by C. E. Swain
The council began with the formal call to the meeting, and the onlookers grew silent.
"The issues before us today are for the empire." Semeon said as he stood. "The decisions you make here, will affect us all."
"Then let us speak of the problems of the realms." Menimeth said.
"Rumors of war circulate throughout my realm." Valiny said. "But my father did nothing to investigate them that I know of. As regent, I will find out what I can, but it may take time before I am able to learn anything."
"We hear the same rumors in the south." Thadric said, in response to Valiny. "But we can find no reason for them, except the increase in the outlaw population."
"Men cross my realm in the night, but cannot be found by day." Borlund said, entering the discussion. "My best men have searched for them many times, but they can only be seen from a distance. When my men get closer, they disappear without a trace."
"It is magic." Darik said as he stood from he crowd. "An old trick used for hunting in my land, is being used by the mage king to hide his men from you."
"How do we fight men we cannot see?" Borlund asked the mage.
"With magic." Darik replied. "It is a simple counter spell that can be used anytime, and the question is not if, but when."
"We can do it, or we cannot." Borlund stated.
"We need men in place to capture or kill the solders of Arnoran when they are reveled." Menimeth said. "It will do us no good to counter their spell, if we do not close the way to all that would seek to destroy the empire."
"What is it you would have us do?" Borlund said with a worried look.
"We need to work together to stop this threat." Menimeth replied. "We can revel the solders now, but cannot close the way yet. It will require some of the solders from all of the realms, to save the empire."
"How many of our solders are you talking about?" Thadric asked. "Are we to leave our towns unguarded?"
"To leave your towns unguarded would put them at risk, but to disregard the threat could cost you your realms." Litlorn said. "The mage king is busy retaking his lands from before the Great War, and only tries to weaken you until his armies return."
" No, we will not leave the realms unguarded." Menimeth told the regents." However, some of your forces may need to be used in other realms, until we can build an army of the empire."
"The full count of your forces, are to be disclosed to the steward's office right away." Semeon said, reading from the scroll on the table. "The Law states that the king must be advised of all forces throughout the empire."
"We have never reported our forces to the steward before." Borlund said, trying to dismiss the law that was written so long ago.
"But we did not have a king before." Valiny said to him. "I for one will comply with the law."
"We have been trying to learn the true number of solders in the eastern realm for years." Thadric said smiling.
"You are not alone." Valiny said.
That brought a laugh from the people who watched to proceedings, and the regents as well. Already the men were at ease with one another, and the council began to produce results.
"We will all comply." Falendor said. "But some of us have very few forces to report. I for one have less than four hundred solders for all of the west."
"That is why the threat comes from there, they do not believe we can defend it." Menimeth said, "But we will do more than defend it, we will secure it."
"I have only eight hundred men for the north, and the north has many more towns to defend." Borlund said. "How are we to defend our people?"
"You need not worry." Valiny said. "I know there are fifteen hundred solders in the east, and I suspect there are five hundred more in reserve. My father did not want to die like his father did, so he would never allow me to obtain that information."
"Then how do you know how many solders you have?" Thadric asked, puzzled.
"The men know me and trust me, unlike my father, and I hear things serving in the army you would not hear otherwise." Valiny replied. "Still, I am not sure of the total number."
"As long as we are divulging that information, I may as well give my count." Thadric said. "I have eight hundred foot solders, and six hundred cavalry, but only half of them are trained properly."
"Fourteen hundred solders!" Borlund exclaimed. "Were they trained to take over a realm, or defend against Beloran?"
"I have not built my forces to their numbers for aggressive reasons." Thadric said to Borlund coldly. "But to build, and man, a garrison in every town. That way all of the smaller villages will be protected easier. The problem is that it cost me more than all of you combined a year, to build the garrisons, and to train the men."
"That is a waste of time." Borlund said. "It would cost me more than I could afford to build the garrisons, much less man them."
"The south is far better prepared for the war that is coming." Brylen said from beside Semeon. "My kingdom thought as you do, but in the end, we were overrun because we did not have garrisons throughout our realm."
"Garrisons will be built in all of the realms, manned by solders of the empire." Menimeth told the regents. "It will take some time to accomplish, but it will be done."
"And how will you man these garrisons?" Valiny asked curiously. "I will allow any of my men who wish to transfer to the armies of the empire to do so if that would help, but you will need far more men than I can provide."
Menimeth stood and looked at the regents, and then at the people who attended the meeting. He was silent as he looked around the hall, and then spoke where all could hear him.
"Over half of the empire is overgrown and uninhabited, and people will come here looking for a place to start a new life. There will be displaced solders from the lands the mage king has overrun, which will find their way here, and some will enlist. They will do this in the chance they will have a home some day, and a family who lives in peace."
Menimeth looked around the hall again, and paused before speaking. He wished all of the people to hear him, and listen to what he said. They had to understand things were changing, and it would affect them, and all they knew.
"I will offer them lands in which to build their homes and grow their crops." He said. "The west will be the safest realm once the threat is gone, and that is where the refugees will go to first. Not all of the solders that find their way here will want to enlist, but men have talents other than war. Most will undoubtedly chose to settle into a normal life, but some will not. Those men will be given a choice of the army or leaving, and most will serve for a few years before choosing to settle down and become citizens of the empire."
"How do we secure the west?" Falendor asked.
" We will start with solders from each realm, who will combine to form the army of the realms." Menimeth said. "We have a cavalry to help us, and a dragon as well."
"We cannot supply enough solders to build an army large enough to defend us." Borlund said.
"First we must close the way to those who have yet to come." Menimeth said. "Before we can build an army."
"What about taxes?" Thadric asked. "How much are we expected to pay to the empire?"
"The laws say thirty percent of your yearly income, to be paid in grain and coin." Semeon said as he read from a scroll. "Other foods can be used instead of grain but it must be able to last throughout the year."
"Thirty percent!" Borlund exclaimed. "We can barely make the twenty five percent Beloran put on us years ago."
"Ten percent will be enough to supply the empire with all it will need for now." Menimeth said. "Where are the taxes paid to the empire in the year's past."
"Beloran used some of it for his armies, and the rest is in the coffers of the empire." Semeon said.
The news that their taxes had gone to build the armies of the eastern realm angered the other regents. They were struggling, while Beloran used their taxes against them.
"I did not know of this." Valiny said. "I cannot change what is done, but I can ch
ange what is to come. The extra forces that he acquired will help to protect your realms, which is the opposite of what my father intended I suspect."
"Thadric will see the most help from the east, I think." Falendor said, smiling.
"Yes, I believe you are right." Borlund said. " He will see a lot more of Valiny than the rest of us."
"You think I have some plans to take the southern realm from Thadric?" Valiny asked, hurt that they would suspect him of the things his father was guilty of.
"We do not think it is his realm you are after." Falendor replied. "But a treasure."
Valiny looked confused, and noticed that the other regents were all smiling at him. He became even more confused with what Thadric said to him.
"It is not the land of my fathers, but the jewel of my castle you seek."
"You think I have some plot to rob you of your treasure?" Valiny asked.
"You may be involved in a plot, but you would not know it." Thadric said, almost laughing.
"You believe I am unknowingly involved in stealing your jewel, and you think it is amusing?" Valiny asked, even more confused than before, and looked at the regents bewildered.
"The jewel they refer to, is Dranella if I am not mistaken." Menimeth informed the new regent. "And they are not so sure you are the one who is doing the plotting between the two of you."
Valiny turned red with that revelation, and the regents could not help laughing with the look of understanding when it crossed his face. The people who watched the council laughed as well, and some cheered him while others applauded. Valiny turned even redder than before, and it only got worse when Thadric next spoke.
"If you think you can tame her boy, you are welcome to try. I hope to see a lot more of you, or a lot less of her."
This brought more cheers from the people, and even Valiny laughed at the proposal from her father.
"Be careful sir." Valiny said to Thadric. "I may take you up on the offer, and then you would have several granddaughters instead of just one daughter."
That brought the southern regent's laughing to an end, but received even louder cheers and laughter from the people. After several minutes the hall quieted down once again, and waited for the regents to continue.
"I intend to open a school for those children who have the aptitude for magic." Menimeth said. "It will not only make the empire a better place to live, but a stronger one as well."
"And what will it cost us to send our children to this school." One of the onlookers asked.
"It will not cost the parents to send their children to the school." Menimeth replied. "But whoever completes the school, will be required to spend time in the service of the empire."
"How much time would be required to pay for the years of school?" Falendor asked.
"We have enough time to decide that later." Menimeth said. "It will be years before anyone can obtain that level at the school."
"That is true." Falendor replied. "And it will keep some of our children out of our way for a while."
"And grandchildren." Thadric added quickly, and looked at Valiny
That started the regents laughing again, and Valiny laughed at the look Thadric gave him. They discussed the school and its uses, and agreed it would be good for the empire. It had advantages beyond protection, and it would allow the empire to grow richer.
"I will be opening Glansford again to conduct the business of the empire." Menimeth said. "But Corlindum will still be used for the business of the realms."
"But how will you conduct the business of the empire, if you are not here?" Valiny asked. "You will need to be in the west if you are to eliminate the threat to the realms."
"Brylen, the prince of Davinly will be speaking for me while I am gone. He knows what it is I wish to accomplish, and will do what is necessary to achieve it."
"And what of Corlindum?" Borlund asked. "You said it would be used for the business of the realms, what did you intend?"
"I expect each of you to have someone assigned to Corlindum who can speak for you, or send a messenger to you with a letter." Menimeth told the regents. "The business of the empire must move at a faster pace, and your decisions will be expected to be made quickly."
"Another expense for us to go along with the ones we have already." Thadric said.
"With the fifteen percent less in taxes you will be paying from what you paid in the past, you should have no problem granting my demands." Menimeth said. "But if the coffers are not empty, I will try to help with the expense for as long as I can."
After some discussion, the regents agreed that it would not be necessary to give them aid. The money they saved by not sending an army of servants to the city every time there was a council, called, would cover the expense. Their realms would benefit from the faster responses, and the regents would grow richer from the reduced taxes.
The day was growing old when the council meeting ended for the day. No one would leave until the king was gone, so Menimeth walked from the hall, and to his suite. He now had an idea of the combined forces of the four realms, and there were already twelve men who enlisted in the army. Captain Brannor assigned his most experienced solder to the garrison at Corlindum, and he was to begin training the new recruits by tomorrow morning. Some of the army Menimeth built would not be ready to fight in the west, but they would be ready for the war.
The council meetings lasted for several more days, and much was accomplished. A plan for ending the route, which the solders of the mage king used in the north, was to begin when the regents returned to their castles. Two months would pass before the last of them arrived, and another to get the forces in place. Three months to set the trap from today, and another to get the solders back home, and then he had to assemble the solders he needed from the regents, and get them to Glansford.
Six months was what it would take to get to Argnon, and he hoped he would make it in time. It would take the last of the solders no more than three to reach the camp in the west after the way was closed in the northeast, and then Chidren would know that the time had come to begin the attack. They would need luck to pull this off, but Menimeth believed it could be done.
Two days after the council was over, the regents began to depart for their castles. Before the western regent departed for Argnon, he approached Menimeth and gave him the box from the chapel. It belonged to the king of the empire, and not to a regent, was his only explanation. Menimeth sent Javen and Kyler with Falendor, to protect him and locate Feran. He would be arriving in Argnon soon, and Menimeth did not want him riding the road alone. He was the best with a sword of the three friends from Alenvale, but when all three men were together, they were almost unbeatable. They would train his armies, and lead them in the future, but he needed them soon to prepare for the coming battle in the west.
Menimeth watched his friends as they followed behind Falendor, and smiled as Javen and Chrisanna rode together from the city. After several minutes, Menimeth turned from the road west, and looked at the empty city of Glansford. The time had come to find out what it held, and unlock the secrets of its depths. Tomorrow he would enter the city, and the gates would be open again. After five hundred years of magical preservation, the Great Dragon Empire would truly be reborn.
Chapter Eighteen
Menimeth walked from the rooms of his suite in Corlindum, and made his way to the marketplace. The sun was not yet up, but it was hard to break old habits he thought. He may be king, but he did not have to like it.
The aroma of Blackbeer pulled him onward, and he soon arrived at its source. He started his day with a mug of the strong bittersweet liquid, and thought about the city across the great road from Corlindum. Today he would enter the long unused city, and open the way to a new start for the people of this land.
"Today we will see what the old dragon rider capital has for us." Menimeth said to his dragon.
"It has many of the old ways in it." Danorathin replied. "And you will have to use magic to enter."
"I do not kn
ow how to use the magic yet my friend."
"I will put the words into your mind, and you can speak them." His dragon told him.
"That sounds easy enough." Menimeth said.
"First you must speak the words correctly." Danorathin said. "If you say them like you think them, it will work."
"Yes, that will be the hardest part, I think, but I will just have to learn, if I am to be a proper dragon rider."
Litlorn walked into the small shop, and smiled at the man who had become his closest friend. Walking to the small table, he pulled up a chair and sat across from his friend, while Menimeth sat drinking from his mug.
