither the greed nor lust for power that his father has. I believe that he would be a just ruler if he survives the war.”
“Are we to take a gamble on your word alone?” asked Baron Stikman.
“My people have also investigated General Alden carefully,” replied Garth. “I agree with Sidney’s evaluation, but Aerta will be ruled peacefully no matter what happens. If General Alden does not wish to rule according to our terms, the throne of Aerta will be taken from him.”
“By force?” asked King Wendal.
“The forces of the horse countries will attack Giza during the invasion of Alcea,” explained Garth. “If General Alden refuses to cooperate, Aerta will be given to someone else to rule. I have promised the Aertans that the people would have a leader acceptable to them. If they can find no one acceptable, I could see the descendents of Sirocca taking over and making Olansk the new capital. It is something to be discussed by all parties after the war.”
King Wendal and King Persimon glanced at Baron Ohmson, and Garth grew curious of the connection. He turned a questioning gaze towards the Zaroccan baron.
“I am Siroccan,” explained Baron Ohmson. “My family was visiting Zarocca on the day the world shook. King Persimon was gracious enough to allot us a grant of land to resettle in his kingdom.”
“Baron Ohmson is the highest ranking Siroccan alive,” explained King Persimon. “If there is to be an Occan king of Aerta, the crown will be his.”
“You will receive no objections from the Alceans,” promised Garth, “but General Alden will be given the opportunity to rule should he survive the war.”
“I accept that,” agreed Baron Ohmson. “I would much rather have a friendly neighbor than rule a defeated populace.”
“You indicated that the horse countries would be invading Giza,” frowned Baron Stikman, “but there is no way to get our armies down there.”
“Kalina has discovered a way to move your armies south,” smiled Garth. “I will let her explain it when she rejoins us, but I know that you will be passing through Olansk. That is why Clint has made that city the base for his army. His troops will hold the way open for your army.”
“Interesting,” Baron Stikman replied with a raised eyebrow. “I eagerly await her return. Where is she?”
“She is helping King Arik plan some surprises for the invading armies. I suspect she will require most of the winter to prepare, but we will meet again before spring arrives.”
“And what of the Empire of Barouk?” asked King Wendal. “We do not even know who the heir is?”
“The empire is the root of all our problems,” answered Garth. “While I would like to see the empire survive as a friendly neighbor, we will destroy it totally if that is necessary. That would mean killing all of the nobles who live in the Sanctum as well as the ruling family. That is not a solution that I look forward to, but peace cannot be achieved if we leave a hornet’s nest in our midst.”
“Jaar’s father was a just ruler by all accounts,” interjected Clint. “He started the Federation as a peaceful way to cope with the devastation brought on by the Collapse. I am hopeful that Jaar’s son will be more like his grandfather than
his father.”
“That would be ideal,” frowned Garth, “but is it realistic?”
“I do not know,” conceded Clint, “but I intend to find out. I have a few days to spare before I need to make an appearance on the way to Olansk. I intend to spend them with Jaar’s family to learn what I can.”
“Not in that uniform,” frowned Garth. “The Lair is now home to the heirs of the Federation. That uniform must not be seen here.”
“I will wear the uniform only long enough for a short visit to Janay,” promised Clint. “I will then explain the need to change. The others will never see a Federation general.”
Garth nodded with satisfaction. He let his eyes scan the faces of the others before continuing. “The real purpose of this meeting is to determine how best to handle the heirs. From the preliminary reports I have received, some of them seem to be agreeable to ascending the throne and ruling their people in a beneficial way, but sometimes power changes people, and not for the better. We have a unique opportunity here to shape future relationships. Are there any suggestions as to how we should do that?”
“I think nature is already lending a hand,” smiled Queen Romani. “Prince Harold has grown very close to Bonnay, and Prince Samuel is taken by Princess Jeanel.”
“It is true,” agreed King Myer. “My daughter does not know the true identity of Samuel, and I have warned her not to reveal her ties to the throne of Tyronia, but they are getting along rather well. From what she has told me, the prince is a gentle man. If he has the backbone to retain the throne when he gets it, he will rule his people well.”
“Prince Samuel will have the backbone necessary,” offered Wylan. “He is as strong inside as any man can be. He had the integrity and strength to oppose Queen Samir when he needed to. While I might not have taken the same approach to the problem, it worked for him. I have had long talks with Samuel. Given the opportunity, he will rule with the people’s benefit in mind.”
Baron Ohmson glanced at King Wendal questioningly. “You did not mention that my daughter was getting involved with Prince Harold. What sort of man is he?”
“Bonnay accidentally discovered the prince one day,” offered Baron Stikman. “It was my fault, but I could not afford to let her leave the Lair once she had seen him and the Alcean elf who was treating the prince. No harm will come to her. I promise you that.”
“Prince Harold is unsure of himself,” interjected Queen Romani. “His heart is certainly in the right place, and he is quite intelligent, but he needs someone to build his confidence. I think Bonnay is doing that. I think it would be a mistake to remove her from the Lair.”
“I will not have my daughter being held prisoner,” scowled Baron Ohmson.
“She will not be held against her will,” agreed King Wendal. “Talk to her when the meeting is over, but do not reveal the identities of the people being held here.”
“She is not being held against her will,” smiled Queen Romani. “I have had a few talks with your daughter. She might have felt imprisoned when she first arrived in the Lair, but that is no longer true. She greets each day with a smile and has spurned my offers to escort her into the city for a break from the routine here. She is quite infatuated with Harry. She pursues him daily.”
“Harry?” echoed Baron Ohmson. “Does she not know who he is?”
“None of them know the identities of the others,” answered Baron Stikman. “It is safest that way.”
“If I might add to the discussion,” grinned Sigfrid, “Harry is also infatuated with Bonnay. In fact, he asked for a meeting with me to discuss magic. He felt such a strong attraction to your daughter that he asked me if it could be some sort of magical spell. I told him that his feelings were not magical in nature. He seemed quite perplexed.”
Several around the table chuckled at the sorcerer’s words, and even Baron Ohmson smiled.
“It would appear, Baron,” interjected Althea, “that your daughter is in love. Trust me when I say that she would gladly reside in a prison to be near Harry. You will not find her wanting to leave.”
Althea glanced lovingly at Karl, and the Knight of Alcea blushed. Eager to change the subject, Karl spoke.
“What of Prince Bultar? Have we run out of women for him?”
“Our purpose here is not to find mates for the heirs,” Garth responded. “We are to groom them to be proper leaders. If they find some personal happiness along the way, that is fine, but our goals should be to alleviate the suffering of the people. Introducing Bultar to the others should be undertaken cautiously.”
“He will be kept asleep for a few days so he does not realize how swift his transport was,” stated Wylan. “He is prepared to awaken in a strange place surrounded by new friends. As long as he receives a warm welcome, he should not be any trouble.”
“And how will he rule?” asked King Elengal.
“Candanar is not an aggressive country,” answered Sidney. “They are a threat to our plans because they control the routes through the Barrier, and they are aligned with the Federation. King Bartomir can be ruthless at times, but he doesn’t have the armies necessary to threaten his neighbors. Still, having Bultar mingle with the future kings of the Federation is an excellent idea. If he can be taught the benefits of ruling properly, he will become a better ruler than his father.”
“Put them all to the test,” Garth said. “Give Bultar a few days to mingle and then bring in someone new. The new person should try to steer the group conversations towards politics so that we can learn the potential pitfalls ahead of us. We have a short time until spring. Let us use it wisely and train these heirs as best we can.”
“A new addition to the Kings’ Nursery?” quipped Natia. “Who should that be?”
“Someone we can trust,” answered Garth. “I want to know if any of these future kings will prove to be as bad as the ones they are replacing. We have gone through a great deal to set all of this up. Let’s make good use of it.”
“I will personally supervise it,” offered Baron Stikman. “I vow that we will know the true nature of each of these heirs well before spring.”
“That is the goal, Baron,” stated Garth. “I will leave it in your hands.” Garth slowly gazed at each of the people around the table before continuing. “You have all been through quite a bit since our last meeting, and each of you deserve congratulations on your progress so far, but our tasks are far from done. In the spring, I fully expect the Federation to send two hundred forty thousand men to invade Alcea. Whether Alcea survives that onslaught is in the hands of others, but we are going to be left with more than sixty thousand soldiers here in Zara. Our remaining efforts should be directed towards defeating those armies. We must command every seat of power in Zara to ensure the destruction of the Federation. No single enclave must be left under the emperor’s control.”
Garth paused to let his words sink in before continuing.
“In the coming months, much is going to be demanded of each of you. While more than half of this continent remains frozen by the winter storms, each of you will be working to win the coming storm this spring. I want each of you to know that you are not working alone. Look around this table and see the wide array of allies you have. Remember their faces and their shared devotion at times when you feel like things are going against you. Call upon one another when help is needed. Only by working together can we crush the insidious Federation, and believe me, crush it we will.”
Cheers and applause rang out around the room, and King Wendal rose to his feet, raising a goblet of wine and extending it towards Garth.
“Crush it we will,” echoed the Koroccan king. “Already I have seen the impossible accomplished. I have seen wonders that I would have scoffed at a few months ago, including this Lair, populated by the princes of the Federation. While I rose to offer a toast to the guiding hand of Garth Shado, the toast is really meant for all of you assembled here today and the thousands of others working under your command. All of you have shown that not only can t
he peoples of Zara live in peace with one another, we can also work diligently together towards common goals. May this Council of War be the first step towards a time of eternal peace for the peoples of Zara and Alcea. To all of you,” he said as he raised the goblet in a toast. “May the coming storm shatter through our efforts.”
Chapter 48
The Coming Storm
The wind roared out of the north, snow blasting horizontally across the frozen Black River. Governor Fernandez of Cordonia stood behind a pile of wood, his eyes peering through a tiny slit in the scarf wrapped around his head. He watched as the snow hit the side of a wooden façade and began to create a huge drift, threatening to topple the fake wall. Others also noticed the danger, and the governor heard shouted cries carried by the ferocious wind. Two dwarves ran through the knee-deep snow to the endangered wall. They quickly grabbed several beams nearby and propped them up against the wall in an attempt to save the structure, but they could find no footing for the beams. One of the dwarves drew a throwing axe from his belt and prepared to slice off the end of the beam to properly anchor it. The governor watched in amazement as Jenneva suddenly appeared, her voice carrying clearly through the storm.
“Stop! That beam is cut perfectly for the roof.”
The dwarf halted and looked up at Jenneva with a glare. The governor could see the dwarf’s lips moving, but he could not hear the words spoken. Curious as to what was being said, Fernandez left his concealment and hurried towards the confrontation.
“We have no time to spare cutting new beams,” Jenneva replied to the dwarf. “Prop it up as best you can and then step away.”
“It will never hold in this storm,” retorted the dwarf. “The whole wall will collapse.”
“Do it!” Jenneva replied sternly.
The dwarf grumbled under his breath, but he followed the instructions given by the Knight of Alcea. As soon as the dwarf moved away, Jenneva’s arm rose. A blast of icy blue energy streamed from her fingertips, forming a thick ice coating on the beam. The mage quickly moved towards the other dwarf who was holding the second beam. He needed no instructions. He propped the beam up against the wall and quickly stepped away. Jenneva sent another blast of ice forward, coating the beam and freezing it in place.
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