Much to Ahren’s surprise he spotted a few dwarves and even two elves among the royal household, and they for their part were looking intently at Jelninolan and Trogadon. The elves’ eyes were drawn to the artefacts of the legendary blacksmith which the warrior had been allowed to carry since he had earned the Ancestry Name, while the elves made a little hand gesture towards Jelninolan, which she acknowledged with a polite nod.
‘We’re lucky’, she murmured quietly. ‘The Elfish ambassadors say the Emperor is in a good mood today.’
They reached a pair of large double-doors at the far end of the Main Hall which swung open dramatically to reveal a surprisingly small room. It measured ten paces by ten and was therefore only a quarter the size of the Main Hall and without any furnishings whatsoever except for a large throne. Sentries lined the walls and they all had their spears at the ready so that the travelling companions walked into a ring of steel spear heads, which put a big damper on Ahren’s self-confidence.
Justinian III, Emperor of the Sunplains sat on a bare throne surrounded by his guards and examined the visitors keenly. His skinny body was covered by a yellow tunic with silver and gold thread worked through it and held in place on his left shoulder by a golden buckle in the shape of the sun. Ahren guessed that the figure in front of them was at least thirty winters old. His thin face with its deep-green eyes was dominated by a golden headband with zigzag edges which suggested stylised rays of sunshine.
‘Welcome to the Sun Court’, intoned the ruler with a strangely raw voice, and the doors locked behind them. The bodyguards closed the gap and they were now trapped in a ring of pointed spears.
Ahren shifted nervously from one foot to the other and asked himself if these weapons would ever be lifted again.
Uldini sank down on one knee. The others followed his example and Ahren hurriedly followed their example.
‘My Emperor’, began the Arch Wizard in a formal voice. ‘It does me good to see you again. Allow me to introduce my companions.’ Uldini’s hand pointed from one to the next. ‘This is Jelninolan from Eathinian, one of the Ancients; Baron Dorian Falkenstein, a Paladin of the Gods; Trogadon from the Silver Cliff, bearer of an Ancestry Name; and Khara, a free swordfighter, freshly recruited from Akkad’s retinue – you know him well.’ Ahren was amazed by the Arch Wizard’s ability to leave out certain facts, which lent a completely new reality to the truths he spoke. Finally, the childlike figure pointed towards the apprentice. ‘And this here is Squire Ahren, the Thirteenth Paladin of the gods.’
The room was deathly silent, and Ahren had to admire the discipline of the bodyguards, who hid their surprise superbly, with only a hint of movement from the spears.
Completely different to the Sun Emperor. ‘The Thirteenth, you say? Really?’ he called out. Strangely, his voice was filled with scorn and Ahren feared for the worst. ‘Well, at least that explains why my valued court wizard leaves the empire in the lurch during a crisis AND DISAPPEARS INTO THE WIDE BLUE YONDER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!’ The last words were more of a roar than an exclamation, and Ahren wondered, insofar as he was able to think at all, how this weedy man could produce such a loud sound. But mostly the apprentice was shaking like a leaf. The man’s voice suggested that he was clearly used to giving orders and Ahren asked himself if Justinian had ever been confronted with the word ‘no’. And indeed, what might have happened to anybody who had dared to contradict him.
Astoundingly, Uldini seemed able to defy his master’s rage. ‘Oh Emperor, unfortunately my departure was unavoidable. I had to travel along magic ways to save the Thirteenth or he would have been killed. A pack of Fog Cats was hunting him down, sent by HIM, WHO FORCES. Had I arrived an hourglass later, he and therefore all our hopes would have been lost.’
Ahren remembered back to that fateful night, but the Emperor seemed only marginally placated. ‘If he really is a Paladin, then he should have been able to handle a few ridiculous Fog Cats’, he said harshly and eyed Ahren critically.
‘Please remember that at that point he was neither named nor educated. A foal is never left to the hyenas, your majesty.’
Justinian gave a disapproving snort and made a hand gesture ordering them to stand up. ‘Well, at least that explains your company.’ He pointed at Trogadon and Jelninolan. ‘They are his Einhans, I take it?’
‘Your Majesty has been well informed’, responded Jelninolan with a courteous nod and a smile, which up until then had melted everybody’s heart.
‘I wasn’t talking to you!’ snapped the ruler imperiously. ‘And of course, I’m well-informed. Every godsday pupil knows the stories.’ His eyes turned towards Uldini again. ‘And he’s definitely the Thirteenth?’ he probed.
‘Yes, my Emperor’, answered Uldini in a firm voice. ‘I swear to you on my life. Then Naming was unambiguous. The wolf is his companion animal.’
The wolf, who up to that point had pressed himself against Ahren’s leg and made himself as small as possible, tilted his head when he heard his name and gave a questioning whine. Ahren stroked his fur and sent him calming waves, while the wolf radiated back sensations of a trap snapping closed.
‘You, Ahren, step forward!’ ordered Justinian curtly, and the young Forest Guardian had to summon all his courage so that his legs obeyed.
He paused one pace in front of the Sun Emperor and couldn’t but admire the man’s charisma. He only knew that feeling of absolute power from Uldini whenever he threw off his cloak of insignificance and revealed all the power of his magic. But this man in front of him was only mortal and yet he produced the same effect. It was dawning on the apprentice that he was standing in front of one of the world’s most powerful men.
‘So you stole my most important advisor and opened the floodgates to disaster’, began the skinny Emperor. ‘It seems as if you Paladins manage to conjure up trouble wherever you go.’
Ahren wasn’t sure if this complaint was an invitation to him to speak, and so he remained quiet. He really didn’t know how to respond to this accusation anyway. His opposite number clicked his tongue impatiently.
‘Talk, why don’t you! My time is limited. I have an empire to govern, a war to win and a siege to end.’
Ahren desperately looked for something to say. He had hoped that the monarch only wanted to let off steam, but it seemed it was down to the apprentice to make their request. He took a deep breath and hoped his voice wasn’t trembling too much.
‘Your Majesty, Arch Wizard Getobo was indeed in the right place at the right time that night. Without him, I and my home village would most probably have been extinguished. Ever since that time he has accompanied me without fail and saved us from harm on more than one occasion. With his help an early return of the Adversary was prevented last winter, giving the peoples of Jorath several years’ grace during which time they can prepare for the Dark Days to come. I don’t know what he could have done from your court, but I can assure you that the long term damage to your empire would have been far greater because I would not be standing before you, and the free peoples would be without the protection of the Thirteen.’
Ahren fell silent. All in all, he was quite proud of his little speech, and the Emperor stared at him thoughtfully before turning to Uldini and doing the same. His face still expressed the deepest displeasure and the apprentice was painfully aware of the speers that surrounded them.
Finally, Justinian exhaled violently and threw his arms in the air in the most un-majestic manner. ‘Have you any idea of the position you put me in? My Court Wizard and closest advisor disappears without so much as a by-your-leave so that every second-class intriguer gets the idea I might be vulnerable. Since you vanished, I’ve had to thwart over two dozen plots against me, and more than half of them ended in bloodshed. Because of you I listened to that idiot Falturios and tried to bring the Brazen City under my control. I needed to show a sign of strength instead of which I have a debacle hanging around my neck, which, if it isn’t resolved, will lead to my downfall faster than Quin-Wa c
ould ever have managed it.’
The monarch’s outburst had caught Ahren completely on the wrong foot. He carefully retreated until he was beside Falk, keeping his eyes fixed on Justinian as if he were looking at a dangerous Dark One.
‘To be perfectly honest, I’d really like to have you all locked up while I check out your story through a third source’, continued the monarch as he leaped up from his throne. Ahren could see that the skinny man was getting into a terrible lather. He looked pleadingly over at Uldini, who looked disconcerted and then suddenly straightened up.
‘With all due respects, your majesty, that really wouldn’t help matters. We think we are in the position to help you solve your issue with the Brazen City should you so wish’, he said hastily.
Justinian, who was pacing up and down, stopped abruptly. ‘You expect me to forget about your dereliction of duty and instead let you solve the problem you yourselves have helped to cause?’ He laughed bitterly. ‘I always thought you were cleverer than that, Getobo.’
Ahren saw how Uldini struggled to bite his tongue. It seemed he had expected less resistance from his Emperor and being reprimanded like that really rubbed the Ancient up the wrong way.
Uldini cleared his throat and tried again. ‘If we can manage to get the Brazen City to back down, then my temporary leave of absence from your court should surely be of no interest to anyone. I am truly sorry that I left without saying a word and it was never my intention to leave you in the lurch, Justinian. But if I hadn’t gone, we would now be discussing how we could prevent an insane god from destroying your empire.’
After a moment the monarch gave a deep sigh. ‘Very well then’, he said. ‘You help me to face the music that you yourself composed, and if you succeed, then I will forgive you. Otherwise, I’ll throw you out of my empire and raze this city of unruly blacksmiths and traitors off the face of the earth.’
‘That went rather well’, said Uldini quietly and rubbed his hands with satisfaction.
‘Well if that’s the case, I don’t want to be around when an audience with the Emperor goes badly’, replied Trogadon with raised eyebrows, and Ahren silently echoed his sentiment.
They were standing in the entrance lobby, having been led out of the Emperor’s hall and were separated from the courtiers by sentries. Justinian had explained that he had other state business to attend to and that he expected them at supper later.
Ahren was happy to comply with anything which meant they could get out of the circle of spears that had increasingly been getting on his nerves. Now he was ruffling his nervous friend’s fur and listening to the others.
‘We’ve jumped the first hurdle anyway’, Falk was saying. ‘According to the letter of the law Justinian was well within his rights to throw our little wizard friend here into the dungeons or even have him executed for treason.’
The hairs stood up on the back of Ahren’s neck when he heard that. ‘But he’d never have succeeded!’ he blurted out angrily.
‘Of course not’, said Uldini patiently. ‘But if I had escaped using magic, then we would have been banished from the Sunplains forever. We need Justinian and his armies for what we are going to be facing in the oncoming Dark Days. Endangering his well-being and that of half the royal household would not have helped us a whit.’
‘And we would all have been in mortal danger’, interjected Jelninolan. ‘You’ve experienced what damage a single arrow can do at the wrong moment.’
Ahren shivered and Falk laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
‘There’s one thing that annoys me’, said Uldini ruminatively. ‘Falturios supposedly pressurised the Emperor into capturing the Brazen City. The man is over seventy summers old and would never have an original thought even if it hit him in the face.’
They all fell silent, and Ahren couldn’t help remembering the tense situation they had drifted into in the Knight Marshes the previous year. ‘Is there any way this Falturios could be working for the Adversary?’ he asked in an uncertain voice.
‘I can’t imagine so’, said Uldini frowning. ‘For all his faults, his loyalty to the throne is unquestionable. I myself vetted him several times using magic.’
‘Until you were gone’, interrupted Khara. Since they had arrived in the encampment the young girl had tried to make herself as invisible as possible. Her intervention in the discussion was all the more surprising, thought Ahren.
Uldini shook his head slowly. ‘I still can’t imagine that old Falturios has been turned’, he said finally.
Then Ahren heard something in his head: A man with many faces has been here. He looked down at Culhen in surprise. The wolf was sitting on his hind-legs and was sniffing the air curiously. I smell something strange – as if many people were standing on the exact same spot.
It took Ahren a moment before the penny dropped. ‘Is it possible that a Doppelganger took Falturios’s place when you were gone? Culhen says he can still smell him.’
Uldini’s face went pale and everyone instinctively reached for their weapons. He and Jelninolan quickly cast a secret spell before nodding in embarrassment. The little Arch Wizard let out a curse, and Jelninolan explained quietly: ‘A Doppler was here, no more than two days ago.’
Ahren tickled Culhen proudly between the ears while Uldini continued scolding.
‘That makes sense’, he said finally. ‘My guess is that the gambit of provoking Justinian to take action against the Brazen City was planned long ago. The Doppler simply waited until I had left the court before fomenting chaos and casting his bait.’ The Arch Wizard looked miserable.
‘Even you can’t be in two places at the one time’, said Jelninolan in an attempt to comfort him.
‘We need a plan and quickly. Justinian wants to hear from us how we propose to solve the problem with the Brazen City’, said the Arch Wizard urgently.
There was a constant flurry of attendants and officials coming and going from the Emperor’s audience room and all the while the travelling companions were thinking up plans which were discussed, adapted and finally abandoned again. When the double doors were finally opened again for them to enter they were no wiser than they had been at the beginning of their discussions.
At least the food was good, thought Ahren to himself. They were sitting at the table which was covered in a white cloth and which had been standing in the room when they had entered for the second time, laden down with all sorts of food. Uldini was playing for time by politely asking the Emperor about current affairs in the Sunplains, while the others enjoyed their food and whispered quietly among themselves as they desperately tried to find a suitable plan.
At last Uldini sighed and came to the point. ‘Oh Emperor, we believe that you were taken in by an enemy’s advice when you decided to take control of the Brazen City. A Doppelganger was roaming here until yesterday.’
Justinian’s face went pale. ‘Falturios announced yesterday that he was going to withdraw from my service on account of the humiliation he felt after having advised me badly.’ Then the monarch’s face went red with anger. ‘You really threw me to the wolves, Uldini.’ At that very instant Culhen cracked a bone he was enjoying, which gave the ruler’s accusation an added authority.
The Arch Wizard’s face betrayed his feeling of guilt as he raised his arms in a placatory manner. ‘An unforgivable mistake which will not be repeated, your majesty. But now we need to concentrate on tidying up this mess if you don’t mind me saying.’
Justinian threw his cutlery on his expensive plate and the clanking sound echoed through the room. ‘Damn it, Getobo! I have absolutely no room to manoeuvre! Bergen and the Blue Cohorts have disobeyed my direct command, the Triumvirate of the city are refusing to eat humble pie, and if I withdraw the soldiers now, half the senate will attack me. Then we’ll lose the weapons delivery from the Brazen City and Quin-Wa’s armies will overrun us faster than you can say the word “retreat” in the next few years; and if what you’re saying is true, we’re going to need every man and woman av
ailable for when the first horde of Dark Ones approach my empire.’
‘This is how I see it’, began Jelninolan in a soft voice. ‘Diplomacy is the only answer. We can negotiate on your behalf.’
Justinian gave a sort of disgust but continued to listen.
‘Trogadon here is the holder of an Ancestry Name. The Brazen Clan, who make up a third of the Triumvirate, will listen to him. The Irenius noble family have always been loyal to your empire. If Uldini comes along as your court wizard and offers them an amnesty, they are certain to listen to your proposals. Falk, as a Paladin, can prove to them that the dark god is awakening, which will also help in negotiating a compromise with the Brazen City. Which leaves only the founders of the city, the Regelstens, to be persuaded.’
Justinian silently considered her suggestion before replying in a quiet voice. ‘What about Captain Olgitram and his Blue Cohorts? They are traitors and are unlikely to give in so easily?’
Falk cleared his throat and began to speak. ‘If we can present Ahren to him, he’ll understand that the time has come for him to dedicate himself to his primary duty. If you could grant him and his people an amnesty…’
‘Absolutely not!’ thundered the Sun Emperor and slammed his hand on the table. If I pardon my renegade advisor, the population of the Brazen City, the Blue Cohorts and their captain of all their transgressions against the empire, there will be wholesale anarchy. The disparate areas of the Sunplains get along so well together because of the rule of law. And the laws apply to everyone. I can’t let everyone who defies me go free. Out of the question!’
Jelninolan, Falk and Uldini were all about to object, but the monarch raised his hand in a commanding manner. ‘You may submit the following offer: if the city surrenders, I will pardon its population; Captain Bergen will be imprisoned until such time as I need him, at which point he can happily take on the Adversary – but his Blue Cohorts are to be executed for treachery.’
The Brazen City Page 24
