Council of War

by Richard S. Tuttle

  The prince called for guards and then stared at the general. "I heard you had been arrested."

  "I was," replied the general. "Skye discovered our horse trading."

  "But now he has let you out of prison?" the prince asked suspiciously. "Why is that?"

  "He didn't let me out," smirked General Forshire. "I bribed my way out. Skye will be most distressed when he finds out, but I won't let him be distressed for long."

  "Quite a threat from a man waiting for a noose around his neck," retorted the prince as two guards appeared and halted behind the prince. "Why have you come here?"

  "I thought you would be pleased to see me," replied the general.

  "Pleased?" balked the prince. "You are hardly in a position to help me any more. Your coming here is sure to bring the king here. He has probably been waiting for just such an excuse."

  "The king is already here," smiled the general as he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

  "He is here?" snarled the prince. "You led him here? Did you make a deal to get out of prison by betraying me?"

  "It hurts me so that you question my loyalty to you, King Mectin," said the general.

  Mectin blinked and stared at the kneeling general. "What did you say? Get up."

  General Forshire rose with a grin on his face. "I called you King Mectin. It might be a bit premature as you haven't been coronated yet, but I wanted to be the first to do so."

  My father is dead?" gasped the prince. "Are you sure of that?"

  "I killed him myself," declared the general. "I could not stand the smile on his face when Skye brought me before him. Even in death he will never smile again. I made sure of that."

  "One of you check this out," Prince Mectin said to the guards. He returned his attention to the general. "How have you managed to escape the palace after killing my father?"

  "Myer and Skye not only knew about the horses," explained the general. "They also knew about the Federation troops gathering in the south. When Skye learned that the king was dead, he must have grabbed the princess and fled. The palace is deserted. There are only servants left."

  "I would have expected more of a fight," mused the prince.

  "I did as well," nodded the general, "and I would have given them one. I can only assume they knew that they would be throwing their lives away. Skye never could keep a secret. I would wager the entire palace guard knew that the country would change hands within a day or two."

  "That explains Skye and my sister fleeing the city," stated the prince. "The fool. Tyronians will never accept a queen as a leader."

  "More likely Skye saw rescuing the princess as a way for him to flee the city without acknowledging what a coward he is," sneered the general. "Now I know why I couldn't find him."

  "Or the princess?" asked the prince.

  "I didn't even bother looking for her," shrugged the general. "As you said, no woman will ever rule this country. She is insignificant."

  Slowly, the prince's face spread in a broad smile. "Come into my study, General Forshire. We can toast the new king while we wait for confirmation from my men."

  The general smiled and followed the prince into his study. The two men sat down and broke open a fresh bottle of brandy. Within half an hour, the guard had returned from the palace.

  "The palace is deserted," the guard reported. "The king's body was found in his study. The general's sword was stuck in the king's chest, and his face was destroyed."

  "Destroyed?" frowned the prince. "What do you mean?"

  "Acid," snickered General Forshire. "I told you that I wiped the smile off his face."

  "Are you sure it was the king?" the prince asked the guard.

  "Positive," nodded the guard. "I looked for that odd-colored patch of skin on his left wrist. It was the king. There is no doubt about it."

  "Was the acid necessary?" the prince frowned as he looked at the general.

  "Perhaps not, but it sure felt good," replied the general. "Even after I plunged my sword through his chest, he still had that royal smile on his face, as if he were better than me. I detested that man."

  "No more than I did. We need to get word to the Federation immediately. It is important that their troops arrive in the city before units of the Tyronian army decide to take it upon themselves to defend Tyronia."

  "That is where I come in," smiled General Forshire. "Appoint me the Commanding General of Tyronia, and I will arrange for our troops to be too busy to think about anything."

  "Can you really do that?" Prince Mectin asked skeptically.

  "Of course," the general replied confidently. "Besides, you should be crowned before the Federation gets here. It doesn't hurt to let them know that you were able to handle things on your own. It will give you a much better standing with the other monarchs."

  "Yes, it will," Prince Mectin nodded enthusiastically. "I like the way you think, Commanding General Forshire."

  Chapter 28

  Elfwoods

  Morro looked up at the stars in awe. Never before had he seen them so brilliant and so numerous. For a brief moment he almost forgot that he was on a unicorn flying high over the mountains of the Barrier. As he gazed at the stars, a glow started appearing off to his left. He turned and watched as the moon started to rise into view. Its pale light quickly spread over the layer of clouds below the unicorns, and it gave Morro the feeling of skimming over an ocean of white water. The few mountain peaks that poked through the clouds appeared as islands in the vast sea of white waves.

  A fairy shot up through the cloudbank alongside Morro, and the elf was pulled out of his mental wanderings. The fairy landed on Prince Rigal's shoulder and shouted to be heard above the rushing air.

  "The Chute is just ahead," reported Mite. "We should begin our descent."

  The elven prince glanced at the moon. "What is the lighting like down there? We don't want to be seen in the sky over the Elfwoods."

  "It is perfect for our arrival," beamed the fairy as he leaped into the air and hovered alongside the prince. "The glow of the moon will be in the east and we will be approaching from the west. We will be on the ground before anyone knows we are there."

  "Then down we shall go," stated Prince Rigal. "We will fly single file. Everyone follow my lead."

  The elven prince’s unicorn banked, and the other three elves followed. They slid blindly through the thick clouds in a steep descent, and Prince Rigal grew apprehensive of slamming into the side of a mountain.

  Our little friend is guiding me. We will be safe.

  Prince Rigal smiled and ran his hand over the unicorn's neck. Suddenly, the unicorns broke out of the clouds, and the elves gasped as they saw the side of the mountain a few feet away. The vertical wall of stone sped past them at a dizzying pace, and Prince Rigal involuntarily clutched at the mane of his unicorn.

  Have faith my elven prince. You are safe upon my back.

  The unicorn's voice entered Prince Rigal's mind with a hint of laughter in it, and the elf chuckled inwardly and released his grip on the unicorn's mane. Within moments the forest of Elfwoods came into view, and the unicorns skimmed over the canopy and headed east. Mite continuously dipped below the canopy and raced ahead to locate the elven villages so the unicorns could alter course to avoid them. By the time they reached a point just south of the Heart, the sky was beginning to lighten from the coming dawn. Prince Rigal ordered his unicorn to land and the others followed. The elves dismounted and stretched.

  "I am going to sneak into the Heart before sunrise," Prince Rigal said. "The three of you can take care of the unicorns and find a hiding place. I am not sure how long we will be in the Elfwoods, but I don't want to be accidentally discovered."

  Gerant and Lyron nodded without comment, but Morro moved alongside the elven prince and spoke softly.

  "I want to accompany you into the Heart. There is someone there that I need to visit."

  "I am going to speak with King Elengal," frowned Prince Rigal. "Your feelings towards him are no secret.
I think it would be best if you remained here for the initial contact. After I have explained that one of his people has joined our party, you can enter the Heart secretly."

  "I have not seen my parents in twenty years," retorted Morro. "They believe that I died the day the world shook. I must see them."

  "Later," Prince Rigal shook his head.

  "How do you intend to see the king without his guards seeing you?" asked Morro. "Or do you intend to announce your presence to the entire village? You won't get past the guards."

  "The sun has not even risen yet," replied the elven prince. "The Federation is not going to come in the night to attack the Heart. What need is there for guards?"

  "King Elengal needs guards to protect him," declared Morro, "not from the Federation but from his own people. I can get you in to see him without being seen."

  "You haven't been here in twenty years," retorted the elven prince.

  "Some things never change," Morro replied with a thin smile. "King Elengal abhorred change. Everything will be the same."

  Prince Rigal turned away and stared into the darkness of the forest. He did not want to start the mission with a confrontation, but neither did he want to alert the village to his presence. Finally, he turned back to face the elven thief.

  "I must have your promise that you will not speak harshly to King Elengal," demanded the elven prince.

  "I will get you in to see him and then depart without speaking at all," promised Morro.

  "No," Prince Rigal shook his head. "We will both meet with King Elengal first. You can inquire about your parents, but your visit will have to wait until I am confident that we will not be endangered by our return to Elfwoods."

  "Very well," sighed the elven thief. "You have my promise not to speak harshly to Elengal."

  "King Elengal," frowned Prince Rigal. "You may not approve of his leadership of the Dielderal, but I demand that you treat him with respect according to his office."

  "I will not speak harshly to King Elengal," Morro declared as he clenched his hands into fists.

  Prince Rigal nodded with satisfaction. "Let's go before the sun rises. Lead the way."

  Morro led the way through the forest, and Prince Rigal admired his stealth. While most elves were proud of their ability to move silently, Morro moved like a ghost. The elven prince could see the thief moving, but his ears could not detect a single sound. Morro lead the way to the Heart and then past the outlying huts until the king's building came into view. He approached the building from the rear and melted into the darkness of a corner formed by one part of the building extending past the rest of it. Prince Rigal followed and stood next to thief, wondering what he was up to.

  "There is a secret entrance here," Morro whispered. "Prince Ellak used to use it when his father forbade him to go out. I think it was meant to be used in the case of attack, but it has long since been forgotten. Ellak discovered it in his youth."

  Morro reached down and moved some leaves away with his hand. He fumbled for only a moment before a soft click was heard. Prince Rigal heard a soft creak as Morro slowly eased the secret door open, but the noise could easily be mistaken for the creaking of the branches in the surrounding trees. Morro stepped through the opening, and Prince Rigal followed. Morro eased the door shut until it clicked into place. The room was dark, and the elven thief pulled a candle from his pouch and lit it. He held it high over his head, and Prince Rigal saw that they were in a storage room of some kind. Morro moved slowly across the room and waited for the prince at a door. When the prince joined him, Morro blew out the candle.

  He eased the door open to reveal a narrow stairway leading up. Light from torches flickered somewhere at the top of the stairs, and Morro silently led the way up. At the top of the stairs was a corridor. The thief peeked both ways before stepping into the corridor. With Prince Rigal right behind him, the elven thief moved through the building as if he knew exactly where he was going. After a few minutes the thief stopped outside another door. He put both of his hands together and placed them next to his inclined head to indicate that the king slept on the other side of the door. Prince Rigal nodded his understanding and nodded his head to indicate an order to enter the bedchamber.

  The door to the king's bedchamber did not creak as Morro eased it open. He slipped into the room and the prince followed. There was enough light coming through the window to see the shape of someone in the bed. Prince Rigal silently closed the door and moved to the side of the bed. He gently reached out and touched the king's shoulder. The king immediately opened his eyes and stared into the face of Prince Rigal. He started in alarm and sat up quickly.

  "How did you get in here?" the king whispered.

  Prince Rigal smiled at the king's whispering and bowed in respect. "I wanted to speak to you privately. We have things to discuss, but we were not entirely sure of our welcome."

  The king noticed the use of the word we, and his eyes scanned the room. He saw Morro standing in a dark corner. He squinted into the darkness, and a deep frown fell over his face.

  "You?" the king said with disbelief. "How is this possible? You are supposed to be dead."

  "I am sorry to disappoint you," Morro replied as he stepped out of the darkness. "I have come to see my parents."

  Prince Rigal glared at the thief, and the king noticed that Morro offered no bow of respect. He was not surprised.

  "You mother died a year after we thought you died," the king said sadly. "Her heart was broken by her loss."

  Morro nodded as his eyes began to water. The door opened suddenly and Prince Saratoma entered the room with an expression of surprise at finding people in the king's bedchamber. Morro turned away from the door to hide his grief.

  "Prince Rigal," smiled Prince Saratoma. "I heard voices as I was passing by and could not imagine who grandfather was talking to. How long have you been back in Elfwoods?"

  "We just arrived," replied Prince Rigal. "Close the door, please. I do not want anyone to know that we are here."

  Prince Saratoma closed the door and turned his gaze towards Morro. "This is not one of the men you brought the last time. Have others arrived from over the sea?"

  "That is Morro," stated the king. "He is from Elfwoods. He was a close a friend of your father."

  "Morro?" Prince Saratoma said with confusion. "I have never heard that name before."

  "You were only a babe on the day the world shook," explained the king. "It was believed that Morro died that day. Now we know better."

  "Still," frowned Prince Saratoma, "I am familiar with most families in the Heart. I should recognize the name of one of our lost people."

  "His name was never to be spoken," explained the king. "He was one of the plotters of rebellion, along with your father."

  "Plotters of rebellion?" snapped Morro. "How can you…"

  "Stop," scowled Prince Rigal. "You gave me your vow, and you will keep it."

  Morro turned to Prince Rigal, his face a mask of rage. Slowly the rage drained from his face, and he nodded in submission. "I apologize. My words are not helpful to this discussion."

  "Is Morro now one of your men?" the king asked Prince Rigal.

  "He is," nodded the Alcean elf. "I also apologize for his behavior. Morro is a valued ally in our fight against the Federation. If his presence here disturbs you, I will send him away until he can regain a calm demeanor."

  "No," the king shook his head. "If we are all to work together, he needs to speak his mind. A wound should never be allowed to fester. I now understand that better than most. Let him speak."

  "I do not think that is wise," cautioned Prince Rigal.

  "I think it is necessary," retorted the king. "There can be no doubts between us if we are to succeed in anything. Release him from his vow."

  Prince Rigal stared at Morro, and eventually he nodded and sighed. "You may speak your mind, Morro."

  Morro remained silent with his hands curled into fists. He glared at the king, but he held his tongue.

&nb
sp; "Let it out," prompted the king. "Tell me how you wish I were dead instead of Ellak."

  "Isn't that the truth," snapped Morro. "Ellak was a true Dielderal. He would never have suffered our people to live under the boots of the emperor. The day you turned him over to the Federation, I swore that one day I would kill you. Only the freak occurrences of the day the world shook saved your life. I saw a chance to flee this forsaken forest and make my own way in the world, but I always dreamed of coming back here for you. It should have been you that died that day, not Ellak."

  "There has not been a day since then that I have not said those same words myself," the king said with a tear in his eye. "I wanted so much to die instead of my son, but I knew that his path would lead to the destruction of the Dielderal. Right or wrong, I did what I thought was best for the people, but that does not mean that I liked it. I have lived since that day without emotion like a rock upon the ground. Had Prince Rigal not come through the Elfwoods, I would still be as unmoving as that rock."

  "Oh?" retorted Morro. "So now you finally realize your mistake, and we are all supposed to forgive and forget? I don't think so, Elengal. You killed one of the greatest Dielderals of all time. I can never forgive you for that."

  "I do not ask for your forgiveness," stated the king, "and I would never expect you to give it. I cannot forgive myself, but if we are to work together to free our people from slavery, we must work together. After they are free, I will offer up my life for you to take in revenge. It is all I have left to offer you."

  "No!" interrupted Prince Saratoma. "You will offer no such thing." He turned towards Morro and stepped in front of the thief in a threatening manner. "I don't know who you are, Morro, or what you have gone through in the last twenty years, but I doubt that my father would approve of killing King Elengal, and I certainly don't. My father is dead, and I have felt his loss my whole life. I, too, have lived with hatred in my heart, but elf killing elf has got to stop, and it stops now. If you have any thoughts of taking out your revenge on King Elengal, you will have to kill me first."