The Fourth Age Shadow Wars: Assassins (The Fourth Age: Shadow Wars Book 1)

by David Pauly

  He dressed quickly and left his chambers. When he arrived at the top of the tower, he saw his father there already, surprisingly alone.

  'Tell me of your meeting with Priscus,' said the king without preamble.

  Briefly, Alfrahil described his journey and arrival at the Vale. He then relayed much of Priscus' message, stating that scouts must be assembled and sent out to search the realms of not only Men but Dwarves and both Lesser and Greater Elves. Alfrahil knew that he could tell no one, not even the king, about his personal encounter with Priscus, so, finishing with the fact that Priscus had asked for the King's help, Alfrahil waited for his father's response.

  'Well, what did you think of the most ancient of beings?'

  'I am ashamed to say, Father, that I did not believe your stories about the Magi. Their sheer power astounded me.'

  'They are astounding. It is good to hear that they will aid us.' Pausing for a moment, Creon changed subjects. 'It is good to see that you have recovered from your wounds so quickly. It must be that pretty healer who has taken such a personal interest in your recovery.'

  Startled again, Alfrahil began stammering an explanation.

  'Nay, lad,' his father said, cutting him off. 'Do not fear that I will react to your consorting with a master healer of the realm who is pure Eldoran, though of common birth, the same way I will act regarding your brother's most recent playmate. While marriage to Findalas is out of the question, her racial purity, position, skill, and merit are sufficient to allow her the privilege of being seen with you in the Citadel, if you desire to bestow that honor upon her.'

  'Thank you, Father. Your generosity surprises me,' said Alfrahil happily, hoping this news would make Findalas content for the time being.

  'Not at all, my son. We all must make allowances in these difficult times. Now, what other news do you have?'

  Alfrahil told him what Golbur and Hilforas had said about the internal dissent in their respective realms.

  'Sadly, this does not surprise me,' said Creon, 'but the fact that there are such severe factions amongst the Elves and Dwarves is troubling. During the Great War, the Men of Eldora and Kozak were united with Elves and Dwarves against Magnar's forces. This unity died with Magnar, and now all races in Nostraterra are divided once again. As Men of Eldora we must balance our relationships with other races while looking for opportunities to exploit them when and where we can.' Smiling at Alfrahil's confusion, Creon added, 'A King must seek the advantage in any situation, no matter how dire. Always remember that.'

  'Yes, Father,' replied Alfrahil, unhappy that his father meant to use deception and lies for Eldora's own good with races that were their friends.

  'Now, between what the scouts can find abroad and what Lord Mergin will surely find here at home, I am certain we will get to the bottom of this mess sooner rather than later. While you were gone, messages arrived from Hilforas and Golbur. Four Dwarf and Elf teams have assembled to consult with the Elven and Dwarven realms to learn what they can. Now that Priscus has provided his warning, we shall ask them to look into the concerns of the Magi as well.'

  'One thing worries me much, Father,' Alfrahil said. 'When Priscus described the magical creatures who pose such a dire threat to Nostraterra, I could not help but think of the Blue Vesper you faced in years gone by.'

  'Do not speak of such a thing!' said Creon angrily. 'Even if that foul creature still exists after more than a hundred years, there is no evidence that it has returned to plague us.' Failing to suppress a shudder, the King returned in memory to that terrible day in the Shardan wastes, where he had walked into the maelstrom cloud of the Blue Vesper. Raising his sword to strike, he had been struck by many filaments of lightning, paralyzed within the grip of the creature's magic. Rapid questions concerning the defenses of Eldora and of the political stability of Men had come from the figure, its’ will completely dominating Creon's mind, blanketing him in deep fear and despair. Forced to answer the Vesper's insistent questions, Creon had never felt as frightened or as helpless as he had in that moment. Suddenly he was wrenched out of the blue cloud and found himself lying prone at the feet of his guards, three of whom had ventured in and were never seen again.

  Alfrahil felt a rush of terror and insecurity from his father's mind before it was blotted out by a blast of anger. Though worried that his father was turning a blind eye to a real threat, Alfrahil changed the subject. 'What of you, Father? What have you learned in my absence, perhaps by using the Acies?'

  'I have seen little in the Acies atop the tower, only flashes and glimpses of evil stirring in the world, much of it in the places you would suspect—the east and south, particularly Jelani. I glimpsed Dark Elves in the Shale Mountains. If the Acies is not showing me an ancient vision, as it is apt to do from time to time, then the King of Kozak will have a new adventure with which to dispose his riders,' said Creon. 'Further, I saw a singular vision wreathed in glimmering blue, something the Acies has never done before. Possibly it was a premonition rather than a vision of the present or the past.'

  'What did you see, Father?'

  'I saw what appeared to be current visions of Elvalon. The Greater Elves across the sea are alive and well. Their numbers have grown throughout the ages. In the brief moment allotted me, I saw that some of the Greater Elves were speaking of coming to Nostraterra, that there was great debate amongst the Elves over whether this should or should not be allowed.'

  'How do we know Father; if your vision is current or from the past or even the future?'

  'A good question, son. I do not know, and the uncertainty is unsettling.'

  'Why, then, is this so grave a secret? Great joy you should have to see Elvalon in its glory, even if for but a moment.'

  'Yes, son, great joy I had and have, but also fear, for the vision has put in my mind the possibility that a great host of Elven Princes might one day cross the seas to conquer Nostraterra. Where then would be the glory of Men?'

  'I do not know,' Alfrahil answered. 'We might ask Priscus and the other Magi, for surely this would be in any future that they might glimpse. But I am more concerned about the present evils here in Nostraterra. What have you discovered regarding the ambushes, for you seem to be in fear, though you are hiding it well? Though you refuse to speak his name and change the subject, I must ask again: is the Blue Vesper involved, as the visions of Priscus would seem to indicate?'

  'You presume much, my son. Suffice it to say that I have seen hints of its presence somewhere to the east, but whether past or present is impossible to tell. Perhaps it is indeed manipulating men or others into these atrocious actions, but for now we shall concentrate our efforts on Eldora and what we can see and control.

  'On another note, the documents in the joy house clearly indicate that your brother had financial dealings with the same money men as those that aided suspected rebels and Shardan sympathizers. But even if that were not enough, there was another set of documents found only a couple of days ago that implicates your brother in these attacks upon you.'

  'What documents are these?' asked Alfrahil.

  'All in good time, my son. Suffice it to say that I believe that your brother is guilty of sedition and conspiracy, and he will be given his sentence soon.'

  'What about a trial, Father? Every Eldoran noble is entitled to one, even if the charge is treason.'

  'He shall have his trial,' said the King, 'but the results will be the same. There is no excuse or explanation for what we found that would absolve him of guilt in my mind, or in the mind of the High Council. There may be those on the Council that will require additional persuasion, but you and I shall sit in judgment, and he shall be found guilty. In fact, the trial should be over swiftly, as your brother has refused to receive one of the top counselors in the land, who offered to represent him at trial. Even now his arrogance is scarcely to be believed, and perhaps he does not perceive how much trouble he is really in. Regardless, my son, what shall we do with your brother?'

  'You yourself have said t
hat you sensed no malice in Daerahil. I would give Daerahil an opportunity to reflect upon his errors away from the tumult of the City,' said Alfrahil. 'Presuming he is found guilty, I believe the latest change for the garrison of the Plaga Erebus is about to depart and that the army captain stationed at the entrance to the dark land is overdue for rotation home.'

  Laughing with pure pleasure for the first time in days, Creon stated, 'Yes, my son, I think your brother should replace the captain, but I shall forbid him to come more than fifteen leagues out from the gates to that land, making certain he has no contact with Shardans or their allies. Allowing him to have contact or, worse, go back south while his sympathies are so clearly torn, would be asking for trouble. He shall escort the engineering expedition that will go and begin the first exploration and survey of the ruins of the Blood Temple. Three months in the Land of Wounded Darkness should remind him what our ancestors fought against. When he returns to the north, perhaps he shall have a greater appreciation of Eldora and give up some of his unhealthy fascination with the south.' At this, Creon's voice hardened. 'Still, I want to make certain that he understands how he has dishonored our family by his disgusting taste in companions particularly that Shardan whore. I have a special punishment in mind for her, and for your brother's other less reputable companions.'

  'Father, Daerahil has not yet been found guilty. I will vote my conscience and not predispose my brother's guilt. If you disagree, then I shall refuse to participate, and you will not have a legal quorum to proceed with only two royal princes rather than the minimum of three.'

  Creon's anger flared, and Alfrahil felt his wrath, but using his powers for the first time defensively, he found he could dull the reception of emotion as well as seek it out, and after a few moments, his father regained control and said, 'Very well, my son.'

  'Also, Father, Daerahil's woman is indeed a low-born joy girl, but her only crime is to be a member of an illegal yet common profession. Do not strike at my brother through her. Leave her alone.'

  'She has affronted the entire establishment of Eldora for daring to consort with your brother,' Creon stated flatly. 'I barely tolerate craven Eldoran women who consort with men for profit, but for a Shardan prostitute to set her cap for your foolish brother is reprehensible. She and all of her kind and her race shall be reminded of their proper place at the bottom, where they have always dwelt. If she was Shardan royalty she would simply be fined and sent home, but a joy-girl? No, everyone from your brother to the lowest stable boy needs reminding of what is and is not permissible in this land.'

  Striding quickly to the tower door, Creon gestured that Alfrahil should precede him down the stairs. After descending, the king bid his son a good night.

  Alfrahil returned to his own chambers, wondering about what punishment Creon would inflict on Daerahil's wench, and how that would only further inflame his brother against the cruelty of their father.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE TRIAL

  The next morning, Alfrahil was informed that his brother's trial would begin the next day. According to Eldoran law, only the High Council could judge a Lord or Prince of the realm accused of a high crime. The High Council consisted of the King, Prince Alfrahil, Prince Daerahil, Paladir, Prince of Ackerlea, Prince Frederick of Amadeus, and finally Jasper, Prince of the Delta, each of them having one vote in the verdict. The lesser nobility of Eldora were represented as well: the dukes of Amarant and Anscomb, the earls of Pyry Valley and Galenas, and the two barons of Camden were known as the Six Lords of Eldora and had one collective vote in the verdict. Thus, though the High Council had twelve members, those members combined for a total of only seven votes.

  In the present case, with Daerahil himself standing accused, and for that reason precluded from casting a vote, the total was reduced to six. In addition, Prince Frederic had not received the summons in time to journey to Eldora for the trial, and his vote would be cast by the King, acting as the prince's proxy and only in the event of a tie on the first ballot. Only a majority of votes could sustain a guilty verdict, with a tie going to the benefit of the accused. As any of the Council members could abstain from voting, a tie was theoretically possible even with an odd number of potential votes, so Alfrahil knew there was a chance that his father would have an opportunity to wield Frederick's proxy. And he had no doubt but that his father would use it in support of a guilty verdict.

  After breakfast, Alfrahil went to see his brother, who was confined to his own apartments until the trial. Alfrahil was shown in by Marda, who said, 'Perhaps you can talk some sense into him, my lord. He stayed up late last night reviewing piles of papers for his trial. He spurned the services of an attorney, as you know, and insists upon handling everything himself.'

  'I will do my best to stress the seriousness of the situation.'

  Marda bowed outside the doors to Daerahil's study and took her leave.

  Taking a moment to steel himself, Alfrahil opened the door and entered.

  Daerahil looked up at Alfrahil from behind a large sheaf of papers and books. The only light in the room was what streamed in from several open windows. A fireplace stood cold and gray with ash; as it was a warm morning, no fire had been lit. Cups of coffee and scraps of food lay on dishes on a nearby end table. Alfrahil thought his brother looked unusually haggard.

  Daerahil greeted him warmly, though it seemed to Alfrahil that his brother's smile lay in a face lined with stress and tension. Coffee was brought by Marda, and each of them sipped their brew, waiting for the other to begin.

  'How are you, brother?' asked Alfrahil at last.

  'As fine as can be expected,' said Daerahil in a clipped voice. 'I want this farce of a trial to be over so that I can resume my tedious inspection tour and petition our father for an opportunity to do something useful. How are you, brother? We have not been allowed to speak privately since you returned from the Vale.'

  Alfrahil, meanwhile, extended his new powers, but he felt only raging anger directed outward: though not toward him. The strength of his brother's mind began to give Alfrahil a headache. He pulled back his secret powers with a sigh.

  'I am as well as can be expected,' he said. 'The journey back from the Vale was terrible. Once again I was the target of a well-planned assassination attempt, as you have doubtless heard.'

  'Yes. I am glad to see you in one piece. But who is behind these attacks? No one will give me any information about them. It is most annoying.'

  'No one yet knows who is behind them. Mergin has not had any luck looking here in Titania or in Eldora proper. Father and I are now searching for answers abroad, where our friends amongst the Elves and Dwarves are helping us.'

  'You are lucky indeed to be alive, brother. I thank the gods that you were spared again. I only wish that these ridiculous charges would be dismissed so that I might aid in the search for the conspirators.'

  'This trial is not a farce, nor are the charges ridiculous,' cautioned Alfrahil. 'I have looked at the charging documents, and there may be enough evidence to convict you of sedition. You should know that our father is in deadly earnest to have you found guilty. Mergin speaks for the prosecution in this matter and will show no mercy, as you well know.'

  'My god, a pox on Mergin and his anger; it is one thing to simply despise one another personally, but quite another to influence the realm and attack me publicly again and again. Why won't he let the past be in the past? I did everything I could to save his son! It's not my fault that the lad was killed; he volunteered to lead the rearguard that day and was the most experienced man under my command.'

  Alfrahil knew that Daerahil was referring to what was known in royal circles as “Daerahil's folly.” Nearly fifteen years ago, Daerahil had commanded a small host in the deserts of Shardan. Refugees had come to Daerahil, begging him to protect them against a band of brigands that was marauding from village to village. Daerahil, in defiance of his orders to retreat directly to the great Oasis of Zanza, asked for volunteers to form a reinforced company of one hundred f
ifty cavalry men in order to aid the village. Relying upon poor intelligence, Daerahil led his men rashly into battle, where he was attacked by over five hundred Shardan brigands. Driven from the village, Daerahil retreated with his wounded soldiers toward Zanza, where reinforcements were waiting. But it soon became clear that the decimated troop would not make it to the oasis. A difficult decision had to be made. As night fell, Daerahil requested volunteers to occupy a small, narrow pass controlling the road to Zanza. A small group of archers positioned there could hold the pursuers for hours—with any luck, until morning, when Daerahil would return with reinforcements. Mergin's only son, Kellen, a brilliant young officer experienced in small unit tactics, volunteered to lead the defense.

  That night, as Daerahil assembled the relief force at Zanza, a sudden sandstorm descended, delaying their departure by several hours. As dawn broke, so did the weather; Daerahil lead over two hundred cavalrymen over the sand to relieve Kellen and his men. Three hours later, as they neared the pass, Daerahil was stricken to see dozens of vultures circling overhead. He found only desecrated bodies, stripped naked and mutilated, Kellen's among them.

  When news of this disaster reached Eldora, Daerahil was relieved of his command and sent back to Eldora to explain his decisions. No matter that Kellen had volunteered and had slain fifty of the brigands, Mergin never forgave Daerahil and from that day forward used every avenue at his disposal to undermine and humiliate Daerahil.

  'No, brother,' Alfrahil responded now. 'Mergin will not forget, much less forgive. I have told you to be careful where he is concerned, for he will stop at nothing that does not blatantly violate our father's orders or the laws of Eldora to take his revenge. That being the case, and since he will be prosecuting the case against you, I must ask whether it is true that you have refused to retain counsel.'