Chapter 44

Chapter XLVI

The decision pronounced and determined, the party made ready to leave the hall. As he rose, an action which released all the others to do so in turn, Elmbran reminded the group “I was not prepared to take such action. I require time to call on my people. I do, however, have a matter in my keeping which king Railon and lord Richard may like to see.” Thereupon, Elmbran left the hall, as John followed quietly behind.

Left alone in the company of the Princess, who did not offer to speak, but only sat silently watching the men, Richard inquired of the desert lord “What would he have us see?”

“Prisoners. I have seen them already. Evidently the prince John foiled their attempt on his brother’s life, which was a reaction to the failure of their father to hand over the king Valun. So I was told by my brother-daughter herself.”

No sooner had Railon finished, then the doors opened again and two prisoners who resembled the guards Richard had previously seen accompanying the Princess. They were evidently worse for the wear; one was missing his left hand and the other had obvious marks of a beating on his face. Railon was unperturbed, only said “The guards had to deal harshly with them to convince them to talk. Eventually they did. They speak the guards’ tongue, so we will translate.”

Indicating his assent, Richard began putting questions to the mutilated men which he knew Railon had probably already asked himself.

“Who is your master? Who ordered you to assault the king?”

The men spoke in unison. They were evidently agitated and desperate to say everything that might be asked almost at one time. When Richard had endured a full minute of babbling, Railon relayed the statement.

“They repeat several times that they were paid by the man we have already heard of, this emperor Kalveston of Naibern. They wish you to know also that they will hold nothing back. They await the lord’s questions.”

Surprised by the prisoners’ subservient behavior, Richard wasted no time in continuing his questioning. “Why were you ordered to kill my king? And why do you do this so many years after he departed from here?”

The answer he received this time was simple enough: “Emperor Kalveston ordered that it be done. He wished to spread fear and distrust by employing us, men of Gairbairia, to kill the king of Corridane in the house of Ronaiera. We returned because he wished to remind you small men that his arm is so long.”

Disregarding the broken prisoners, Richard remarked to Railon “Small men we are not, in my land, nor, I daresay, in yours, lord Railon. I bring word from the knight Dunstan of your people. He desires to move those men he has with him to a brighter land. I have offered him ours. What say you?”

After snapping a short order to the prisoners, who slunk away toward the edge of the room, Railon replied “I came to lord Elmbran with the same thought in my mind. I do not see why we should cross to your land, when this one here is readily available.”

Seating himself again, Richard asked “What does the lord Elmbran say?”

“He allows the space and the means to build a town of our own, but we must build it ourselves. His people will not aid us. I deem it fair.”

“Fair it is, but what of yourself? If you settle here, do you renounce your crown?”

“I am still the leader of my people. In light of our plight, we are to be allowed a city-state, where we and our descendants shall live.”

“Descendants? Did not your families flee the invaders?”

“Yes. They have been waiting in this city for us to return. The Gairbairns shall not be vanquished so easily. Moreover, I swore an oath to my dying brother that I would reclaim his land for him. It will not be easy, but I will not rest until it is done.”

“I see that I need say no more, lord. Would you not consider joining me in my quest? I return now to my land. Through his agents, this emperor Kalveston slew your brother, displaced your people, burned your cities, slaughtered my family and burned my house, killed the lord Elmbran’s father, and threatened his life and that of my king, Valun, whose demise he may yet achieve if no one is there who knows of the danger. Is that not enough to convince you that all should join in the quest to visit justice upon him?”

“I can not yet leave my people.”

“Your knight Dunstan is leader of them by your word. Let him continue in that and come with me. Send word to the Prince John that we ask him to join us.”

“Your argument is clear. I will come, as, I expect, will the Prince John. He is eager to prove himself before you.”

“Very well. We should ride with all speed. Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow the three lands will ride together again.”

Chapter 43

Chapter XLV

Valun rose from his position leaning on the shoulder of his father, mopping his face with only his forearm. As he did so, the antique prisoner who was all that remained of Valun II, the architect of the most lasting peace the lands had yet seen, croaked out “Is not Valnor with you? They took him away from me. I know not what has come of him.”

In response to this, the erstwhile prisoner of war whom Valun had taken as his guide across the country stepped forth and cast off his hood. “I am here, father. I was conscripted into the black forces and made to fight our subjects, which I shall everlastingly regret. In the end, my brother had me captured and brought to his tent. After a time, he guessed who I was, and we returned.”

This revelation took Valun completely aback. “Valnor! I had not thought…Surely, I guessed it, but it was beyond reason to think the man might be you! I saw no more than a desperate man, who with his desperation, intrigued me.” Without further words, there was another joyful reunion, now that the two brothers could recognize each other fully once more.

The business of reuniting completed, the rulers of Corridane turned to the business of escaping. Valun, as the recognized king, and the strongest of them, immediately took charge. “Father, have you strength left in your legs to make the journey up the stairs? We can do no more until you reach the landing. Did the guards leave food, and did you eat of it?”

“What could I do? It was the only stuff I had to keep myself alive until you came.”

“Then we must hope, and pray to the One that it was not poisoned. Man, run back up and do your utmost to open the passage. We must return to true air as quickly as we may.”

Nodding acknowledgement, the guardsman turned and could be heard pounding up the stairs. As he did so, Valun and the prince turned to lifting the old king off of the slat he lay on. Each taking an arm, they heaved. In one swift jerk, they had brought the old man up, for they were still strong, and he was greatly weakened by his long imprisonment. Immediately, they started up the stairway, taking each step as if it might trigger some hidden response.

When they had at last reached the landing, they found the guardsman leaning against the far wall, breathing heavily. “I am sorry, my lords. I could not shift it.”

Gently breaking his father’s hold on his shoulders and lowering down to rest, Valun replied “Three men came out. Perhaps it would take all three of us to release ourselves. Have you still strength for the task?”

Mopping his brow, the man replied “Enough to push, with my lords’ aid.” So the three men arrayed themselves against the wall, Valun in the center. Then they leaned all their weight against the block of stone, and suddenly felt that it was moving. It slid only a foot farther before it stopped, and then suddenly jerked forward.

As soon as the platform had come to a stop for a second time, leaving it extended several feet out into the room, the guard who had been on it leapt down to aid his comrades, who had evidently been pulling the rope, but now were now sitting awkwardly on the floor. “All is well” he said “But you will want to rise sooner than that.”

Then Valun emerged from behind the wall. “Behold your king.” The king’s guardsmen understood his manner well enough to know that he was probably not referring to himself, but they nevertheless saluted him abruptly. However, when he had helped the frail old man whom he had referred to down to the floor, the men positively abased themselves before the recent prisoner, so grateful were they that he was alive yet.

After a moment, the men rose and one said “My lord, permit me to speak for your whole people in saying that we have never forgotten you and wished always for your return. If we may, my companions and I will arrange what we can for that return.”

“Go as swiftly as you are able.” replied the elder king. “We will follow as swiftly as we may.”

While walking down the corridor at their own sedate pace, Valun took the opportunity to inquire into the truth of the circumstances he had waited so long to understand. “Why were you imprisoned at all? Did they claim even a false charge?”

Their father was still weak, so Valnor answered his brother. “They, meaning those officers who could be bought by the chancellor, claimed they had heard that father was bargaining with king Meltran to get me named the successor to the Brandian throne, for their king is childless. Not two days after we arrived, we were locked into the prison and Meltran and all the true-hearted officers were thrust out. It was not until you demanded our release that they placed us in the secret row.”

Nothing more was said until they reached the doors of the prison. There they found the three guardsmen holding the horses the party had arrived on. Whipping the cape off his back, Valun gave it to the guards to suspend between the spearshafts they had contrived to attach to the saddles of two of the beasts. One of these was Valun’s own steed, Ironheel, while the other had belonged to the dead guardsman and would now be taken by Valnor.

The stretcher having been arranged, the brothers brought their father over to it and let him lay down. When he straightened up again, Valun reminded the men “You must bring your comrade. It would be a violation of our duty to leave him unburied.” Pulling some coins out of his purse, Valun added “Valnor, ask those two men over there to do this for us.” Valnor having stepped aside and the guardsmen having reentered the building to retrieve their comrade and his effects, Valun was left alone with his father. “Father, is there any more that may be done for you now?”

Still sprawled upon the cloak, and with his eyes firmly closed, the old statesman replied “You must bind my eyes. I dare not yet look at the light of the sun.”

Tearing one of his sleeves and tying it over the peacemaker’s eyes, Valun said “But surely they did not leave you in complete darkness? There were torches on the stairway?”

“True daylight, my son, is greater than any torchlight, and so should not be taken lightly.”

“Yes, father.”

“Why have we not started yet?”

“We are retrieving one of the men, who died in the attack.”

“How many came with you?”

“Only Valnor and the four of my sworn guard.”

“At least it was so few.”

“No, father, an army came with me.”

The answer made a child out of the tallest king the west had ever seen. “You should not have done so.” the father pronounced in his sternest tone.

“But father, I gave them leave to go back. They came for you!”

“I do not approve…but, I know, it has been done, and many men died. For me, you say. For them, I hope to see Corrandion again.”

By this time, Valnor had exhausted all words for the Brandians, and had returned to stand over the kings. “Father, I think Valun means to renounce the crown and return you to the throne, since you live.”

The three guardsmen returned from their quest in time to hear the peacemaker pronounce “I refuse. My time has passed, and I name Valun III, my son, true king of the Corridanes until he dies. Will you Valun, wear the Aquilla Rona in honor, justice, and humility, as I strived to do?”

Valun found himself struggling not to weep again as he answered “I accept, and I will strive to do as you have asked. Will you forgive the invasion, father?”

“I forgive it. Never has a son shown such devotion to his father, that I have heard tell of. I name you Valun, invito rex, mac dilis.” With that, Valun II, conditor diu pacem, passed into sleep.

The guardsmen balanced the body on the spare horse, along with his blade and shield, and started the horses down the streets as softly as they could go. The two Brandians Valnor had paid followed silently after the royal party. They had no interest in the proceedings which had passed, but they had been paid, and so they followed.

They buried the guardsman under a tree about one hundred yards beyond the walls of Bernola. When this duty had been done, the Corridanes mounted their horses and started off down the road which would lead back to the edge of the great canyon. The Brandian undertakers left without speaking. The royal brothers rode at a walk to avoid jostling their father, who still slept peacefully. The three guardsmen rode on their flanks to warn of surprise attacks by rouge bands of Damerson’s troops. Thus did a whole day pass until the sun set.

In the afternoon of the second day out, they encountered a band of outlaws in the middle of the road, who had Meltran at their head. Halting his own party with a gesture, Meltran greeted the Corridanes. “Hail, Valun, king of the Corridanes.” In this manner he at once acknowledged both the old and the young man. Continuing, he said “Who is this you have got with you? I know you had a prisoner. I did not know prisoners were held in such high regard by their captors. Why, to see this, I might have myself captured!” At this statement the king and his whole band laughed heartily.

“Honorable king of the Brandians” Valun answered “My prisoner proved to be my own brother, and my father is alive, so our house is happily reunited. I am now the true king of the Corridanes in fact as well as name, and because of my hesitation, my father has named me invito rex, the reluctant king. If you make haste, you can replace yourself on your throne before the forces of your enemy return.”

“I thank you for your help, but I know that. I have been keeping close watch on him since he fled. Your own men turned back toward your home the moment you rode off.”

“That, too, is good news. I will not hold you any longer, as I wish to bring my father back to his own people as quickly as I may.”

“Then go, but for one thing. This road leads to the edge of the great canyon, but the path across it is hard to find. Eldarn! See the kings across the canyon, and then hasten back to me at Bernola! I will wish for your presence there when I am crowned again.”

Saluting, Eldarn detached himself from Meltran’s band and took his place at the head of the Corridanes.

At the parting, Meltran informed the Corridanes “The great canyon is at least three days in front of you. Perhaps more if you continue at no more than a walk. In any case, you can not hope to reach your capital in less than two weeks.”

Finally taking their leave of the Brandian, the Corridanes continued on their path, led by Eldarn, for several days, until they reached the edge of the great canyon, where the decisive and only battle had been fought. Here they paused for a time, for the Peacemaker wished to commemorate the deaths of so many fine men who had come for his sake. At each mound, of which there were hundreds, he stopped and said quietly “May the One accept your sacrifice.” as steadily as if he had said it only once. When he had finished visiting every mound, he turned to his sons, who stood beside him on either side, and said “This meeting has replenished my strength, but I still fear that I have lost too much. Let us hasten back so that I may greet my people that still live.”

Accepting the weight his father laid upon him, Valun asked “You do not think the faster speed will tire you overmuch?”

“No, my son. As I am now, I believe I will be allowed to see Corrandion again, at least. Beyond that, however, my time runs short. I am an old man, made older by the Brandian’s barbarous cruelty. May he live to repent, though he will not if Meltran has any say in the matter.” Allowing himself a dry laugh, the old man continued in silence.

They then turned back, and returned to the horses, which Eldarn had been watching for them. As soon as they regained their seats, they started off again, still following Eldarn, who had consented to guide them through the forest before at last taking his leave of the Corridanes. As there were only five horses this time, rather than thousands of men on foot, the journey passed much faster than it had the previous time. At the far edge of the forest, Eldarn parted from them, and before long had disappeared into the trees.

Now the Corridanes set their horses into a trot, determined to reach the foothills of the mountains before night fell. As they rode, the stretcher carrying the old king began to creak under the strain of the swifter motion. A whole hour passed before anything came of it, at the end of which both the staffs broke with loud snaps, leaving its passenger clinging tightly to Valun’s saddle. Checking his speed for one brief moment, Valun pulled his father up behind him. “Hold tightly” he whispered “Now we shall ride.”

Valun then gave his horse its head, and in response it sped off toward the open road ahead of the leading guardsman. The thrill of the speed came as a surprise to both riders, even though they had both been expecting it. Their reaction to the stimulation was to laugh. Long, loud laughter such as had not been heard anywhere since the menace of Kalveston’s hordes had descended upon the land.

It began as a response to the stimulation of the horse’s speed, but it soon changed course, to become a replacement for all the words both men had previously wished to say to each other, in a feeble attempt to reclaim the lost years. All the apprehension, all the questions, all was washed away in this one wave of the uncontrolled mirth of the father and son. They were together, they were both alive, and they were speeding home as fast as the horse could bear them. Crowned heads or no, they would have been perfectly happy as they were.

And so we shall once again leave the Corridanes, three hours ride from the foothills of the mountains, three days ride from home, and yet perfectly satisfied.

Chapter 42

Chapter XLIV

Two days later, Richard reached the main gates of the capital city of Ronaiera, Varaskel. On the far side of the drawbridge, he dismounted and led his steed forward. When the gatekeepers blocked his path, he said “I come with tidings from Valun of Corridane, and with words for Railon of Gairbairia, who is said to be residing here. My message is urgent. I must pass. I am an emissary.”

“The lord of Gairbairia resides in the castle as a guest of king Elmbran. It is hoped that your tidings are good.” So saying, the guards let Richard pass without further incident.

Word spread swiftly that a tall rider in red from across the great river had come to speak to the king. Many rumors reached the gates of the palace, but none were correct. No one seemed willing to accept that the rider was simply a man who wanted answers to certain questions from the men who could best answer them.

At the guard’s order, Richard dismounted before the gate of the castle, yielding up his steed to a boy who came forward to take it away. As Richard approached them, the guards questioned him in the same manner as those who watched the city wall.

“Who do you say you are, and from whence do you come?”

“I am Richard mac Roland, lord of Longfurrow in the land of Corridane. I come seeking answers to questions that my lord wishes to hear.”

“Were you sent by your king?”

“No. I was sent by myself.”

“Then how do you know what are you required to discover?”

“That is a matter best left within the confidence my king places in me. The questions and the answers concern the seats of the kings, not the misplaced concern of the men who stand outside the walls.”

“You dare to speak so? Those placed before the gates are trusted to know what passes between them, else there is no passage!” Rising from their seats, the watchmen stood before the closed gate. By this time a curious crowd had begun to build up behind Richard, eager to know what the haughty stranger might want from the king himself.

Richard was unmoved. “Know you of the man called Railon the traveler, king of Gairbairia? I also bring word from his servant, the knight Dunstan, who, though he can not come himself, is desirous to know his lord’s mind concerning certain cumbersome decisions. If I may not pass, send a herald to inquire for me whether the kings will receive Richard mac Roland, knight of Corridane and herald of king Valun III of Corridane and the knight Dunstan of Gairbairia!”

“The lord Railon is known to be here. We will request your audience.” replied the humbled and seemingly contrite guards. Straightaway, they sent a page to the throne to deliver Richard’s message.

While standing by the gate, impatiently awaiting the return of the messenger, Richard became aware of the murmuring of the crowd. They seemed convinced that Valun had returned, had sent his champion to accept the redress of some grievance. Richard, knowing that the populace was striking close to the mark, refused to reply to the rumors, though he could not comprehend how people could be so quick to decide there was strife between the thrones. After a space of mere minutes which felt an hour, the boy returned, with the message that his majesty recalled the name of the messenger, and that both the kings now waited to receive him.

Following obediently after the messenger, Richard was soon shown into a long hall which had been cleared of the long tables which usually filled it. Lighted torches illuminated the whole room, for what windows there were were narrow, and most were colored. There was a fireplace set in the center of each wall not containing the door. Directly opposite the doors, over the great fireplace behind the dais, hung the banner of the kingdom, a coasting eagle on a sky-blue field. To the left of this banner, which had been the emblem of the king Ronairera, and so was never removed, hung the banner of the house of the current king, Elmbran. He displayed a dove on a red field, above a wide golden stripe, which was above an armored hand grasping an upright sword on a blue field.

Having taken all these details in, Richard turned his gaze upon the people waiting to speak to him, who were in their turn studying the formidable warrior, who with his long, fiery, hair, imposing stature, and evident air of command, had just come in. Of the parties studying the Corridane general, the kings decided that they had hard questions ahead, the prince became apprehensive, but remained hopeful. And the Princess tried to avoid showing any reaction at all.

One look at the dais told Richard exactly who was who. The two kings sat in solid oak chairs in the center of the space. Railon was on Elmbran’s left, and on the Ronaieran’s right sat prince John, arrayed in royal finery. On Railon’s left sat his brother-daughter, the mysterious princess who had, willingly or not, a hand in the trouble which had brought the Corridane noble to the hall of the Ronaierian monarch. Such a confluence of the nations had not occurred in many a year, perhaps not since the three nephews of the king Indrik had divided the known world between themselves to preclude family quarrels.

Sensing no need to show deference to anyone, Richard simply stopped at the foot of the steps and said “To the present majesties, I would like to say that I rather believed this meeting would be held on level ground, as I come a messenger of a king myself.”

Elmbran replied “It is the duty of a guest, emissary or no, to accept that which his host gives, without complaint.” A snap of the king’s fingers brought a chair for the guest, and he continued “To what must we ascribe your presence in my hall?”

Gesturing at John and the Princess, Richard answered sharply “I am afraid, your lordship, that the matter concerns…them.”

“They are here because they are aware that the matter concerns them. They are perfectly capable of hearing the…complaints which you, or as you say, your king, insists on bringing before me. Where is your king that he is unable to bring the matter himself?”

“In Brandia, retrieving his old father.”

“Perhaps you should tell us why there is any strife at all between the crowns of Ronaiera and Corridane.” Elmbran’s stern expression did not lighten. In fact, it darkened again, while John began to let his apprehension show. The Gairbairians, not being party to the question, were unmoved.

Richard had by this time seated himself in the tall chair brought to him. “The tale is long, and your guest is hungry. May he not eat and drink?”

Elmbran appeared mortified that anyone would enter his court hungry. “Bring food for all.” he snapped at the guards. “And now, sir knight, say your piece quickly or be thrust from the hall. I will stand no more insolence.”

Rising again, Richard cried “John, do you deny that you kept this from us the whole time! Arrayed in finery like you are, and to see you beside the lord Elmbran as you are, one sees that you are no more a Corridane than you are a peasent! My eyes see before them a base deceiver and a traitor!”

Railon leapt up. “Sir knight, calm yourself and say what you have come to say. As yet you have said nothing but that the prince John is a liar, a claim for which has right to draw his blade against you. Speak your piece.” Having said his own piece, Railon resumed his seat.

Overcome with the tension, John stammered out “Richard, I did not remain there of my own will. If your life, or your family’s was at stake over the matter, would you not find a way into my brother’s court, or the lord Railon’s, or anyone else’s? I was threatened. I wished to remain alive.”

“To do what? What were you ordered to do? Will you condescend to answer that?”

“At kinifepoint, they made me swear to do what I could to subvert your king and cast him down, perhaps even to kill him! And I hate it! Even if you refuse to believe me, I will say that regret that oath from the depths of my heart, that if I could find the perpetrators, I would execute them myself! I hate it! For I had become friends with you and the lord Valun. At that age, all those miles away from my oppressors, I hoped I would have peace. But when I came of age, I remembered.”

Surprised by this confession, Richard asked, civilly “Why did they make you say this? Who were these men? You tell me, and so help me we will hunt them together.”

“They were men of Naibern. They wanted your king gone because it was there that the sword of Kalveston would strike hardest.”

“Who is this Kalveston?”

“Evidently the ruler of the hordes which have ravaged both our lands.” interjected Railon.

Richard indicated that he desired to leave, but Elmbran stopped him. “I know you would say that you should rather be back where you came from. But what use is it? By your presence here, you show that either you have beaten off the attack, or else it has yet to come. Whichever is true, it remains that you are too far away to do anything about a second attack, if it is in the air at all.”

“But I have no further purpose here. It is no longer a question of whether your brother stole my lord’s promised queen, a circumstance I still do not understand myself, but a question of how long my lord will live before some fanatic fulfills his oath. For surely they were prepared lest your brother failed?”

“Ask him.”

“I do not remember.” John replied. “I would like to return to my chambers.”

“And what will you do there, stab yourself? And leave us to find you later and wail over the end of our line? You must stay.”

“Ye lords” Richard cut in “Our path is clear. All of us here assembled have dire grievances against the crown to the South. We must, with all speed, march on Naibern.”