by Jon Kiln
Hendon looked on in horror at Linz’s account of the dream. “Surely if the Duchess was dead, Myriam would know?”
“I cannot say, my friend,” Linz replied, unable to offer any comfort. “I’m not sure if what I have seen has happened, or is yet to come to pass.”
They were both so deeply engrossed in their conversation that neither of them had heard Ganry approach.
“So, it seems that Myriam’s perceptions are becoming strong,” a gravelly voice sounded across the stables. Both looked towards the sound of the voice and watched the veteran warrior approach. He had been sent by Myriam to greet Linz as she had felt his presence close by, even though she had no knowledge that he had arrived.
“Let’s not keep the Queen waiting. She is keen to hear your news, Linz, and why you felt it so urgent to leave your people in their time of need,” Ganry stated.
Myriam was so pleased to see Linz that she could not help herself but run to him, and hugged him tightly in her greeting. Ganry looked on and frowned, one day, he thought to himself, she will behave like a Queen, but he said nothing. Myriam had much on her mind and small issues of formalities were the least of her worries.
“I know it hasn’t been long since last we met, but when we’re together I feel such a strong bond,” she explained to all present. “We have much to discuss. I’m sure you have both had a message of sorts with regards to the quest to find my grandmother?” she asked, awaiting an answer.
“I had a terrible dream,” Linz replied first, “and it involved the Rooggaru, or at least his race.”
Myriam shuddered at her memory of their encounter with the large lizard. They were lucky to escape with their lives that day, indeed they almost lost Ganry. The thought of having to face a whole race of those lizard people filled her with dread.
“Legend says that they gave the stones to our ancestors to enable us to battle with their long hated enemy, the dragons,” Myriam said. “It could be just that though, a legend. Truly, I do not know where the Berghein stones came from, though my tutor, Leonidavus, came from Berghein, so I suppose there must be a connection with that area. I do not see how the lizard people owned those stones, other than they may have stolen them. This would not surprise me as I do not trust these creatures. Do you really believe that our quest means we have to deal with this terrible race?”
“I agree with Linz, Myriam. My staff also told me we must journey to the Rooggaru,” Hendon said.
All looked at the staff in his hand, but no one spoke of it. With everything they had experienced recently, a talking staff did not seem so fantastical. Only Ganry looked skeptical.
“I too have had a dream,” Myriam informed them. “My grandmother came to me to let me know that she still lives. She also mentioned the Berghein stones and urged me to keep them close and not give them up because our powers will fade.” She paused, waiting to see if anyone could shed light on her conundrum. When no one spoke she continued, “It’s a real puzzle to me. Why would we give up the stones?”
Still no reply from her friends. She felt that the answer to this question was essential to their success, but it remained a mystery.
“Let’s catch up over dinner,” she suggested. “Linz, you can take the room next to Hendon’s. I think the sooner we all talk together, the better. My grandmother is very precious to this bloodline. As the Queen, I want to thank her for all the help she provided me in gaining back my throne. Go and clean up, Linz, you’ve had a long journey. I will see you both at dinner,” she finished.
All bowed and left the Queen’s chambers, with the exception of Ganry.
“You have a kingdom to run, my Queen. Think wisely before embarking on quests that others can do for you.”
Then he too, bowed and left the room.
6
They all met at dinner where they listened intently to Hendon’s explanation. “I don’t know why none of you can hear him when he’s so clear to me. Though he does speak in riddles and I don’t always understand his words.”
Everyone was gathered around Hendon’s staff because he had told them that Barnaby communicated with him through the strange piece of wood. Barnaby himself, found it all rather amusing but refused to perform at Hendon’s command.
No one else can hear, foolish boy, because I speak in your head. Barnaby thought that if he had a head, he would be shaking it right now.
“I still maintain it’s just a piece of wood with some carvings on it. There is no such thing as magic,” Ganry said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself more than anything else.
“He tells me that the lizard subterranean city lies in Vandemland,” Hendon continued, ignoring Ganry’s comment. “That is where we must go if we are to save the Duchess.”
“Do you know how big that country is?” Ganry said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Where does your stick suggest we start?”
“I think we should go to Qutaybah,” Myriam suggested. “He proved to be very faithful to my grandmother’s cause. He will help us find her once he knows she is still missing. I’m sure he will.”
“Queen Myriam, I understand your concerns for the Duchess, but I feel I must advise you that this is no quest for a Queen.” Ganry once again made his opposition to this folly be known.
Myriam knew that she really needed to learn to exert herself better with Ganry. He was her protector and she trusted him and his advice, but she was the Queen, she needed to have the final decision in everything.
“This is not just any quest, Ganry, this is my grandmother, who, might I remind you, saved my crown. I cannot leave it to others to find her and bring her home. I owe her too much.”
“She is right, Ganry.” Linz felt he also needed to help the Duchess, despite his responsibilities. “I too should not have left my leadership in another’s hands, but the Duchess is kin. Because of her, the Lake people now own their lands, officially. We no longer need to stay a secret tribe. We owe her much, as does Myriam.”
“Artas, Hendon, have you two any more to add to this argument?” Ganry pleaded with them for their opinions. If he could sway half the group to his view, then perhaps he could get Myriam to remain at the castle and rule her kingdom, as she was meant to.
Artas spoke first. “I lost my parents to that usurper, Duke Harald. I cannot take my revenge out on the false Regent because he is dead. What I can do is honor the one person who made sure that happened. I say the entire kingdom owes the Duchess this favor.”
Ganry knew he could not argue with that because it was true. The Duchess had been the only noble to fight the usurper to start with. Her bravery was probably what encouraged the others to finally make their move. He also realized, and was secretly quite pleased, that Myriam had a steely resolve about her, one that he could not sway. It boded well for her future reign, should she survive this expedition.
“I would not stop you. Your very wish is my command,” Ganry replied, resignedly. “If you are to go, then so shall I, of that I am steadfast.”
An uneasy silence fell on the room while each contemplated the decisions that were being made. It was Hendon who finally broke the stillness.
“There is more I haven’t yet told you.” He waited to be sure he had everyone’s attention before continuing. “I cannot tell you for certain what it is, but there is more to this quest than a simple rescue. Barnaby gave me one of his warnings in a riddle: They want that of which we own, so we must beware.”
“What? What do we own that they want, Hendon? I do not understand these words. Surely if we knew what is was we could deal with this much quicker?”
“That, my Queen, I do not know,” Hendon replied, humbly. “My staff, or rather the spirit within it, speaks in riddles. I sometimes think he is playing games with me.”
“It is clear to me that all immediate members of the D’Anjue bloodline need to be on this journey,” Linz added. “We have all had a message of sorts. I had a dream, Hendon has his voice in a stick, and—”
“A staff, Linz, it is not
merely a stick,” Hendon interrupted.
“Through your staff,” Linz corrected, seeing it was important to his friend. “And Myriam has had a message from her grandmother, the Duchess, through a dream. We are destined to follow this path together.”
“It is decided then,” Queen Myriam said, forcibly, ensuring that Ganry was in no doubt of her determination to get her own way on this. “There will be myself, and Ganry to protect me. Linz and his protector, Wyatt. Plus Hendon. We five will travel to Vandemland and return the Duchess safely back to her homeland, though her castle lays in ruins since it was burned to the ground.”
Someone grunted a throaty cough in the background, and all eyes turned in their direction.
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” Artas spoke up.
“No, Artas, I had not forgotten you, for you will stand in my stead as Regent. You of all the people I know, I can trust.”
“I thought you were going in secret?” Artas pointed out.
“That secret will soon be uncovered when we go. I would need to inform the Heads of State and politicians anyway, and not one of them could be trusted to keep a confidence. No, our absence will soon be noted by the interfering decision makers. This way, should the people find out I go in search of my grandmother, you will be here to keep order. Artas, I know you wish to come along, but equally the kingdom needs an honest leader.” She would not force this upon her personal knight, but he really was the best candidate to hold the fort.
“Yes, my Queen, it will be my honor to care for your kingdom in your absence.” Despite his heavy sadness at not going on the rescue mission, he managed to disguise his disappointment. “Although once my injury is healed, I’m coming along on any other adventures.”
“Absolutely, Artas,” Myriam smiled and hugged him.
“So, that’s decided then.” Myriam was relieved it had all gone her way. She really was going to enjoy being Queen. “We set off as soon as we are fully prepared, and certainly within the next few days.”
All returned to their quarters to rest before the journey began, and each would reflect on their roles in the mission. Ganry was determined that Myriam would return to rule her kingdom, even if that meant he had to lay down his own life to ensure her safe return.
7
The five travelers decided to journey in disguise while they were still in the Kingdom of Palara, each one wearing the simple clothes of merchants. Each would also carry a small supply of silks to reinforce their deception.
Having horses meant they could carry plenty of food supplies and hide their weapons from prying eyes. After much discussion, they agreed that a wagon would slow them down, although Ganry would have preferred one as it would have allowed them to hide the Queen.
Since the coupe, there was now much more trade activity. Myriam’s new advisors had agreed to slacken security on all borders. They hoped this would lead to an increase in trade to help the crown pay for the cost of the war that the usurper had caused. Trade negotiations were just one of many new changes that Myriam had implemented. Trade would bring prosperity back to the people of Palara.
This night they were staying at an inn just a mile from the borders of Vandemland. It was a busy inn due to the borders being overcrowded. The pass between the two kingdoms was set on a narrow road, between high cliffs. Prior to the coup, hardly anyone had used the official posts to cross the border, with smugglers having free reign. Now the borders were better patrolled and most, if not all, goods had to go through the official crossings.
“Getting over the pass isn’t the problem,” Ganry informed the group over their venison dinner. “It’s finding the elusive Qutaybah that is proving difficult. The Duchess had an alliance with him, but no other in the kingdom has such a privilege. I can send word by the Narcs, but this will be costly, and even then they are not trustworthy. They are known as the smugglers, but the opening of the borders has made smuggling useless so they will now be looking for other ways to be making money.”
“I heard of a terrible tale told by the castle guards about the Narcs,” Myriam disclosed. “They sold Captain Henrickson and his squire, Arexos, into slavery. They had gone as spies sent by my uncle. You know, he was planning to invade Vandemland once he had the crown. He was totally mad,” she told the others, but none had known of the usurpers intentions. Ganry had always ignored the nobles and definitely had no time for politicians. “It’s true,” she emphasized with wide eyes. “The worse part of the tale is that Arexos managed to get back to the castle and my uncle had him beheaded. Poor boy. It seems my uncle was murdering people at a fast pace. He would have made a terrible King. I cannot imagine the state of the kingdom with his rule. My father was far too trusting of his brother.”
The Queen’s friends remained silent. Myriam rarely spoke of the coup. They all knew that the grief from losing both parents was still fresh and painful. Ganry felt she never had the chance to grieve her losses, but what did he know of a young girl’s needs. He had lost his own daughter at a similar age to Myriam, so his role at fatherhood had been thwarted. This was all the more reason to rescue the Duchess. Myriam needed a mother figure to help her mature, and to guide her into being a “good and just” Queen for the kingdom.
Everyone in the party slept lightly that night. Tomorrow they would brave the crossing into Vandemland.
They all rose early, whilst the sky was still in darkness, and ate a light breakfast before setting off. Reaching the border crossing just as the sun was rising above the horizon, it seemed that they were not the only ones looking for an early start.
“We could get through the thronging crowd much quicker if we told them who you really are,” Hendon suggested, looking in dismay at the long line of people trying to get over the border. This was going to slow down their progress.
“We cannot let the kingdom know that the Queen endangers herself in foreign lands,” Ganry said. “It’s mad enough that she’s here, but it is essential she remains incognito.”
“On this one, I agree with Ganry,” Myriam put in. “Can we not bribe our way forward? A few coins here and there to push our way to the front of the line?”
“It is a viable option,” Ganry agreed. “We will pose as the Johannson family once again, as we did in the town of Athaca. Myriam can be a sickly daughter that we are keen to get home quickly. Linz and Hendon can choose the people to bribe in the line so we can move forward to the border guards at a quicker pace.”
It did not prove that easy a task. Many of the people in the line were traders, all equally in a rush to sell their goods at local markets. It was easier for Linz and Hendon to offer to buy their wares, as the traders understood this far better than just receiving the money for nothing, which made them uneasy and suspicious.
“I will buy your knife, at a good rate, but only if you let my family have your place in the line,” Linz bartered with a large man standing in front of them.
It was a slow trade but it was moving them down the line quicker. Ganry and Wyatt stayed on their horses, observing for anything suspicious. Ganry had come to like Wyatt. He was much older in years than Linz and a veteran in battle. It seemed all in the line had learned of the family with the weak daughter, and they all expected the trade deals to take place as the Johannson family arrived behind them.
After a few hours, Ganry was the next to be questioned by the border guards. He worried that the guards may have heard of their trickery to get to the front of the line, but it seemed that the tradespeople did not communicate with the guards unless they had to. It seemed to be an accepted opinion of “them” and “us.” The Johannson family were through the border guards in no time, with their purses much lighter and their saddles laden with the bartered goods.
They entered the first town after crossing the border, and Ganry led them to an inn.
“We will be approached by a guide, sent to us from the Narcs. He is to take us to see Qutaybah,” Ganry explained.
They all settled down and awaited the guides arrival.
Qutaybah was a mysterious figure to most of them. They had heard he was a rich man, a hardened slaver and mercenary, hiring out his private army to the best payers. What they were certain of though, was that no one should ever cross him. The plains of Vandemland were littered with the graves of those who had dared.
8
Artas was disappointed that he had not been able to go with the Queen on her quest. He was supposed to be her personal knight, an honor he had taken seriously. It seemed this was not a role that was needed all of the time, especially when she had Ganry. However, Ganry was older than him, so he supposed he would be trained to take his place, eventually.
Smiling at that thought, he looked down at the crowd that stood before him. One of his roles in the Queen’s absence was to placate the nobles. He was to convince them that the Queen was unwell and unavailable. There were few who were privy to the fact that she was not even in the castle, but the others must be told that he was Regent, given this role by his Queen.
He understood them to be nervous of a Regent, so soon after the cruel, vindictive self-appointed Harald who had only recently held this position. But they could not compare him to Duke Harald. The man had murdered his parents by beheading them. He could never be a merciless leader, only a just one. He intended on doing a good job while the Queen was absent. She had bestowed much responsibility on him, so he would forget the quest and meet his role head on.
Standing up, he took in a deep breath and then yelled at the top of his voice, surprising himself just how loud he was capable of shouting.
“My Lords, it is time for silence!” he ordered them. “I have been given the task of relaying all your concerns to your Queen. You are given the task of patience, and I see no sign of that amongst any of you today.”
