The Ambersham

by Greg Ricker

  So the rumor about that was true as well.

  "You shall be dressed like the knights you are!" Curic raised his voice for all to hear. "Fed the finest meals! And treated like the best of old friends!"

  The men from Tylas were smiling, anticipating their unusual pampering.

  "Do you have two men you wish to take with you to meet the King, sire?" Curic asked the prince.

  Danuel started. Two men? He had not one General, or Lieutenant to choose from. He had to act fast, however, or the fact would show. Any hesitation would appear to be a lack of sureness about his men, but who would he choose? He had to select Wade, for one. He presented himself as a leader, despite being covered in tomato juice, and seemed an intelligent fellow. Danuel hoped those qualities would count for more than what Wade had been practicing them on.

  As for the other choice, he had no clue. He had to admit the stupidity in being totally unfamiliar with the men in his party. Then the red-haired man with the banner on his shoulder, hit his eye. Deril Bahr was completely out of the question. Too dirty, too foul-mouthed, and too happy with being a snake at heart. He was surely criminal to the bone, and Danuel could tell that on the night he had met him. Still, that was enough to put Deril second in command, over the men from Tylas.

  Did that make Danuel, third?

  There was also the two boys from Gerhihn, but they had no clue what they were doing, and seemed to be inseparable.

  There was only one choice he could make.

  "Would the King disapprove of my choosing one man, and one woman?" Asked Danuel.

  Kaylel's eyes met the prince's, and she smiled. She had been wondering what was next for her, if she was not chosen. Was she to wait outside with these men? She was quite nervous, and felt out of place. Though, it was customary for the King to appoint an Herbearer Mistress to join the call to King's Peace. Her teacher had been given the very same duty when the Gnoll lord Yeenoghu had been a threat. They would accompany the army only to Ayarlyn, where Elves with the Dy'Shin talent of healing, would take their place. Magic had proven itself far better than herbs, when it came to returning to battle following a deep wound.

  Curic chuckled. "If he did, the Queen would have plenty to say about that."

  Those in earshot, shared a smile.

  "Anyone you choose is welcome, Lord Talbarond.¨ He informed. ¨You may leave your horses here."

  He slipped one leg over his brown gelding, and made the long step down.

  As Danuel and Kaylel dismounted, the prince looked back at Wade. "General Levin. You may join us."

  Wade was quick to step off of his black stallion and walk toward them, and as he drew nearer, the more he towered over the Dwarf General. He would do quite well to hold on to Danuel's disguise.

  Curic thought the man looked well disciplined, and sure of himself. Something they held in common. He would find that one a special uniform.

  He shouted out another order, and eight foot soldiers marched to his side, while the rest of the party - horses and all - were led down a stone walkway toward the east side of the castle.

  The southlanders looked back at the prince, but he said nothing to them, and they were led away with the others.

  "There is a large guest house for them within the east wing of the castle." The General explained, when he noticed both Danuel, and Wade, watching them leave.

  Deril was looking back at them, with obvious resent.

  "Please," Curic's voice was softer, and more welcoming then, "follow me."

  Four soldiers had waited to take the remaining horses, and the foot soldiers rushed to their positions. They stood four on each side, axes to their chests, as they marched toward the castle. Gardens stretched as far as their eyes could see, either way. What appeared to be small clusters of every blooming flower or shrub in existence, grew in neatly organized areas. In various places throughout, there stood stone statues and flowing fountains.

  "How beautiful." Kaylel whispered.

  Danuel was thinking the same, of her.

  The Dwarves led them to a large iron portcullis at the entrance to the castle. It lifted on their arrival, without a word from the General, and they continued inside. The great room within was not within the castle at all, but was actually a room for enjoying the outside air, even on a rainy day. There were no walls on the east or west sides, but the entrance to the castle blocked all view to the north. It was a beautiful, spacious courtyard with plenty of chairs and tables for all visitors. After climbing two stone steps, the walk changed from cobblestones to decorative tiles. Large shadows raced across the floor as an enormous fan circled overhead. Like the blades on a windmill, it turned by man powered fOrce, somewhere above. It was in that courtyard, that the King and Queen of the Dwarves, chose to meet the Lords of Bowenn.

  Nerol was the first on his feet, and took several steps, before halting. He knew his face lost its enthusiasm, when he could not find Nall in the group.

  He did not want to believe it.

  "Prince Danuel Talbarond, son of the Great High Lord King Nall Talbarond!" Curic did not know the names of the other two. "He leads the Bowenn army in answer to the King's Peace Oath!"

  He noticed that Nerol was still a bit hesitant to speak. Noticing Nall's absence, no doubt. They had been very good friends, and his absence could only mean one thing.

  "Let me say that honor is high among us today,¨ Curic continued, ¨and I feel fortunate to have you as my allies! I know we can overcome this, and we shall claim our just victory!"

  He knew this meeting was far too dismal for cheers, or applause, but he hoped that Carmon Blayke would not try to top his little speech.

  It would, however, be a simple task, for the Lord General.

  "Welcome, Prince Talbarond." Nerol greeted. He finished the walk to meet him, and took his hand.

  "Thank you, King Blanford." Danuel bowed, then Kaylel and Wade quickly followed.

  "This is General Levin," Nerol shook Wade's hand, "and Lady Ferarve, an Herbearer Mistress."

  Nerol kissed Kaylel's hand. "I am sorry for you kingdom." He said sympathetically.

  Then he faced the prince again. "As well as saddened, by the absence of your father."

  Danuel's eyes hit the floor. "Perhaps I should..."

  "Do not trouble yourself." Nerol interrupted. Placing a hand on Danuel's shoulder. "He was a dear friend, a fearless soldier, and an honorable King. He will truly be missed."

  Then he saw his wife step to his side, and he met her beautiful emerald eyes. "This is my lovely bride, Queen Yudora."

  She was, in fact, very lovely. An inch or two taller than her husband, she wore a most spectacular dress. Shimmering silver with intricate blue patterns covering it that would make a walking angel appear twice as heavenly. She held out a hand with a single diamond ring upon one finger, her wedding ring. It was as beautiful as her.

  Danuel took her hand, and kissed it the same way Nerol had Kaylel's. He hoped it was proper for the Queen, as well.

  Wade had to fight not to stare at that ring she wore, or hold it in his teeth when she drew her hand from his lips.

  He knew what he was.

  "Would your associates like a long, hot bath?" Yudora saw Wade and Kaylel, both smile.

  "Please, your Majesty." Kaylel sounded anxious, and surprised herself by speaking.

  Yudora clapped her hands twice, quickly, and out of everywhere rushed in young servants wearing white robes. Both men and women, only the four most practiced veterans approached the Queen, one male, and three female. The others stood nearby, awaiting orders.

  "Show Lady Ferarve and Lord Levin to their rooms," began Yudora, and the servants were already moving, "and pour each of them a bath."

  She motioned for one of the female servants to come closer, and she whispered in her ear. "Make the appropriate adjustments to Lady Ferarve's room, quickly."

  That servant left immediately, taking all but four of the twelve servants that entered with her.

  Then Kaylel and Wade wer
e led into the castle, but much slower than the servants who had entered ahead of them. They had their work to do. There had been no warning that one of their guests was going to be a woman.

  Yudora planned on meeting the Herbearer Mistress, sometime before their departure to Ayarlyn.

  "Please sit, and relax." Nerol offered Danuel a chair, and the remaining two servants poured tea, as everyone took a chair.

  Curic stood with Carmon, behind the King and Queen's chairs. The General tried to appear as impressive as the huge Lord General, but it was hopeless.

  He tried every day, and failed.

  Experience would always give him proper seniority, however. Carmon should have been lower on the bloody ladder than he had climbed, but the Lord General stood at the top.

  A serene pest!

  "Can you forgive us for your horrible ride through my city?" Asked Nerol.

  "No need to apologize." Danuel sipped his warm tea, but he would have rather been taken to a bath, as well. "I must admit, you might receive the same in my father's city as of present, King Blanford."

  Nerol smiled. Though it was not really a pleasing discussion.

  "Please address us as Nerol, and Yudora." He insisted. "Anyone sitting here today, has earned that."

  Curic and Carmon had to fight, not to exchange glances then. Even they, still had to address the King and Queen formally.

  "I just want to go over the next day with you, Danuel," Nerol began, "and then you may retire to your room."

  Danuel was going right to sleep when he got to his room. And sleep well.

  He would give it a try, anyway.

  "They are here, master!" Shouted the gray-haired butler, as he carried a tray passed a nearby window, with a full view of the main street. "The army enters the castle grounds at this very moment, sir!"

  He sounded very excited.

  Master Covary removed the long-stemmed wooden pipe from his smiling lips. He reached over the table from his chair to take the tall, narrow, crystal glass of wine from the butler's tray. "Then we have work to do, Coll."

  Of course, he meant that Coll had work to do.

  "Yes, sir." The butler replied.

  "The invitations must be sent, at once." Covary announced.

  "Yes sir."

  "The dining room, prepared."

  "Most assuredly, sir."

  "Wonderful. I know I can count on you, Coll. Keep the others in line, now." He showed all of his teeth in the smile that followed.

  Coll did the same, but for only an instant, it felt improper.

  "Not a problem, sir." Coll was a true professional in his career. He could only dream of owning his own business, like Master Covary. He also knew that more than housing horses, and weary travelers, kept his boss the richest Dwarf in Mynnorah. Covary was involved in buying and selling, which was a common trade among the richest nobles in the city. Tools, weapons, jewelry, coins, antiques, property, and small businesses, could all be bought and sold. The stable was no longer even half of Master Covary's steady income.

  Coll tucked the tray under one arm, and left the room quickly.

  Covary began to think about the evening he had planned. It would be worth the fortune he had spent on the food and fine wine.

  For the fortune he could make.

  Well worth it.

  He wasted his drink, and his smoldering tobacco, when he left the room in a hurry.

  Laughing ambitiously.

  XIII

  Tainted Power

  Never before had Kaylel seen such a maze of hallways and corridors, with hundreds of doors leading to hundreds of rooms. The inside of the Dwarf castle was vastly larger than that of the Bowenn castle.

  She began to think that maybe she was not so foolish, for being a little afraid to leave her room. She had a pounding headache, though, and needed a cup of boiling-hot water to make her medicine. If only she had not sent her servant away so quickly, but the headache arrived suddenly, once she was alone. Besides, she did not like to burden the servants.

  In a heavy, navy-blue robe, with matching slippers, and a white towel wrapped on her head, she stepped out into the wide hallway. She felt odd, but her desperation was stronger. Her greatest fear was that she might not find her way back to her room. There were guards and servants in the hall, however, and someone would help her.

  "Good evening, Lady Ferarve." A voice made her jump.

  She had tried to leave unnoticed, and did not even make it out of her bedroom doorway, when someone stopped her. She turned in the direction of the voice, and found Wade approaching her. Kaylel could not help but wonder if the big man from Tylas had been about to knock on her door. She crossed her arms, and pulled her collar closer to her neck. She rather liked the amount of skin an Herbearer's dress covered, and wished she had one on just then.

  "Good evening, Mister Levin." Kaylel sounded irritated by the man's arrival, but it was because of the delay. Her head was splitting.

  "I was just taking myself on a tour of the castle," Wade started, by lying, "and I saw you leaving your room, and..."

  He was right next to her then.

  "Would you care to join me?" He asked. Then stepped even closer.

  Kaylel's collar started choking her. Or was it the closeness? ¨I just needed some boiling water in my room.¨

  Wade drew closer still. "I could find a servant," ...and closer, "or even," ...and closer, "get it myself, if you like."

  He was far too close for Kaylel's comfort. It nullified the possible impact his simple generosity could have made.

  He felt it, and stepped back. A little. He respected the rules of every woman. They all had them, and when well followed, a man was allowed to get as close as he wanted. So he had learned. He gave his best smile; it always worked well for him.

  Kaylel did find Wade to be very attractive. He looked like a fine statue, come to life, but that only made her wonder if he had rocks in his head to match. Besides, she knew a blonde-haired pest that could smile better than Mister Levin.

  "I can manage, thank you." Kaylel replied.

  "May I join you then?" Wade also never gave up easily.

  Something Kaylel would learn about him.

  "Actually," Kaylel began, sounding obviously irritated, "it has been a tiring journey. I think I am going straight to bed instead."

  She hoped he did not ask the same question again.

  She had no idea how badly he wanted to.

  Wade did not care for sleeping alone, or for that matter, even with the same woman, very often. Many times, he took home more than one woman to share his bed. He knew the importance of maintaining an equal balance between asking, and being asked. That way refusals were fewer, and farther between, which were easier to hear, than to accept.

  "Well, I was just..."

  "Goodnight, Mister Levin." She had to close the door on him to get away.

  "Please, call me, Wade..." He heard the door lock, but he held his smile. There were others present in the hall, and he was not about to look upset.

  Nor could he bloody kick her door in.

  Nearly five minutes passed before Kaylel opened her door a second time, and peeked her head out into the hallway. Wade was gone. She sighed with relief. The guards and servants, however, had declined in numbers since she last opened her door. She saw only one guard, and one servant. Looking around, but mostly for Wade, she made her way toward the female servant, who was then, herself, rushing toward Kaylel.

  Why did the Dwarf girl appear frightened?

  Suddenly, two armored guards rounded the corner from another hall, with a serious faced Queen between them. She noticed Kaylel's presence instantly, and a smile lit her face. Though her eyes were not smiling at the Dwarf girl. She was not happy to see one of her guests having to search the halls for a servant.

  Yudora would give her a good lecturing for this.

  Kaylel's smile was not genuine either. She knew that she could get whatever she wanted now, but she would not be able to avoid a conversation with
the Queen. She could not run to her room and shut the door on her! No matter how badly she wanted to. Kaylel held her robe too tightly about her to curtsy, but she did her best.

  "Lady Ferarve!" Yudora approached her, but the two guards stopped in their tracks four paces behind, their faces blank. "I hoped to see you again. I have to say, I am overjoyed to see a woman here tonight. So often lords and Generals pass these halls, and I would bet that none of them have taken a wife. I had to employ more women servants, just to straighten things up around here."

  She laughed, and the servants that had gathered about them joined in.

  Kaylel's head was drumming, and she found it hard to laugh along. She could have already asked the young Dwarf girl for the hot water, by now.

  "Did you need something, Lady Ferarve?" The Queen asked, suddenly.

  At last! "Yes, your Highness. I would be most grateful for a cup of boiling-hot water for a..."

  Yudora clapped her hands twice, and the five servants stood at attention. "A kettle of hot water for our guest!"

  Four of them were off instantly, but would it really take the four of them to see it done?

  "If you have no prior engagement to be present at the council tomorrow," the Queen started, "I would like very much to have our own little chat, if you will. I am interested in your profession. I see you must be important to the prince's army."

  Important? Kaylel, momentarily, had forgotten why she was there. She failed to remember volunteering, or even being asked to go, but she was an Herbearer Mistress, and that was important.

  "I would be honored, your Majesty." Kaylel replied. She hoped that the cooks already had water boiling in the kitchen. If not, the servants would be a while.

  "Excellent." Yudora took Kaylel's left hand with both of her own, she did not let go of her robe. "Now tell me, what is your favorite tea, my child? I promise to have it waiting."

  At the moment, she would have preferred the tea waiting in her room, a special blend that soothed all aches and stiffness of the joints. Thapsus Leaf. Made popular, mostly, by its strong ability to overthrow the worst of headaches. Fruit juices, or honey improved its bitterness. It could taste very good when a headache was more severe, but it was most definitely not a tea for parties, or friendly chat.