War Bow

by P. S. Power

  “Fine then. You can’t spy on the King, Queen, or Prince Robarts any longer. Not using your magical skills. If you manage to gain information from them otherwise, well, that’s part of their work, I have to imagine. Everyone else is fair enough game, of course. It probably won’t work on myself or Master Tolan. I’ll be reporting this to the King, so I wouldn’t try that one again.”

  There was a strong inhalation then.

  “I’ll be killed for it.”

  He rolled his eyes, then smiled.

  “Will you? I notice that you’re managing to breathe pretty nicely still, even after months of pressing into the wrong places. Really, if you go to Prince Robarts and suggest that you might be open to working with him as well, I have to think you’ll be safe enough. Do it carefully, of course. Make an appointment and be visible at the time. Also let him know who I said you can’t spy on? Now, you’re seeing Master Belford? How is that going?” It was possible that she only liked women, in which case it wouldn’t be going well at all.

  She giggled a bit then. It was eerie, since no one was standing there, like a shade or spirit of mirth had descended on the dim hallway of gray stone. There was light through the long slit windows, but the sky was gray that day, making everything dim and gloomy.

  “Nico is a nice enough man, isn’t he? Attractive and clean, which are two of my favorite things. We’ve been discussing marriage. I suppose that will go away now. It’s a shame. I need to marry soon anyway and have no other prospects in particular.”

  Anders shook his head at that idea.

  “Well, if you get with Robarts, see what he suggests that way? You may be surprised at his response, if you’re truly interested there. Now, I should go and do... Something. I don’t want the Modroc to think I’m avoiding them, after what I did. Oh, if you could keep that quiet? I don’t want Daren to get into trouble.” He could see that she might think to blackmail him using that, so he smiled. “I don’t have to mention that, though, do I? I don’t want to make threats, since so far we haven’t had anything like that between us.” He stopped then, since even one word more would be that threat he was trying not to make.

  After a moment, there was a sigh.

  “Heh. Well, I can’t agree with letting a murderer go like that, in the main. Still, I understand how he could have been pressed to the action. If he does it again, it’s on you though, you realize that, don’t you?”

  Anders, feeling incredibly young just then, closed his eyes. After a moment, he spoke with a voice that sounded half dead.

  “I know that. I just have to imagine that a few more bodies tossed on the pile of thousands that have died by my hand won’t really make much of a difference. I don’t know if you’ve ever caught your reflection in a puddle of water or a looking glass and noticed a monster regarding you from it? I can’t recommend the experience, if you can help it.” He walked away then, since it felt like the right thing to do.

  Then, he didn’t reflect on what he’d spoken of, until later in the day, after several hours of working out what kind of cloaks, armor and weapons the levies at the front would need from him.

  The amount of materials needed would be vast, of course. He’d need to sell part of the armor that he had for it. True, plate was more valuable than mail and gambeson, but outfitting bowmen with that kind of thing wasn’t going to work at all. A knight could use a bow in full armor. Poorly. Mail didn’t get in the way of the use of a war bow at all.

  After the mid-meal, wearing a heavy blue cloak, his gambeson altered to match it, he found Prince Alpert and his mother at his chamber door.

  The Prince clapped him on the shoulder when he opened the door.

  “Anders! It’s time for that ride, if you have the time? You seem well dressed for it. Is that a new cloak? It seems quite fine for winter wear.”

  The man reached out, as if to touch the fabric, but hesitated, as if asking for permission. Anders presented the edge of it. His mother didn’t ask, merely doing the same thing, her lovely face impressed when she felt the layers of quilting and how thick it was.

  “That is very well made. Did you have it commissioned?”

  He took her meaning, since it was a good bit nicer than anything else he owned. Even the gambeson was sort of plain, compared to it.

  “I made it. Countess Rainly is shipping some goods to the front and I was thinking of doing the same for the levies there. It’s going to be cold soon.” He glanced at both of the people there, closed his door and walked with them, since there was a ride in the offing, to condition them for their trip to come.

  They made small talk until they were actually on horseback, riding a trail into the forest behind the castle. There was a guard patrol there, but they were often alone for long stretches of time.

  His mother shook her head at him, finally.

  “Countess Rainly has too much interest in you. She’s not the most evil of people here, but go carefully there. Being too involved with her will almost certainly lead to you being in her bed. She’s past the age where a child will come of it, at least.” The words weren’t jesting at all, just matter of fact and rather too calm.

  “I put her off, for the moment. I have orders not to get involved that way. Though King Mathias did mention putting forth a marriage with the daughter of a baron from Yanse, in an attempt to heal the rift between our lands.”

  Lyse made a choking sound at the words, and Prince Alpert... Smiled.

  “That probably won’t work, but it was mentioned in the meeting last night. It would be worth the doing on their side, even if it doesn’t end the war. They already offered that land and wealth, to have you removed from the field of battle. Father is suggesting to them that they up the offering, if they wish to woo you to their side.”

  Anders nodded at the words, since, even if it were said for the humor of it, he had no doubt that Yanse would be told all of what was being said.

  “Oh... Mother... I had a nice long talk with Mistress Colm earlier today. She was most impressed when I figured out that you were the one getting her to spy on everyone. Is that for... Baron Brolly, or for you Prince Alpert? I told her that she couldn’t spy on the King or Queen any longer. Prince Robarts, either. If that ruins any plans... Well, then change them.” He sounded a bit short, but managed a smile for the people with him. Starting a fight would aid no one.

  The Prince went wide eyed, and then made a soft sound in the back of his throat, like he might just be choking on a laugh.

  “Ah. Well, your mother was working with me on that one. So, that’s done then, in part. A shame, really. Nico seems to be doing rather well with her, as far as I’ve been hearing.”

  It took Anders a few moments to realize that Nico was the name of Master Belford. A thing that he’d heard before, but only a few times.

  He simply shrugged.

  “I sent her to Prince Robarts, if she doesn’t flee the castle. I also mentioned she get his opinion in that direction. She seems a kind enough woman. One with her own profession, even. She would make a good wife, I think, given that.” Even if she loved women.

  Then, the two things had very little to do with each other. Marriage was a duty. Love was a thing of the heart.

  No one mentioned that portion of things, but he didn’t doubt that they all understood them. The others much better than he did.

  “Now, you wanted to speak to me about something? I think that most of the major points are taken care of, for the time being. I have work to see to, but that’s just what a man must do.” Not that he was one of those. Except, of course, that in many ways he truly was.

  Prince Alpert nodded, looking straight ahead.

  “Yes. There has been some mention of those you had to kill, in battle, for our kingdom. Your mother and I have both wondered if you are all right? Inside your mind, that is.”

  Lady Lyse nodded.

  “You also had to kill that fiend, yesterday. It was well done, since it prevented another conflict, where one isn’t needed. I truly had tha
t one figured incorrectly. I’d thought it was the Yansians, to be truthful. Not one of our own servants. Still, Agorn was Alice’s cousin, so one can see how he might respond that way. She’s not with child, as it turns out. Either lost, unknowing or she never was. Being late can happen to women, after all.”

  If she knew more of what was going on, it didn’t show in her words. Anders, for his portion, was merely honest with them.

  “My mind... My soul, perhaps, has been affected by what was done in battle. Outside of it, too. I fear that I might be a monster now. Still, I’ll weather this. It will, I think, be nice to go and visit another place for a while. Also, I have some business, down on the other continent.” That was, most likely, where Ganges had hidden himself, or herself as the case may be at the moment, away.

  Prince Alpert nodded, his face going dark for a moment.

  “Are you ready for that, do you think?”

  Anders shook his head.

  “I’m not. Not even close. Still, it does no harm to take a look around and figure some small matters out, if I can get closer to the heart of the situation. The truth is that I may never be the equal of Ganges, the Great and Terrible. From what I’ve heard he was and still is, one of the greatest magic users in all of history.”

  Lyse furrowed her brow, her horse moving forward a little, in response to some hidden signal from her. She clearly rode very well. Much better than Anders did, to be honest.

  “Ganges? I’ve not heard the name.”

  Anders could see that. The King and his sons knew of it. So did Master Belford and Captain Ford. Anders hadn’t told his mother about that situation, however. It seemed no one else had either. The Prince stiffened then.

  Anders didn’t really care about that, so told her the truth.

  “The enemy who is likely behind these current wars and hostilities. He, or she, is behind much that had affected us all, I think. In another life, Ganges was my student and friend. It was he who placed the mind of old Farad in that crystal. I remember him doing it, as if it were no more than five months ago. I think, as strange as it may sound, that he was as close to me as a son would have been. Now, perhaps corrupted by time and madness, he seeks to rule the world. I must try to stop him, if I can. As I would have to do if my own child became a monster that would destroy the world.” As they might have to do for him, one day, if he wasn’t very careful.

  They rode for a long while then. No more questioning or speeches being in the air.

  After some hours, they all headed back inside the castle, to ready themselves for the journey that lay ahead. Anders sighed as he settled to his work table, thinking about what was to come. Not the journey itself, though he didn’t doubt it would be interesting. Possibly informative, as well.

  He just considered the work he needed to do, all that had to be arranged, first.

  Then he settled in to get that done. What portions of it he could, before they left.

  Afterword

  You may have noticed that the world is changing. That the way we have to do things now is very different than it was even five years ago...

  To that end, I’d like to request you take a few moment (please!) and check out my Patreon page. I know, why should you support an author directly, if you buy their books already? (Or why support if you get them for free, from certain places online?) Well, I think that you might find the “gifts” on Patreon to be worth it, outright. Besides, a dollar that goes to me through that venue is worth ninety-seven cents to me, where a book purchased is worth about half that, if I’m lucky.

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  P.S. Power