The Coravian Conflict (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 5)

by Loren K. Jones

  Turning to General Kel’Eshen, he smiled. “You have your own Gel’Hal field?”

  “Indeed we do, Prince Stavin,” the general agreed. “It’s much better exercise than calisthenics, and a lot more fun.”

  Stavin laughed and nodded. Then he saw the man standing in the middle of the field holding a pair of staves. The general noticed him as well.

  “Prince Stavin, please allow me to present Lieutenant Arandal Zel’Rellin, our fort staff champion.”

  Stavin nodded as the lieutenant bowed. “It is an honor to meet you, Prince Stavin,” the lieutenant said as he returned to attention.

  “I am pleased to meet you as we’ll, Lieutenant,” Stavin replied. He held his hand out toward the shorter of the two staffs the lieutenant was holding and received the weapon immediately.

  Looking to the side, he said, “Karlin, stay with Uncle Karvik.”

  Karlin looked a little sulky, but said, “Yes, sir,” anyway.

  Lieutenant Zel’Rellin bowed and indicated a circle inscribed in the dirt. Stavin grinned as he put on his helmet and took a ready stance. All around the field men and women fell silent as they realized that the morning’s entertainment was about to begin.

  Stavin began the match by attacking the lieutenant low. Their staffs clacked loudly as Lieutenant Zel’Rellin countered the attack easily and initiated an attack of his own. The blows fell lightning fast, sounding like a child running a stick down a picket fence. Both men picked up the pace as Stavin and the lieutenant each fought to overcome the other.

  Stavin was impressed by the lieutenant’s skill. He was as good as most of the Warriors of Kel’Kavin. He was hard pressed to keep the man from striking him, and at the same time he was unable to make a strike of his own.

  It wasn’t long, however, before Stavin heard the lieutenant’s labored breathing and the tempo of the fight slowed. Stavin smiled as the lieutenant tired. There we go. He increased the speed of his attack, and soon slipped through the lieutenant’s guard to land a killing touch on his chest.

  General Kel’Eshen said, “Point to Prince Stavin.”

  Lieutenant Zel’Rellin stepped back and bowed. “You are very good, Prince Stavin.”

  Stavin nodded. “The Dragon’s Tongue is my chosen weapon, Lieutenant.”

  The lieutenant nodded. “Whenever you are ready, Your Highness.”

  Stavin grinned and attacked. This time the lieutenant was already tired, and it only took ten exchanges before Stavin again struck him, this time in a succession of blows to both shoulders and then again in the center of his chest.

  General Kel’Eshen again said, “Three points to Prince Stavin.”

  The lieutenant was shaking his head slowly as he backed away. “I thought I was in good condition, but you aren’t even winded.”

  “My armor weighs half what yours does, Lieutenant. I also spend eight spans a day drilling with the Royal Guards. You did very well until you got tired.”

  The lieutenant nodded, then bowed deeply. “I yield, Prince Stavin. Perhaps on your return trip we can try again.”

  Stavin bowed his acceptance, then looked at General Kel’Eshen. The general stepped forward and bowed.

  “You are as good as we were told, Prince Stavin.”

  “Thank you, General. Your lieutenant is very skilled with the staff.”

  The general sighed and tilted his head to the side. “He’d better be. He’s our staff-weapons instructor as well as champion.”

  Karvik had led Karlin forward in time to hear the conversation. “Daddy teaches the Royal Guards,” he announced proudly.

  “Indeed,” the general said as he bowed to Karlin. Turning to Stavin, he bowed again. “Prince Stavin, I wonder if you would indulge me as far as your guards are concerned?”

  “Yes, General?”

  “If you will allow, I would like to test one of your men against one of mine.”

  Stavin tilted his head to the side as he considered the general’s request, and Karvik and Major Zel’Astel exchanged a long look. Finally nodding, he said, “Major Kel’Carin?”

  Karvik stepped forward and snapped to attention. “Yes, Prince Stavin?”

  “The general is curious about the sword skills of the Royal Guards. Would you oblige him?”

  “Yes, Prince Stavin.”

  General Kel’Eshen was nodding as he said, “Captain Zel’Corval, if you would?”

  A tall man stepped forward and bowed. “It would be an honor, Sir. Major?” He indicated the circle, and a private walked forward with a pair of wooden swords.

  Karvik removed his baldric and turned to Karlin. “Prince Karlin, would you do me the honor of holding my sword?” Karlin bowed and took the sword, holding it so nothing touched the ground. Karvik smiled and turned to back face the captain as he took a wooden sword and said, “When you are ready, Captain.”

  The captain bowed, then struck like lightning. Karvik blocked the blow and moved into the captain’s reach. His sword rang against the captain’s breastplate, knocking the man back a step.

  “One point to Major Kel’Carin,” the general said in a neutral tone that still managed to convey his surprise.

  Karvik smiled, though it was hard to see. The captain moved forward almost immediately, striking at Karvik with remarkable vigor. Karvik let the bout continue for ten exchanges before initiating his attack. The wooden sword in his hand blurred as he hit the captain three more times, driving him back, out of the circle.

  Captain Zel’Corval stopped when he realized what had happened and looked at Karvik, then bowed. He removed his helmet and stared at Karvik in slack-jawed amazement.

  “You are phenomenal, Major.”

  Karvik removed his helmet, surprising all the Coravian offices when they saw his youthful face. “You are very good, Capitan Zel’Corval. Certainly a match for most of our Royal Guards.”

  Chapter 6

  OTHERS HAD BEEN WATCHING THE ROYAL SWAN intently, waiting for their chance to act. “He is gone and the boy with him. And his armor.”

  Another man was shaking his head in puzzlement. “I still feel something, like he left a piece of the armor behind.”

  “Will it stop you?” the leader asked.

  “No,” the man answered with a satisfied smile. “I can take them so long as they are not holding it.”

  With a smile the other two replied, “As Lebawan commands,” and the leader started toward the inn.

  * * *

  Sharindis was doing what real princesses usually did: trying to keep her daughters from destroying the royal suite. There was a knock at the door and Sindal opened it.

  “Yes?” she asked the Royal Guardswoman.

  “These men are here to refill the water heater, Mistress.”

  Since the water heater had to be filled with a hand-pump, Sindal let them in. “The bathing room is through there,” she said, pointing to the door.

  “Yes, Mistress,” the leader said, then slammed his elbow into her face.

  The other two slammed the door closed, and the leader shot home the bolts that secured the door just as the guards tried to burst in. He shouted, “Take them, you fools!”

  The twins started to scream as the two accomplices started toward them. The men took two steps toward Sharindis and her daughters before Shari brought out the piece of Stavin’s armor he’d left behind: his Dragon’s Tongue.

  The men hesitated for a moment, then made the last mistake of their lives and took one step closer, thinking a princess surely couldn’t be dangerous.

  Stavin’s Dragon’s Tongue flashed in her hands, and the first man fell with a cut throat. The mage took a step back and tried to strike at Shari, but he was too slow. As his hands came up, Shari’s bottom blade came across and took both of his hands off cleanly in mid forearm. He screamed in pain and tried to fall back, but the blade of the Dragon’s Tongue snaked out to split his heart.

  The leader who had thought to find a helpless woman and her children was suddenly facing his death. He drew a k
nife to defend himself, but Shari was in no mood to play nice. She cut his knife in half, taking off half his hand in the process, and kicked him back against the door.

  “You cannot defy Lebawan’s will,” the man sputtered through his pain.

  Shari was snarling when she said, “Watch me,” then stabbed him through the heart.

  The pounding on the door was getting insistent and she shouted, “Put a cork in it! Let me pull the bolts!”

  Shari yanked the two large bolts that secured the door and it instantly flew open as Master Sergeant Zel’Halvis burst into the room, causing Sharindis to stumble over a dead man’s legs and fall on her butt.

  “Damn it, Mohriah!” Shari snapped.

  “Are you all right, Shari?”

  “I was until you knocked me down.”

  “Sorry. Who were they?” the sergeant asked.

  “Followers of the Cutter,” Shari growled. “They thought they could take us because Stavi isn’t here to protect us.”

  Master Sergeant Zel’Halvis shook her head. “After you and Sorandis took four men when you couldn’t even see them?”

  Sharindis gave her a sardonic grin and spoke in a sarcastic tone as she said, “I said they were followers of Lebawan. I didn’t say they were smart.”

  All the Royal Guardswomen and more than half of the guardsmen had crowded into the suite. Shari looked around to find her daughters in Helva and Delva’s arms, then looked for Sindal.

  Sindal was just sitting up. Her nose was streaming blood down the front of her blouse, and the look in her eyes was murderous.

  “Princess Sharindis, is everyone alright?” she asked as two of the guardswomen started tending to her.

  “Yes, Sindal. The only ones who got hurt were you and them.”

  Sindal was holding a cloth to her nose and blinking to clear the tears from her eyes. “I most humbly apologize, Your Highness. I wasn’t prepared for a servant to attack.”

  “None of us were, Sindal. The servants in a royal inn are supposed to be thoroughly checked out.”

  Master Sergeant Zel’Halvis was looking at her and nodding thoughtfully. “Indeed they are, Princess Sharindis. I think someone needs to fetch the innkeeper and see if he knows these men.” She looked at one of her guardswomen and nodded.

  “At once, Master Sergeant,” the woman replied and headed out the door.

  Looking around the suite, she focused on the twins. “With your permission, Princess Shari, let’s get you and the girls out of here.”

  “Definitely,” Shari breathed. “I need something to calm my stomach.” Now that the attack was over, Shari was feeling the effects of adrenaline withdrawal.

  Shari was just leaving the suite when the innkeeper arrived. “Oh, Princess Sharindis, this is so horrible. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

  Shari froze him in his tracks. “Innkeeper Fel’Janda, three men just walked into my suite by claiming to be your servants. While I have a few questions for the Royal Guards, I’m sure they are going to have even more questions for you. For now, though, do you recognize any of these men?” She turned and pointed to where the guardswomen had laid out the bodies.

  “I do, Your Highness. The one in the middle is Master Mage Landar Fel’Walten. He keeps shop on the Evandian side of town. I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I don’t recognize either of the others.”

  Shari shook her head. “Finding out who one of them was should be easy enough. I know that one,” she pointed to the one closest to the door, “was a priest of the Cutter.”

  “Lebawan’s priest, Your Highness? Are you certain?” the innkeeper asked.

  “He said something about not being able to defy Lebawan’s will before he died.”

  The innkeeper bowed deeply before saying, “As you say, Your Highness, but the High Priest of Lebawan in this area is Lord Karvar Zel’Draval. He has his temple here on the Coravian side of town, near the old Temple of Justice.” He looked at the man again and shook his head. “I suppose he could be a Shear Priest. He’s too young to be an Inquisitor.”

  Shari nodded. “I’m sure King Teravan will be very interested in talking to the High Priest about this incident. You do realize that King Kalin would have declared war on Coravia if anything had happened to his granddaughters, don’t you?” From the sudden look of terror that crossed his face, it was apparent that the idea was new and frightening to him.

  Shari continued after he’d had a few moments to consider her statement. “For now, though, get your real servants to clean this room. I won’t impose on my staff to clean up your mess.” With that she turned and led the way out of the suite. She didn’t seem to realize that she was still holding Stavin’s Dragon’s Tongue at rest, but the innkeeper couldn’t take his eyes off it.

  All the Royal Guardswomen surrounded the princesses as they left, and the guardsmen surrounded them. The innkeeper was left alone with Avrin, Rahlf, and three dead men.

  The innkeeper turned to find the royal servants glaring at him. “I’ll just go fetch some help.”

  * * *

  One of the Warriors was sent to find Stavin, and ran into the fort just as Karvik defeated his opponent.

  “Warmaster,” the Warrior shouted, “there’s been an attack!” Every eye in the fort turned toward him as he slowed and bowed to Stavin. “Princess Shari and your daughters are safe,” he said loudly because Stavin was already coming toward him at a fast walk.

  Stavin, Karvik, and Major Zel’Astel all reached him at the same time, and it was Stavin who demanded, “What happened?”

  “Three men posing as servants went to the royal suite to fill the water heater. When they entered the suite, they slammed the door and attacked. Princess Shari killed all three of them, then let the guardswomen in.”

  Karvik looked the Warrior in the eye and asked, “What do we know?”

  “Sir, one man was a mage, and one was a Priest of Lebawan.”

  Stavin snarled as his lips pulled back. He said, “The Cutter,” as he turned toward the Coravian general, and a disturbing growl rumbled out of his chest. Everyone stepped away from the sudden air of menace that he exuded.

  Major Zel’Astel turned to General Kel’Eshen as well and asked, “What do you have to say, General?” in a tightly controlled tone.

  The general had a look of fury on his face that conveyed his own anger quite clearly. “There is a Temple of the Cutter on the east side of town, Major.”

  Stavin looked at the general and took a deep breath before saying, “This is your kingdom, General Kel’Eshen, but I must suggest in the most strenuous terms that you investigate this incident.”

  The general bowed before saying, “It will be done, Prince Stavin. While I must insist that you and your family remain at the inn, I invite your officers to come along as observers. His Majesty is going to be in a royal fury when he hears about this.”

  Stavin took a deep breath to object, but Major Zel’Astel shook his head ever so slightly and he nodded. “Back to the inn, then,” he said in a resigned tone.

  Karvik put a hand on his shoulder. “You know it has to be this way, Stave. You protect them; let us protect you.”

  Stavin nodded and put a hand on Karlin’s shoulder. “Let’s go make sure mommy and your sisters are all right.”

  Karlin nodded, but it was obvious from his expression that he was angry and anxious. “Why would they attack Mommy? Are they cowards?” he asked as he looked up at his father.

  Stavin nodded. “Most people who attack women and children are, Karlin. Those who aren’t are just evil.”

  “I don’t like Lebawan. He’s mean. Lady Sahren isn’t mean. She’s the kind of Goddess I like.”

  Stavin exchanged an amused glance with Karvik. “So do I, Karlin. So do I.”

  The walk back to the Royal Swan was quiet. That ended when they reached the inn. “What in the name of all the Gods is going on?” Stavin wondered aloud.

  The entire inn was surrounded by Royal Guards, and every one of them was cons
picuously armed. In the case of the Warriors, that meant full armor as well as swords. Even Stavin was momentarily intimidated by their display. And from his expression, so was General Kel’Eshen.

  Karvik took the lead as they approached the stairs. “Report!” he demanded, and Sergeant Zel’Fordan stepped forward and came to attention.

  “Sir, the inn is secure, and Master Sergeant Zel’Halvis ordered us to guard the perimeter while she and her ladies stay with Princess Sharindis and the children.”

  Karvik nodded. “Very well. Keep the royal family safe while we join the Coravians in investigating the followers of Lebawan. Understood?”

  “Sir, understood, Sir!” the sergeant snapped.

  Karvik turned toward Stavin and nodded. “Stay inside, Your Highness.”

  “Understood, Major Kel’Carin,” Stavin said in a low tone, “but don’t get too used to this.”

  Karvik let a slight smile curve his lips before turning to General Kel’Eshen and bowing. “Shall we, Sir?”

  The general nodded and turned away as he said, “This way, gentlemen.” He led the way toward the east as Stavin and Karlin mounted the stairs.

  Shari was sipping wine while the twins cuddled in their maids’ laps when Stavin and Karlin arrived. Karlin ran to his mother while Stavin went to pick up his daughters. He spent a moment just cuddling them. If something had happened to them I never would have forgiven myself.

  Turning toward Shari with both girls in his arms Stavin asked, “Are you really all right, Shari?”

  Sharindis sighed. “Yes, Stavi, I’m fine. I was a little shaky for a while, but it was just the excitement.”

  Stavin nodded and cuddled the girls for a moment longer with his eyes closed before asking, “And are you all right, my darlings?”

  Mahren took the lead and said, “Mommy killed the bad men, Daddy.”

  “She just grabbed your Dragon’s Tongue and cut them up,” Sahren added.

  “And that, my darlings, is why I always do what mommy says,” Stavin said as he smiled.

  “Do not!” the twins replied in unison, making their parents laugh.

  Chapter 7