"But we—" Nacer began to bring up the lack of volunteerism. The Watch was understaffed. This was due in part to the King’s now infrequent judgment of the law. He limited his days presiding over the court to once a week or less—every first Tuesday, every third Wednesday, and the fourth Thursday of odd numbered months. Otherwise, the people served their time in jail, serving full sentences for petty crimes without ever seeing the King.
Nacer thought better of saying more.
Finally, the King stood from the pot. “Perhaps a wizard?” he said inquiringly. “Half the time it’s wizards, you know.”
And there it was. Still, Nacer fought back an urge inside him to steer the King’s in another direction. He’d grown so used to it. But now he’d done it. He’d got him here. Nacer shrugged, silently goading the man into further reflection.
The King continued. “This whole kingly business came from a wizard’s plot, you know. Didn’t read the fine print of that spell, now, did he? Magic’d up a sword in a stone, convinced everyone that whoever shall pulleth the sword shall be king—”
“Oh, I heard he led a good life in the end,” Nacer added.
“Who? The king?”
“The wizard.”
“Ah,” said the King. “Maybe.”
The Grand Counselor smiled serenely, parting his pencil-thin mustache and bristling the end of his goatee. He’d achieved his goal.
“So what do you suggest we do?” he said. “About this threat to the Kingdom?”
“So-called threat.”
“Exactly, sire,” Nacer said, sardonically. He could have his private jokes after all.
“Notify the Alliance,” the King said. “Then send up the Captain of the Watch. Anyone found doing magic inside the city walls will be arrested on sight.”
Nacer left the room in haste; there was still plenty of hours in the night and still women in his bed. He closed the door and let out a hiss of triumph then tripped over the outstretched foot of Sir Robert, the King’s personal guard, who stood just outside the room. The mammoth knight smiled and brought his foot back against the wall.
“Would it hurt you to show a little respect?” Nacer said. “We’re all in this together, you know.”
Sir Robert was silent. He shrugged stupidly.
Nacer stormed down the hall.
After drafting the proclamation, he retreated to his bedchamber, happy with himself. He licked his lips in anticipation of the evening's activities. But instead of two girls lying naked in his bed, he found only an elf in his room—a male elf.
The thin figure had his back to the door; he placed a note on Nacer’s bedside table. Turning back, he saw the Grand Counselor there and scurried backward, holding out his hands in surrender. The elf’s golden blonde hair was the same color as the lamplight, glowing brightly in the room.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I had to send them away. I was told,“ he pointed to the note, "to retrieve you.”
The elf backed out of the room, keeping his eyes locked on Nacer’s; he bowed as he exited.
The Grand Counselor tore open the note.
A Shadow in the Dark
The Magical Trade Alliance took up an elaborate and sturdy building between the Palace and the port. It nestled up to the shoreline and served as an intermediary between the city-state of Dune All-En and the outside world. Dealing with all variety of magical artifacts and services, whether imported or exported, it was the magical hub of the city. There was even a small sect devoted to maintaining magical trade in the city itself.
Several lobbying organizations set up shop along the cobbled street beside it: the Inter-kingdom Wand Association, the Dune All-En Coven of Witches, the Fortune Tellers Faction, and of course, the Society for AstroPhysics, who were beginning to think their specialty may lie in another realm of natural law. And like many intergovernmental organizations, work at the Alliance was ongoing, day and night, 24/7, with the exception of every other Friday from two to close, due to training.
The King’s official proclamation made its way through the lobbyists. An all-hands meeting was held and even included some wizards without both of them. An emergency forum was scheduled for the next morning. If this proclamation were to hold water, nearly a third of the city’s businesses would be run to the ground—not to mention the inevitable bankruptcy of the Alliance, whose funds were built from small tariffs and taxes marked on all Alliance approved products and services.
With all of the shouting and scrambling, the copying and printing, the general commotion of a world turned upside down, no one noticed the candlelight, dimly lit in the building across the street.
There, an even older sect, one as old as the city itself, occupied a squat and featureless building. No signage marred its doors.
Three dark figures stood, cast in shadow.
“I take it all went well?” the taller of them said.
“Yes, sir. Honestly, sir, I didn’t even have to—“ the voice, it sounded much like the King’s Grand Counselor, was cut off.
“I don’t need a play by play, thank you. The King, he’s sent out the proclamation. That’s all the evidence I need.”
“You know, it was actually I who sent the proclamation out? Hence, I’m not exactly sure this meeting is necessary? Your note would have done just fine.” The vigor in Nacer’s voice had vigorously vanished, after realizing he would pay two women for duties unperformed. Now he really wanted bed.
“What can I say?” the taller man said. “I prefer face to face conversation. Too much business is done by letter these days. It’s a damn shame.”
“Face to face?” the smaller shadow said gruffly. “Then why’re we all cloaked in shadow? You could turn on a light, ya know? Blowout these damn candles.”
“Secrecy,” Nacer said snidely. “This all is supposed to be secret. Speaking of, could you please stop sending your manservant to gather me? It’ll draw suspicion. There are spies everywhere.”
“I pay them well enough,” the taller, what could only be the leader argued. “Besides, the information coming back from them is nothing to do with an elf—or me. Perhaps you should take your bedfellows to a more discrete location.”
Nacer coughed abruptly.
“And you,” the taller man hissed again, “I take it your man is in place?”
The smaller of the conspirators sniggered. “Funny you should say man. But yes, I suspect he’ll be in place soon. Right weird thing, meetin’ two of ‘em in one week.”
“Two of—“ Nacer started.
The leader seemed briefly taken aback but gathered himself quickly and said, “We do not discuss our private matters amongst the group. Our jobs gets done, with as little detail as possible. And in the end, we all get rich.”
The candles were extinguished.
At that very moment, the stooped silhouette of a figure skulked effortlessly into the hills. A little while after, into the mountains—a mere shadow among shadows of the dense trees and rocks.
Dune All-En’s greatest asset: the Tenzing Mountains shielded the city from the badlands, from the kingdoms and city-states to the southwest. Unlike the green, almost flat Molar Mountains, they rose high, knifing into the clouds, a formidable outline of jagged and steep rock there to meet any traveler. Sheer rock walls, icy crags, deep and dark caves, deterred even the bravest of men. Still, the figure pressed forward into the night, into the blackest rock face known. Wind ripped through the edge of the forest. His footfalls were all but unheard. The wind sang one last time, before dying off into lonely gusts of cold air.
The realm was quiet for a while after that. Back in the city the pitch black of night dissolved to the pitch black of morning. Then a rooster crowed somewhere, ruining the whole effect.
Afterword
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Acknowledgments
Cover design by James, goonwrite.com
Thank you to Jenn, Jason, and my mother, for their kind words of encouragement and continued reading of my work.
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