The innkeeper bowed to Shari and said, “This way, please, Your Highness,” and led the way into the inn. Shari and the girls, along with the maids and guardswomen, followed right behind her. At Stavin’s nod Captain Zel’Corval sent his women along as well.
Stavin smiled as he watched them go, then looked at the mayor. “After we’ve cleaned up and had a bite to eat, I would be pleased to meet with you and your council. But please limit the number of people you bring. This has been a longer than normal day for us.”
The mayor and everyone behind him bowed very low, then the mayor replied, “Of course, Your Highness.”
Stavin took Shari’s horse by the reins as Karlin and Karvik saw to the twins horses. The mayor seemed to be on the verge of apoplexy, but Major Zel’Astel just shook his head.
“They see to the princesses’ horses and their own themselves. It’s a Kel’Kavin tradition.” The mayor bowed again, but didn’t say anything.
Stavin and Karlin arrived at the bathing room to find all three princesses in the room’s only tub. “We’ll be done in a moment. The water isn’t very hot, though.”
Stavin sighed in disappointment, then just murmured, “Warm beats cold,” as he shook his head sorrowfully.
When Stavin and Karlin had finished their bath, they went up to find that the mayor hadn’t exaggerated about them getting the entire top floor--all four rooms of it.
Stavin shook his head slowly. “I’m already missing the royal inns.”
Shari chuckled and replied, “Remember, it was your idea to come this way.”
Stavin took a deep breath and let it out in an explosive sigh. “I know.”
They returned to the ground floor to find the common room empty of everyone except their guards.
Innkeeper Fel’Vanden hurried over and bowed deeply. “I beg your forgiveness, Your Highnesses, but we have limited fare to offer you.” She seemed about to die of embarrassment, so Shari again took the lead.
“Innkeeper Fel’Vanden, you needn’t be concerned. So long as it’s hot, it will be fine.”
The innkeeper bowed deeply again, and wouldn’t even look at Shari as she explained, “Your Highness, all we have that is hot is bread and bison stew.”
“That will do nicely,” Shari replied. “Stavin and I will have beer with our stew, and the children will have milk.”
The innkeeper bowed and said, “At once, Your Highness,” then hurried away without ever looking up.
Shari led her family to a table and arranged them so she and Stavin were together. She whispered, “This is a shock, isn’t it?”
Stavin shook his head. “No, not really. This is what most normal inns are like. Most places only have one kind of food each day. I thought Salli told you about her uncle’s inn. I’d bet even the royal inns were preparing extra in honor of our arrival.”
“Hmm, I hadn’t considered that. Salli did explain how inns operated. I just thought her inn was very small.”
Stavin chuckled. It felt good after the summer he’d had. “Salli’s inn was probably twice the size of this one. We’ll have to leave a little extra for the innkeeper when we go. We’re chasing away all of her regular customers.”
Shari nodded, but was distracted by the innkeeper’s return with their food. She sighed and said, “That smells wonderful,” as she smiled at the innkeeper.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Innkeeper Fel’Vanden replied as she set a bowl in front of each of them. A trencher of thick-sliced bread with whipped butter was placed in the center of the table, and a man followed her with the drinks.
When the food was on the table, Stavin looked at Karvik. Karvik bowed and said, “You can go ahead and eat, Your Highnesses. I had some stew and beer while you were bathing, and I’ve stayed in the kitchen watching the pot and keg.”
Karlin looked at him and said, “No fair, Uncle Kar!”
“Fair is a relative term, Prince Karlin,” Karvik replied. “My doing that means you don’t have to let your food get cold while you wait to see if I got poisoned.”
Karlin said, “Oh!” in a surprised tone, then started eating. “This is really good,” he managed to say around a mouthful.
The man who had brought their drinks bowed deeply. “Thank you, Your Highness. I am pleased and honored that it meets your approval.” With that, he returned to the kitchen.
Karvik explained, “He’s the cook. He’s also the innkeeper’s husband. We talked while I was in the kitchen.”
Stavin took a bite and hummed in appreciation. “This is really good. Remember Endar Bel’Vandar’s endless stew?”
Karvik chuckled as he nodded. “It’s not that good, but it is close.”
When they had finished eating, Stavin instructed the innkeeper to invite the council to join them. Soon Stavin and Shari were facing three men and two women, and neither of them was surprised to find that the innkeeper was one of them.
“Goodmen and Goodwomen of the council, we are pleased to meet you,” Stavin began and gave them a half-bow. “Princess Sharindis and I are honored by your greeting.”
The mayor stood and bowed deeply. “It is we who are honored by your presence, Prince Stavin. You delivered us from the priests of Lebawan.”
“Was there trouble here?” Shari asked.
The mayor looked at the table and nodded as he softly replied, “Yes, Your Highness. The priest came over from Deltar with ten of his followers and announced that Lebawan was our only god, and worship of Lady Sahren was forbidden. Then they took poor Berty and stoned him in the square.” The mayor paused for a moment, then shook his head without looking up. “Some of our people were forced to participate, including each of us.”
Shari asked, “Who was Berty?” in a gentle tone.
The mayor glanced up, then studied the table again as he clasped his hands in front of him. “Berty was a simple, moon-faced man. He had the mind of a child, but the muscles of an ox. The whole town supported him, and he helped us with the heavy work.”
“And Priest Wandan ordered him stoned as soon as he saw him,” one of the women whispered.
Stavin looked at them and shook his head. “You should have stopped them.”
“We couldn’t, Your Highness,” the mayor said in a tone that was nearly pleading. “Lebawan’s High Priest had become our king. All of Lebawan’s priests took advantage of that to enforce Lebawan’s will on everyone.”
Shari laid a hand on Stavin’s arm to calm him down. She glanced at his face when she felt his arm trembling, then focused on the mayor again. “Were any others condemned?”
The mayor shook his head. “No, Your Highness. Not here at least.”
Shari frowned at him as she said, “You must write down everything you saw. Everything you heard. And yes, everything you did.” She shook her head sadly. “The report must be sent to Minister of Justice Kel’Martal. King Teravan is taking a hard line with the Cutter’s priests.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the mayor agreed and bowed.
The discussion continued for ten spans before Stavin put an end to it. “The night grows late, and we are leaving early in the morning. We thank you all for your greeting. Innkeeper Fel’Vanden, we prefer eggs, lean meat, and porridge, either wheat or oat, with milk and honey for our morning meal.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” she replied, bowing deeply as Stavin and Shari headed for the stairs.
* * *
Stavin and Shari were up even later that night. “Gods Below, I should have expected this,” Stavin said in a low, intense voice as he stalked around the room.
“We both should have,” Shari agreed in a much milder tone. “The priests of Lebawan had free rein while that bastard was in power. Terry and Ellie are going to be busy trying all the priests who violated the law and examined people who were not Lebawan’s followers.”
“Unless Zel’Draval changed that law,” Stavin muttered.
Shari shook her head as she replied, “He didn’t. Mary Kel’Martal said that beyond proclaiming himself kin
g, he hadn’t made any changes to Coravia’s laws.”
Stavin came to a stop in the center of the room and almost whispered, “Then we need to bring that priest to justice,” as if he was speaking to himself.
Shari looked at him and shook her head. “That is no longer our right or duty, Stavin.”
Stavin rounded on her and said, “We can at least arrest him! We can at least put an end to his terrorizing people. Murdering people. Stealing everything he wants in the name of his false god.” He was leaning forward and glaring in a way she had never seen before. And his hands were clenching and relaxing repeatedly.
Shari stepped back from Stavin in shock. “Stavi?”
Stavin had to fight down the rage he was feeling and explain. “I’m not talking about executing him myself. I’m talking about sending him to Moravad to face King Teravan. We have the largest armed force in the area. It’s our duty to take him.”
Shari was shaking her head. “No, Stavi, it isn’t. This isn’t our kingdom.”
Stavin looked her in the eye and said, “I am Princess Ellissan’s heir, and a scion of the Chosen Clan of Darvin. As my wife, you are also a scion of Zel’Darvin, and so are the children. Until Ellie reaches her majority, I’m actually the Crown Prince. That makes Coravia our kingdom just as much as Evandia is.”
Shari was quiet for a time, then she nodded. “You are right, Stavin, but even Ellissan can’t condemn a priest. Only the king or queen has that authority.”
Stavin ground his teeth, then forced himself to relax. “Maybe not, but we can put an end to his reign of terror.”
Chapter 24
THE ROAD THEY WERE ON DIDN’T lead to Deltar, but it was only a two-day detour to get there.
Deltar was a large town, with more than seventeen thousand souls calling it home. High stone walls surrounded the town, but taller buildings were easily visible over them. The walls stretched out for dragons on each side of the gate, looking tall and impregnable. Alarm bells began ringing as soon as the cavalry troopers cleared the trees. Captain Zel’Corval sent one of his lieutenants forward to announce who they were, and who they were escorting.
The force had stopped, but they didn’t expect any trouble, so they didn’t form into a defensive formation. That changed when one of the men at Deltar’s gate shot a crossbow bolt into the lieutenant’s chest, sending him tumbling from his saddle.
The cavalry troopers reacted immediately, and bugle calls rolled across the meadow as Captain Zel’Corval led his men and women forward at a gallop.
Karvik rode his horse in front of Stavin to prevent him from joining the fight. “I can’t let you participate, Stave.”
For a wonder, Stavin didn’t argue. “Prepare our people, Kar,” Stavin ordered, not taking his eyes off Deltar. “We may have to support the cavalry.”
Karvik nodded, then added, “But you stay back with your family.”
“We will,” Shari assured him. She already had her Dragon’s Tongue in her hands, and Karlin had his staff.
* * *
Someone had closed the gates, but the cavalry troopers pushed them open easily. They weren’t barred. The troopers rode through and attacked any priest they saw. Some civilians joined the fighting, but the troopers didn’t stop to differentiate between the priests and simple supporters of Lebawan. Fortunately, they were too well-disciplined to attack those who surrendered.
The priests were shouting, exhorting their followers to fight for Lebawan’s glory, but soon found themselves being forced backwards into Lebawan’s temple. The great door closed in the face of the cavalry troopers, and this time the bolts were thrown.
* * *
Mid day passed as the fighting continued through the day. The shouts and screams of battle were muted by the distance, but not enough. When the girls started crying, Shari took them to the carriage and sang to them to calm them down. Even Karlin was affected.
“This isn’t a tale,” he whispered. “Tales aren’t like this.”
“No, Karli, it isn’t,” Karvik said in a gentle tone as he maneuvered Chana next to Karlin’s horse. He put an armored hand over the boy’s hands and smiled sadly. “This is a lesson most boys don’t have to learn before they are grown men.”
“This is the part of the battle never makes it into the tales and ballads,” Stavin said as he looked at his son. He looks so frightened and sad. “This is why old warriors prefer to farm rather than fight.”
Karlin looked at his father with tears trickling down his cheeks as he asked, “Even you?” in a quavering voice.
“Well, I’d prefer to be a scribe in the Archive,” Stavin answered with a small smile and a one-shouldered shrug. “Why don’t you go join mommy and the girls? You don’t need to be out here.” Karlin hurried to the carriage and disappeared.
“You know, I almost believed you,” Karvik muttered.
“I meant it, Kar,” Stavin muttered back. “If I went in there I’d slaughter those priests, but I would really rather be copying scrolls than fighting. It’s not like I can earn another star.”
Captain Zel’Corval rode out to them fifteen spans later. He dismounted and walked forward before bowing to Stavin. He didn’t look Stavin in the eye as he reported, “That priest slaughtered hundreds of men, women, and children here--including all of Lady Sahren’s priestesses.”
Stavin cursed vilely for a moment, then said, “Continue.”
“He claimed almost the entire town for Lebawan, and put his followers in power. The mayor and council were among the first to be condemned and murdered.”
Stavin demanded, “Where is he?” in an angry tone that was underscored by an angrier growl.
“In his temple, Your Highness,” the captain replied, backing a step away from Stavin’s anger.
Stavin thought for a moment, fighting down the desire to charge in and execute all of Lebawan’s priests, then nodded sharply as he came to a conclusion. “You should contain him there. No one should be allowed in or out of the temple. We’ll need someone to ride to the nearest fort for reinforcements.” He shook his head for a moment. “A message book would be so handy at a time like this.”
“Indeed, Prince Stavin,” the captain agreed. “Unfortunately, they cost too much for anyone but the king and generals to have one.”
“And the gold merchants,” Karvik pointed out.
“Indeed,” Stavin said as he considered his statement. “I don’t suppose there’s a Chapter House of the Gold Merchants here, is there?” he asked as he turned back to the captain.
“No, Your Highness. Deltar is a fair-sized town, but still too small for that.”
“That would have been too convenient, wouldn’t it?” Stavin grumbled as he looked at Karvik. “So, we’ll do it the hard way. I’ll write a letter to the general explaining our situation.” Stavin looked around and shook his head. “Is the town safe, or should we camp out here?”
Captain Zel’Corval thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you or your family to go into the city at this time, Prince Stavin. That priest had a lot of followers, or at least people who were willing to obey him.”
Stavin looked at the carriage, then sighed. “Very well. This looks like as good a place as any.” He looked at Karvik. “Major Kel’Carin, set camp. Make sure our cooks and the Army cooks are preparing a meal. The troops are going to be hungry by the time they’re done.”
Karvik bowed and said, “Yes, Prince Stavin.”
Stavin shifted his focus back to the captain. “See to your people, Captain. How many casualties did you suffer?”
Captain Zel’Corval glanced over his shoulder before answering. “Only one dead. Lieutenant Kel’Relvan was shot through the heart. There are twenty-eight wounded, but only three of them are serious. Over all, we were very lucky.”
Stavin shook his head. “My authority over you and your men is too limited, Captain. We need a higher-ranking Coravian officer.”
The captain bowed deeply. “Senior Warmaste
r Zel’Andral, you are the highest-ranking officer in Coravia, and you are a member of the royal family. King Teravan made that clear. We are yours to command.”
Stavin considered that for a moment before finally shaking his head. “Very well. Set camp, and divide your men into watch sections. I want that temple surrounded day and night. I still want to send a message to the nearest fort for reinforcements.”
“I’ll have a rider ready to go in a span, Warmaster.”
Stavin shook his head again. “No, let your people rest and eat. Morning will be soon enough to send for help.” Stavin looked toward the town and his expression turned sad. A line of soldiers were bringing out the wounded.
It was some time later that a delegation from the town came out to them. Captain Zel’Corval met them well short of the camp.
“That’s far enough,” he said, holding his hand out flat to stop them.
“We are seeking Prince Stavin Dragonblessed,” the woman who was the apparent leader said as she stopped.
Captain Zel’Corval nodded, then asked, “Who are you?”
“I am Lady Deveran Zel’Martes. My husband was Lord Mayor of Deltar before---” Her voice faded, but everyone knew what she wasn’t saying.
The captain bowed. “I am Rahllan Zel’Corval, Lady Zel’Martes. With your permission, I will go tell Prince Stavin that you want to talk to him.” The lady bowed slightly in acceptance, and he turned away.
Stavin nodded his approval, and the captain led the delegation into the camp. Stavin stood as they approached and said, “Welcome, Lady Zel’Martes.”
All five members of the delegation bowed deeply, then the lady stepped forward. “Prince Stavin, we wish to know your intentions toward the city.”
Stavin had been spending a lot of time talking with Shari and Kar about that. “Our intentions are to return control of Deltar to the rightful council, and the seized properties to their rightful owners.”
The tension drained from the council members. “Prince Stavin, we are very grateful. We feared the Cutter’s priests would be able to keep everything they stole.”
“No. Those seizures were illegal, as were the condemnations. I intend to send all of Lebawan’s priests to Moravad for trial by King Teravan.”
The Coravian Conflict (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 5) Page 21
