Crown of Kings

by GJ Kelly

  “By Cordak, it's bigger than I thought it would be!” Drake grunted, eyeing the distant scene. “What pennant is that upon the castle keep?”

  Garin peered across the leagues that still separated them from the destination. “A red dragon, by the looks.” He frowned. The flag looked familiar but he knew he had never been to Kinloch before. His mind brought up an image of the flag being carried at the front of a large group of soldiers. He shook the image from his head, it was probably just some story that Master Eyan had told him.

  They travelled downhill until they reached the high stone walls of Kinloch and Garin turned his attention to the sentries at the gate. They seemed to be checking every traveller entering and leaving the city. By the time they got to the front of the queue at the gates even Drake's temper was wearing thin. The gate sentries stared up at the youth nervously, eyeing the massive sword on his back and the wicked-looking crossbow slung over his shoulder.

  “State your business in Kinlock, travellers,” one of the sentries barked.

  “None of your business, little man,” Drake growled, bending at the hip and thrusting his face within inches of the sentry's wide-eyed stare.

  “I come to petition the King,” Taya announced, calmly.

  “And I have been summoned by the King,” Garin said, planting the end of the elf-tree staff firmly on the flagstones.

  “Er, you may pass,” the sentry said, and Drake suddenly grinned, disarmingly.

  “Why thank you so much, kind Sir.”

  “You're welcome…” the guard muttered, before turning to the next in line and shouting “State your business in Kinlock, travellers!”

  And then they were within the walls and found themselves in the middle of a great seething throng of people, all going about their daily business. No-one paid them much attention, least of all Garin in his wizard's robes, but Drake did attract a glance or two for his sheer size.

  “By Cordak, this is a busy place!”

  Garin and Taya stared nervously about them, having never been in such a crowded place, but Drake didn’t look worried at all.

  “Come on, we'll find an inn and get out of this crowd,” Drake called above the din, and led them through the throng. They followed close behind, Taya reaching out and actually taking hold of Drake's belt as he forced his way across the main square, using his massive frame as a battering-ram.

  In truth, when people saw him coming, they mostly moved out of the way. Except one or two sullen-looking men who turned when he bumped into them, ready to fight. But when they saw the tall warrior, they mumbled a contrite apology and stepped aside in spite of his youth.

  When they made it across the square and into the quieter side-streets, Garin felt angry and frustrated by the crowd and strangely upset by how uncaring everyone seemed to be. Even in Scaret, as a ragamuffin on the streets, people were friendlier than here in Kinlock.

  They tried three inns, two boarding-houses, and a rather dark and dangerous-looking hostelry before they finally found an inn which had two vacant rooms.

  “I'll sleep down here by the fire,” Drake assured them, but Garin would have none of it.

  “You'll share my room, Rydan Drake.”

  Taya retreated into her room, saying that she wanted to rest and bathe and would join them for supper later. Garin thought she looked pleased to part company with him.

  Drake dumped his backpack and weapons on the floor of their room and then announced that he would mingle with the regular customers downstairs for a while, to find out what was happening locally.

  All of which left Garin, Wizard of Portsan, alone in a small room above the bar, listening to the noise outside and gazing up at the grey and foreboding castle upon the hill overlooking the city. He sat on the edge of his bed and tentatively poked a finger at the elf-tree staff lying beside him. He held his fingertip against the wood, but within a few heartbeats he felt the tingle, the bone-deep coldness, and the numbness spreading to his knuckles and hastily withdrew it.

  He sighed aloud, lay back, and closed his eyes, thinking of Master Eyan and how strange the last week had been. In two days he was to appear before the king. Taya would be there too, with her unknown petition. The only comfort he could find in his situation was his new-found friend, Rydan Drake.

  Garin tried to clear his mind and concentrate on the exercises Eyan had taught him so long ago. Small chants, and pictures in his mind, all of which should help to calm him down, but didn't. He opened his eyes and glared at the elf-tree staff. Until he'd touched it back at the cottage, and it had rejected him, Garin had felt reasonably confident in himself. Master Eyan had always said that the power was there, deep within him, and all he needed was time and practise to draw it out.

  But now the staff was silently laughing at him, it seemed. He was just another fool. If Rydan Drake or Taya had tried to handle the staff, they too would know the numb pain of rejection from the magical wood. He was no better than they, no more a wizard than they, and the staff knew it. Why else did it reject him so? True, he knew a good deal of healing herbs, potions and medicines. More than most apothecaries and more than some wizards, according to Eyan.

  He knew some fundamental spells that worked reasonably well most of the time. But nothing that any other wizard's apprentice couldn't master in his first six months training. But that isn't true! a voice seemed to say within him. And he admitted it wasn't. He knew a great deal. After five years with Grand Master Eyan, he knew a very great deal. It just didn't work. He knew the chants, the spells, the incantations. He knew the words and gestures, the secrets handed down from Master to Apprentice since Time and Wizards began. It just didn't work.

  Garin closed his eyes again and fell asleep and dreamt of spells that failed time and again…

  ***

  “Wizard!” someone was shouting, and Garin jumped up out of bed, sending the elf-tree staff clattering to the floor.

  “Sorry, Wizard, but you were sleeping so soundly I thought ye were dead!” Drake grinned, his face flushed red.

  “I'm awake enough now…” Garin mumbled, picking the staff up by the cloth he'd wrapped around it. Then he realised… “It's dark already!”

  “That's why yer a wizard I s’pose,” Drake said with a grin. “It's because it's night and supper time! C'mon, Master Wizard, the young lass won't go down without us as it's a bit boisterous now the sun's gone down.”

  Garin eyed the staff and wondered whether to leave it in the room. Certainly no-one would dream of stealing it. But this was Kinlock and since the inn was a public place, he might be expected to carry it with him.

  Taya was waiting at her door when they emerged from their room, looking refreshed and clean. Gone were the leather travelling-clothes, though she still wore her knee-length boots, but now she was dressed in a skirt and pretty red jerkin, clothes that Garin had never seen before.

  “About time,” she said bluntly and preceded them down the stairs.

  It was crowded in the bar, but tables had been set aside for guests to dine. Theirs was close to the fire where a great joint of beef was roasting on a spit. Garin wondered how long it'd be before Drake forgot where he was and reached out to help himself…

  “By Cordak! That beef smells as good as it looks!” Drake grinned and reached into a pocket of his tunic.

  Garin heard the chink of coins and a sudden wave of panic flooded through him. The rooms were expensive and he himself had no more than five brass and two coppers left in the small pouch in a fold of his robes. Those poor folk in Portsan who still believed in wizardry more often than not paid for Master Eyan’s services as Taya had done, with food.

  “What’ll it be, young masters?” a jovial red-faced man wheezed, appearing at their table wiping a tankard with a grubby dishcloth.

  “My friends and I,” Drake beamed, “Were just admiring the roast upon the spit.” And with that he fished his coins from his pocket and rattled them in his immense fist.

  “And why not, good masters, it’s as fresh as
the evening breezes and served with a secret sauce made by our very own master cook! Three beef with two ales, and perhaps a light wine for the young lady? That’ll be three silver.”

  Drake looked stunned and Taya actually gasped aloud. Suddenly Drake stopped rattling the coins in his fist and shot an imploring look at Garin.

  “Uhm…” Garin began, the panic rising. A fly buzzed around his face and he absent-mindedly swatted it away with a wave of his hand.

  Drake suddenly grinned again and winked.

  “Three silver you say, innkeeper?” Drake announced, and with a flourish, opened his hand and scattered the coins on the table.

  “Three silver, young masters,” the innkeeper repeated straight-faced, eyeing the coins distastefully. There were six brass shining dully in the light from the candle flickering on the table.

  Drake’s face fell and his eyes widened in shock. He looked at Garin and blinked and it was suddenly clear that the warrior had expected the coins to have been magically transformed into silver by the wizard’s quite chant of “Uhmmm” and the strange movement of Garin’s hand. Drake hadn’t seen the fly.

  “May I suggest the soup with corn-bread? That’ll be three brass exactly.”

  Taya blushed and fidgeted with her hands. Clearly she had little or no money at all.

  “The soup will be fine,” Drake croaked, and picked up three of his coins and put them back in his pocket.

  When the innkeeper had taken the other three and left to place the order in the kitchens, the young travellers stared at anything except each other for a long moment.

  “Sorry,” Garin said quietly, seeing the shock and disappointment in Drake’s eyes.

  Drake drew his shoulders back and forced a smile. “Turn me into a frog for an idiot, Master Garin. I forgot you were saving your strength for the king’s summons.”

  “It’s so expensive!” Taya whispered, leaning forward. Her dark green eyes were wide with wonder. “Three silver! That’s as much as my brothers earn in a month!”

  “Aye, well. This is Kinlock, young miss.” Drake sighed. “T’is the king’s town. Lots of important people I dare say…”

  “And rich ones too,” Taya said, nervously glancing around at the other guests, their plates piled high.

  There was a sudden burst of laughter from another table and they couldn’t help but look. What appeared to be a family were dining at a far table in a quiet alcove. Garin noticed that Taya was staring at the young woman.

  The girl was beautiful, not much older than Taya herself and wearing an exquisite dress of green and gold. Her long blonde hair was held in a net of shimmering silver braid and rings flashed and sparkled as she waved her hands.

  “I’m going to petition His Majesty to build a riding school, filled with beautiful ponies. I think everyone should be able to ride, don’t you mama?”

  “Of course they should darling, though none as well as you can!” enthused the girl’s mother.

  Taya caught her breath and her expression fell from one of shock at the price of food in Kinlock, to one of complete hopelessness. Garin watched helplessly as she regarded her plain red jerkin and glanced sheepishly through her fringe at the well-to-do girl on the other table.

  “Three soups and corn-bread?” a waitress asked, expertly balancing the bowls and breadbasket.

  “Here,” Drake rumbled, and watched ruefully as their meagre meal was placed before them.

  They began to eat their dinner, such as it was, in complete silence, and Garin wished they were still on the road, out in the forest, eating the wild boar and listening to Drake’s astounding tales.

  Suddenly, a loud and angry voice cut through the chatter and laughter.

  “…and I’m telling you! King Peiter should not be crowned. He is only half-royal and the crown will strike him down!

  “Away! What do you know?” another voice shouted back, as everywhere folk fell silent. “The Grand Wizard’s been dead for years and his spells with him! Stuff and nonsense I tell you!”

  “Gentlemen please!” the red-faced landlord urged, hoping to restore calm. “Have another ale, on the house.”

  “You’ll see! When the Master Wizard appears in Court day after tomorrow! When he declares the spell is still in place on the crown, when the crown shines brighter than the sun, then we’ll see how brave your King Peiter is then!”

  There was a sound of a scuffle, perhaps a fight breaking out, and then more voices were raised. They heard the doors to the inn slam and the innkeeper’s voice calling “And don’t come back!”

  It was suddenly very quiet in the inn. And suddenly Garin felt very afraid, as dozens of pairs of curious eyes swung his way, including Drake’s and Taya’s.

  oOo

  -5-

  He could almost hear their thoughts… why was such a young lad carrying the staff of a master wizard? Surely he doesn’t expect us to believe he is a wizard?… and the very same thoughts were racing through his own mind as well. There was no way he could present himself to the king in two days. He must have been mad even to consider coming here! The only consolation was that Kinlock was on the way to Mount Renga. At least he was closer to his master.

  “Take no notice of their ignorant stares, Wizard,” Drake thundered in the chilly silence. “It’s just as well you’re saving yourself for the king or we’d be in a room full of frogs by now!”

  The last was said in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the crowded inn and every head that had been turned towards them suddenly snapped back to their own affairs. Drake stared around the room for a few more moments and then with a loud grunt of satisfaction, he turned back to his own meagre meal of soup and cornbread.

  Garin stirred his thin soup absently. He wasn’t hungry now and he glanced at the staff leaning against the wall next to him. Rotten thing, he mumbled to himself. If it had accepted him he might just have been able to deal with whatever the new king wanted. Without it he didn’t have a chance.

  The evening passed without further trouble but more than a few eyes glanced Garin’s way before he finally retired to his room, feigning tiredness. He pretended to be asleep when Drake the warrior came up to the room an hour or so later. But sleep was elusive, and lying on his bunk he stared out the lead-lined window at the stars. A few days ago a failed magical attempt was just another to be chalked up with the rest, but now a failure could mean much worse.

  Morning finally dawned and Garin was grateful when Drake brought up some bread and hot chocolate, saving him from going down to face the patrons of the inn again. A reluctant-looking Taya followed close behind Drake and sat on the only chair in the room.

  “Will you be taking a day of rest before seeing the king?” the warrior asked as he sat on the floor and relaxed against the wall.

  “I don’t know,” Garin replied with a sigh. A whole day of sitting around thinking about the impending meeting with the king was probably more than he could cope with.

  “What about you, missy?” Drake asked in a friendly tone, picking at some dirt under his fingernails.

  “That is my business,” Taya replied a little too quickly, and rather sharply.

  “Didn’t mean to offend you,” Drake said, raising one eyebrow in surprise.

  “I go to petition the king,” Taya said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. “I can’t be away from home for too long, so I must go today.”

  “Then we’ll come with you to keep you company!” Drake said with a cheerful booming voice and he slapped his palm on the wooden floor. “It’ll give the wizard here an opportunity to see the king before tomorrow.”

  “I’d rather go alone,” Taya said with an icy voice that said she wasn’t going to say why, even if they asked.

  “I don’t suppose you’ll notice if we’re there or not,” Drake said with a shrug of his shoulders, not looking at all put out by her tone. “I heard a dozen people at least say there were going to the public session today and some of them looked far from trustworthy. I daresay you’d
be better off accompanied by a warrior and a wizard!”

  “Really?” Taya replied and Garin wasn’t surprised. Even though she hadn’t outwardly criticised his wizardly abilities lately he doubted that she had changed her mind about him.

  “So that’s settled. We’ll leave right after the wizard has finished breaking his fast. Better to be at the front of a long queue than the back,” Drake said with a smile. For all his worldly travelling at such a young age, he had no idea that Taya was being rude.

  Garin would rather have stayed well away from the castle for as long as possible but he guessed it was probably a good idea to gain an impression of King Peiter before he actually met him. They left a short time later and all eyes followed Garin as they left the inn and started walking towards the castle. He wished he could have left the staff behind and gone dressed in common clothes to attract less attention, but he doubted Drake and Taya would understand why.

  The streets were teeming with people despite the early hour, and most of them seemed to be heading in the same direction, towards the castle. More than a few looked respectfully at Garin when they noticed the white robes and long staff, but their expressions changed when they took in his age and skinny frame.

  The gates to the castle stood open and the river of people streamed through and up the marble steps of the imposing edifice. Garin heard a raucous cry from above them and looked up to see a huge magpie circling the crowd. Its wings were spread wide, with feathers shimmering dark purple in the early morning sunshine. Garin frowned, its flight-feathers were exactly like the one he had in his backpack, but he had never seen a magpie in Portsan. As he watched, the bird ceased its circling and glided into an open window high up the castle walls.