To Be a Maestro

by John Buttrick

  Beginning in the late afternoon of yesterday and on through most of the night, he had been rather busy, mentally and physically. He met with Marcus and Jared, produced more gold and gems to keep the estate running smoothly, and met with many of the people now in service at the Benhannon Estate. So many folks lived and worked in the compound; Daniel did not get the opportunity to meet them all, and asked Jared to set up appointments with the household staff and Marcus to do the same with the Benhannon Guard in order to fix the situation.

  The staff expressed great appreciation for the CAFs; no more pumping of the handle to draw water. The six hundred twenty-five guardsmen were excited after seeing Marcus demonstrate the daggerlance and crossbow. It seemed only right to allow the Captain of the Guard to be the first to use the weapons. Each person was issued a shield amulet and told of the superior protection and also the consequences of over use. The excitement was then tempered by the prospect of dying prematurely. The recruiting had gone obviously well. Horses were on order from ranches across the realm and down into Taracopa.

  Early this morning, Daniel led the Royal Guardsmen publicly through the streets of Ducanton to the palace and then saluted and thanked each man for his service. During the same time period, the Pentrosans invaded, he had to enter the minds of various creatures in order to keep track of the movements, inside and outside of the holding, while assisting in the over all defense and the cutting off of the supply trains. If folks thought his mind seemed to wander when they were talking to him, it happened because he was thwarting an invasion at the same time. He still had no idea why General Kall would send his Sutton Guard into Ducaun, take siege of the holding, and then have them all retreat back to their new fort. Perhaps Chas will have some ideas.

  His parents should be arriving later in the day aboard the RiverDancer and would be able to use the berth Jared was even now purchasing at the Port of Ducanton. The door opened and the pondering of events came to a sudden stop. He stood up as Cleona Ducalin in her regal splendor entered the room.

  Jet black hair spiraled up in an elaborate weave into the crown and a purple gown accentuated her feminine curves while not being overtly sensual. She stood in perfect health, with a light complexion, and a pleasant face to behold. “Please be seated, we have much to discuss,” she said along with a delicate wave of her hand toward the chair.

  He filled her in on the happenings along the border and she frowned, no doubt pondering the possible reasons Kall would behave as he had. “I know one thing he accomplished; General Malcus will be constructing a permanent base in the area, large enough to accommodate two legions, which is what the presence of the Sutton Guard on my northern border forces me to order. General Tallen and half his legion have fulfilled the mission I sent him on and I dare not continue to leave northeastern Ducaun so weakly defended. He and his forces must return to their district. General Fisher will take over in assisting General Malcus in the defense,” the thirty year old monarch stated decisively.

  Those were matters Daniel had little say in, unless she chose to seek his opinion as a member of the Council of Lords, which she did not, and so he decided to ask a question. “Can the private musters assist in the defense?”

  Cleona nodded her head. “Yours’ already has and a few other lords, Tirana, Zoltair, and Bolover, have men and arms enough to mount a credible defense of the realm, while others are still marshalling their forces. In the near future you and your fellow Knights of the Realm will need to meet with the generals to formulate plans and help in coordinating the private musters.”

  Daniel had read the rule books explaining the duties of a Ducaunan Royal Knight of the Realm and so her words came as no surprise. “While I am pleased to have been granted a personal audience with you, what we have talked about could have been discussed in a meeting with my fellow Knights, I feel there is more you wish to convey.”

  Cleona’s lips formed a closed-mouth smile while her dark eyes seemed to be analyzing him. “Your ability to see beneath the surface and perceive what has not been said out loud has grown. There is a serious matter requiring your unique abilities that must be attended to.”

  Daniel leaned forward; eager to hear what matter required an Accomplished. “I am at your service.”

  She glanced at the lightning bolts on the front of his helmet. “Shortly after you defeated Balen Tamm reports of Condemneds wondering aimlessly in the kingdom have been growing. These victims of the evil Maestro’s sick mind are becoming a danger, people have died confronting them, and the wretches are difficult to kill. What I am requiring of you, in addition to raising your muster along with your regular duties, is to rid my realm of this pestilence. Save them if you can as you did those who had been condemned by Serin Gell, but kill them if you must. Condemneds running free will soon have members of the Serpent Guild chasing them down to bring them back into subjection. Ducaun has suffered enough from that cursed guild’s activities. Cleanse my realm of them.”

  Daniel nodded grimly. “I will work on eliminating the danger posed by the Condemneds,” he replied, seeing he had no other choice. Being the Chosen Vessel, he could not choose to walk away from the task, and his duty as a Knight of the Realm solidified the responsibility even more.

  She leaned back in her chair, obviously relieved. “I have no doubt you will do what must be done,” she stated and then pursed her lips before continuing. “You are creating quite a stir. Sightings of you have been rumored all over the realm, and emissaries from every kingdom speak of you, some expressing deep concern that one so powerful has presented me with what no other monarch has, the backing and Potential of an Accomplished. The political climate is changing, especially with Aakadon probing into every nook and cranny, and trying to decide what to do about you.”

  Daniel shrugged his shoulders. “Efferin will always see me as a rival no matter what I do, so it is best for me to get on with my chores, and try not to alienate the rest of the Aakacarns while I am about it.” Especially since Silvia told him he needed them as allies.

  “All of the world leaders have expressed concern over my order to prepare for war against the Serpent Guild. They say I have over reacted and risk starting a war. The blind fools see Ducaun as the troubled realm,” the Queen shared with him.

  Daniel rarely gave the politics of the world much thought and knew he was not cut out for the intricacies involved. “It seems we both have difficult chores. The threat is real whether or not others perceive it to be so. Hard choices will be made by both of us and a good many people are likely to resent what we decide, but the alternative will be much worse if we fail.”

  “Perception often becomes reality when people are involved. Even so, you and I will work to prevent that alternative you speak of,” Cleona replied as firmly as he, and then glanced at the door. “Chamberlain Bercassie will be here soon, my day has been planned out well in advance, and this meeting has thrown off the schedule. I will leave you to your chores,” she added with a slight smile at the end, and then walked out as regally as she entered.

  Daniel barely had time to stand and bow before she went out the door. He said his goodbyes to the palace functionaries and went looking for a cab to take him down Palace Way, the largest of the thoroughfares, and also the one leading to the Excursion. He hailed and entered an open carriage and the driver, heavy-set, Choral Caiman, shook the reigns and started off, driving down the hill. The buildings along this route were multi-storied structures, all of marble or granite, and had statues of men on horses or fountains with water flowing from sculptures, some of fish and some of women, with water gushing out of their mouths or the top of their heads or some other spot. This is where the wealthy did their buying and trading. People shouted greetings and he waved to them, not wanting to be rude. There did not seem to be a person in the city who failed to see a picture or portrait of his face, making it nearly impossible to go anywhere without being recognized; unless he resorted to spell casting.

  The inn stood seven stories high and took up
the entire city block. Daniel handed Choral a silver coin, a sum well above the cost of the ride, and entered the establishment. Jared had done the signing in, choosing a large room on the seventh floor that had four rooms within it, a greeting room and three bedrooms. The Account Keeper had a bedroom to himself and the pair of Teki shared the second. Daniel had the largest room with a huge brass bed with purple curtains around it.

  On the table he found a note from Jared stating the Account Keeper was off selling the jewels Daniel had transformed from a handful of pebbles to raise more coins. David and Silvia were no where in sight so he stripped off his sword belt, coat, chain mail, and silk shirt, leaving on only his green cotton undershirt and wool pants. He then pushed the chairs and small table to the side, clearing a broad area in the center, and drew his sword. He sorely missed waking up with Sherree and needed to burn off energy. Pruning The Hedges transitioned into, Raking The Leaves, into Parting Kiss, which led to, Crack Of The Whip. He went on and on in the dance of swords, increasing the tempo until his blade was a blur few eyes could follow. The sword became an extension of his body and his mind was clear of all distraction. Triplets In The Carriage, flowed into, Spider In The Web, and then he started all over again, only faster. He had done this routine many times before and it helped him to clear his mind as well as to stay in top form.

  A short while later he cast, Refresh, cleansing his body as well as his clothes, then went into the other room, and stretched out on the bed with no intention of resting. It was time to get on with his chores. He closed his eyes and focused on Wisp, who currently soared in the sky over the Foothills of Pentrosa. The chill of the wind whipped around him and the raptor angle downward. A light layer of snow covered the ground as well as the roof of the circular fortress housing the Sutton Guard. Smoke wafted into the sky from twelve chimneys, giving the impression the occupants intended to stay inside and enjoy the warmth for a while. The field to the north where the Pentrosan Royal Cavalry had been camping was now vacant. Have they gone back to Los Collins?

  Wisp sent the thought of flying north to the city. Thanks for offering, but there is a greater need, Daniel replied. The raptor’s curiosity flowed back in response along with a sense of willingness to help.

  Daniel not only tried to picture a Condemned in his mind, he thought of how he perceived them through the spell, Find All, so Wisp could recognize one no matter what it looked like. The next mental picture to be sent was of Mount Gosian and the vast area around it. After he had smashed the headquarters of the Serpent Guild, any Condemneds that did not die during the cave-in likely wandered out from there, and so it made sense to begin the search at the source. He then opened his mind to all of the raptors in his swirl and gave them the same information, while asking those who were willing to help in the search. Hundreds of tiny minds sent back their willingness and he had the sensation of many falcons suddenly taking to the air, heading east, flying in pairs, along with scores of hawks and ospreys, including Echo, who raced to meet Wisp. The only birds to remain behind were those who were nesting. Daniel withdrew his awareness and opened his eyes. The raptors would find Condemneds and give him the ability to Convey to the location and, hopefully, restore the wretched souls to humanity.

  He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The birds would do their part, yet there was more to be done to locate Condemneds. Boen Sentrainer, Minister of Law Enforcement, should have reports of actual encounters, and Daniel determined to make an appointment as soon as possible. The meeting had to be properly arranged through each other’s staff, meaning Jared must contact the minister’s secretary, and it all seemed so cumbersome to Daniel, yet he learned the hard way how prickly some folks were when it came to proper protocol, especially here in the capital. Since his Account Keeper still had not returned, he picked up his six-stringed guitarn and began playing, Riding The Wind, one of his favorite instrumentals.

  Chapter Thirteen: The Serpent’s Fangs

  Rex Badger sat at table six in the Lonely Patrolman, the favorite ale house of Lyal Van Kestral, in the city of LyVak, on the shores of Kestral, the southern most of the three great lakes in the kingdom of Taracopa. This was and is the ancestral home of the noble Van Kestral family, whose influence and wealth is known all over the world, a dynasty not to be trifled with. Anyone looking at Rex would see a youngish, clean-shaven, slender Ducaunan whose irises were black and impossible to distinguish from his pupils. The brown suit, white shirt, and gold cufflinks caused everyone to believe him to be an Account Keeper here on the business of some wealthy foreign lord.

  He sipped from his mug and tried to forget his single greatest failure, his only failure, and the reason his promotion to second in command of the Serpent Guild has not been posted throughout the affiliation. “You are still the fang that delivers my poison,” Vance Cummin had told him after deciding to delay the announcement. “Complete Operation Undermine and your position in the guild will be published and your reputation will be as it was.”

  There had been a time, only days ago, when no one dared dispute the Badger and Rex was proud of that. It took him years to build up his reputation to the point where few people questioned his methods. His assignment had been to render Serin Gell unconscious and destroy the flute of Della Lain. What occurred that night only came back to him in foggy bits, no doubt the effects of the spell-altered poppies. He vaguely remembered a man wearing a light green undershirt inside Gell’s nest and also remembered exchanging spells against Accomplisheds of Aakadon who had created a fortified compound around what was once Gell’s nest, and then falling asleep and waking up a day and a half later. Of all people, Phil Nettle had been given the task of finding the truth, and presumably the honor of destroying the cursed crescendo, an honor once meant for Rex.

  Sitting at the table with him were some of his closest associates, each a one-bolt Accomplished, Joren Cappa, short and fat, from the mountains of Demfilia, enjoyed eating and sat chewing on a turkey leg. Joya PenKanner and her older sister Leea were a rarity, two Aakacarns born in one family. Both of the women were dark of hair and eye and had been recruited from Ducaun when they were children, as was Rex, although not from the same region. These three had been with him the longest, almost from the beginning of his career. Phil Crawlin, Byron Falton, and Ira Holis were of Pentrosan descent and all had the thin-framed, frail look, typical of their countrymen. The rest of Rex’s traveling circle were off in the more unseemly parts of the city, where the heir to the Van Kestral dynasty often goes after he has imbibed in the upscale establishment.

  All of Rex’s associates were dressed in shades of brown, although not as stylish as he, so as to give the impression they were working for him, which they were, just not as account keepers. These were some of the deadliest Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild.

  Leea took a sip of ale and watched the young well-dressed nobles laugh drunkenly, some playing cards, and others dancing with the serving girls to the music of a flute player. “How much longer is the lordling going to take?”

  Lyal would never be considered handsome by any stretch of the imagination, yet the females gathered around him as if he was the most attractive man alive. Years of physical training gave him the body of an athlete, so the girls happily overlooked his plain face and pointed nose, but it was who he is, and most importantly who his father is, that attracted them more than anything else.

  “His pattern is to mingle with the upper crust of society for half the night and then go spend some time with people of lesser repute,” Rex replied softly, so as not to be heard beyond the table, while deliberately looking away from his prey. “Joya, you and Phil should head out first and wait down the block. Leea, take Byron and wait in the alley. Ira, go alert the traveling circle and Joren sit here with me. I will be delivering the strike while you remove all traces of our activity.”

  After a tenth of a mark Joya and Phil laughed and exited the Lonely Patrolman. Few patrons noted the going of a seemingly young pair of foreigners, had Phil gon
e with a local girl, now that would have turned some heads in this community. Leea bent toward Byron, whispered something in his ear, and then they both headed out the door. Half a mark later, Ira stood up and said in a loud voice,” Well, my friends, I believe it is time to find my bed. Don’t you worry Barnaby; I’ll have those figures in the morning.”

  “Be sure that you do. Lord Tamkin is an exacting man and does not tolerate errors,” Rex responded to the name he was locally known by.

  Two marks went by and Lyal headed out the door with two of his closest friends, Jase Van Teffel, a swarthy man from the coastal region, and Timon Van Poppen, a fair-complexioned fellow from the lake area, as is the lordling. Both men had well-made swords at their hips, while the heir made do with an ornate silver short sword with a gold handle and a sapphire in the pommel, a show piece more than a weapon. All of them were dressed in fancy coats and shirts in hues of purple and violet, having no desire to be caught wearing the earth tones of the commoners. Rex laughed inwardly, seeing all non-Aakacarns as commoners, even the ones who passed themselves off as being of the noble class. Taracopians thought adding Van in front of their names gave them nobility.

  He ordered another mug of ale, leisurely drank the contents, paid his bill, and then exited the Lonely Patrolman with Joren waddling behind him. Lanterns on tall poles lit the mostly deserted cobblestone street and far to the right Rex spotted his prey, precisely where he expected him to be. Merchant shops, inns, and several houses of finance lined both sides of the roadway with alleys in between each establishment.