Ascendant (46 page)

Koren
’
s shoulders slumped.
“
Leaving again, sir? So
soon?
”

Paedris paused
to stare at his servant.
“
Oh,
I forgot to tell you. Yes, the Regent has refused to send the army out this
summer, despite my advice, and the advice of, well, we can discuss that later.
”
The wizard moved his lips
like he had something sour in his mouth.
“
The
point is, she has agreed I should visit one of our allies, to strengthen our
alliance in advance of the summer. We are bringing an army troop with us, a
full century of soldiers. Captain Raddick and I decided we would leave as soon
as possible, before the Regent changes her mind. It is unfortunate that we'll
miss the festival, but it cannot be helped. How soon can you be packed?
”

Now Koren
regretted not getting dinner for himself.
“
Uh,
how long will we be gone, sir?
”

“
The journey to Hoffsta
will be three weeks, better plan on four if we run into bad weather. Don
’
t worry about food, the
army quartermaster will take care of that. I
’
ll need my best robes for when we are in
Hoffsta, let
’
s
see, um-
“

Koren bowed
and started to back out of the room, before the wizard decided to pack the
entire contents of the tower.
“
I
will take care of it, sir. We should be ready in a turn of the glass?
”

“
Very well, good, good.
Send word to Captain Raddick to expect us then.
”

It was two
turns of the glass before the army troop rode out the gates of the castle,
amidst much cursing, shouting, and general complaining about the lateness of
the hour. And at the prospect of missing the festival, where there was sure to
be food and drink and much merriment. As they wound their way down through the
streets of the city, Koren took a look back at the gray stone walls of the
castle, and the white palace lit by torches. Despite being tired and hungry,
Koren was glad to be getting away from the castle, away from the maids who
barely knew his name, away from the royals and their stupid rules, away from
being embarrassed in front of a hall full of people, away from fickle
princesses who liked him one day and ignored him the next. As far as Koren was
concerned that night, he didn
’
t
care if he ever came back.

Ariana woke
late, hiding her eyes from the bright sunshine as her maid pulled the curtains
from her window. She had stayed up very late, with her mother and the Dukes,
discussing boring affairs of state until she was barely able to keep her eyes
open. What she had wanted to do last night, instead of listening to Dukes give
speeches, was to find Koren and tell him how sorry she was that he had been
cast out of the Regency Council meeting. Any rule that said a true hero like
Koren could not attend such a meeting was a stupid rule, and she intended to
change those rules when she wore the queen
’
s
crown on her heard. And make Koren royalty anyway, by granting him the
knighthood he should have already! This morning, she would start by inviting
her hero to lunch, to apologize in person. And maybe tell him about his future
knighthood that very day, if the moment seemed to be right. After all, there
was no reason she had to wait for his birthday to give him a present.
“
Good morning, Suzanna, it
looks like a fine day.
”
Ariana said as she sat up, stretched her arms and yawned.

The maid
curtsied.
“
Good
morning, your Highness. It is indeed a fine day, will you be taking a ride
before your lessons?
”

“
I will have breakfast
first. Bring me a pen and paper, I wish to send a note to invite Koren Bladewell
to lunch with me today.
”

“
But, my lady-
“

Ariana waved
away her maid
’
s
protest.
“
I
know what my mother says about me having boys here in my chambers, so we will
dine in the royal hall. And I don
’
t
care what my mother thinks.
”
She added almost under her breath. Her mother should be the one to apologize to
Koren, but since that would never happen, Ariana would do it herself.

“
But, my lady, the wizard
and his servant rode out with Captain Raddick last night  Going to
Hoffsta, they are.
”

“
Hoffsta?
”
Ariana exclaimed. She
remembered her mother discussing Hoffsta with some of the dukes, she couldn
’
t remember what was said.
“
But that is so far away!
Koren won
’
t be
back for months?
”

“
Yes, my lady. You won
’
t be needing the pen and
paper, then?
”

“
No!
”
Ariana shouted, and
pulled the covers over her head, to hide her tears. Koren had left the castle
before she could tell him she was sorry.
“
He
must think I
’
m
a horrible," she sobbed to herself. Sending Koren away again must have
been her mother
’
s
idea! She threw the covers off, and slid her feet onto the floor.
“
Get my dress, I will speak
with my mother right away.
”

“
No, I didn
’
t send Lord Salva away to
get Koren out of the castle, whatever gave you that silly idea?
”
Carlana asked as she bit
into a piece of buttered toast.
“
If
you had been paying attention the past week, Paedris wants me to send the army
out again this summer, and he persuaded more than half the Dukes to agree with
him. I told them that I am not risking the army on another adventure, but what
I did agree to was sending a troop of soldiers, and Lord Salva, to Hoffsta.
King Perranin of Hoffsta is nervous about Acedor raiding his coast, and he was
been wavering in his alliance with Tarador. Paedris and Captain Raddick are
going there, to show our support for Hoffsta.
”

“
But they left in the
middle of the night! I didn
’
t
get a chance to tell Koren I was sorry for throwing him out of the council
meeting!
”

Carlana
shrugged.
“
Departing
in the night was Captain Raddick
’
s
decision. And crown princesses do not apologize to servant boys. You did
nothing wrong, Ariana, Koren should not have been there. If anyone is to blame,
it is the Falco
’
s.
”

Ariana still
had her arms across her chest, defiant.
“
You
can
’
t blame-
“

“
Why
was
Koren with
the Falco
’
s?
”
Carlana interrupted.
“
He had no business being
there. The wizard
’
s
boy sitting with our political rivals?
”

“
Kyre is Koren
’
s friend.
”
Ariana said with a frown.

Carlana
’
s laugh was bitter.
“
Falco
’
s do not make friends with
servant boys. What game is Regin playing? It disturbs me that a boy my daughter
is so infatuated with is -
“

“
I don
’
t have a crush on Koren.
”
Ariana protested weakly.

Carlana
appraised her daughter with a cool eye, then held out her hand.
“
Ariana, dear, sit down,
please. You forget, I was your age one time, and I know what it is like to have
a crush on a boy.
”
The Regent sighed.
“
Koren
saved your life, and he discovered the Cornerstone, of course he
’
s a hero to you-
“

“
He
’
s a hero to everyone! If
everyone knew.
”

“
If everyone knew, the
enemy would know, and it would not be healthy for Koren to have the enemy
’
s eye fixed upon him.
”

“
The enemy
’
s eye is fixed on us.
”

“
Yes, and that is why we
live in a castle, surrounded by soldiers, and you take a dozen guards with you
whenever you ride outside these walls. Koren is under Lord Salva
’
s protection, that is why
he was brought to live with Paedris. Ariana,
”
Carlana took her daughter
’
s hands in her own,
“
I also think Koren is an
extraordinary boy, and I see why you admire him. But you do understand that you
are a princess, and he is a commoner, and there can never be anything between
you?
”

Ariana nodded
reluctantly, defiant.
“
Yes,
mother.
”

“
Good. Someday, there will
be the proper time to recognize Koren for his achievements, I promise you that.
Until then, would you like to do something that might help Koren?
”

“
Yes?
”
Ariana
’
s mood brightened.

“
Find out why Kyre brought
Koren to sit with the Falco
’
s.
Kyre must have known Koren would be humiliated, what we need to know is why.
Why are the Falco
’
s
interested in the wizard
’
s
servant?
”

Koren found he
greatly enjoyed riding with the army. The soldiers, except for those few who
resented his wizard-spelled skill with the sword, liked him and treated him as
one of their own. Koren ate his meals while sitting around a campfire with the
soldiers. The soldiers were happy to have someone who had not already heard all
their stories, lies and jokes; and Koren was happy to hear the stories, lies
and jokes, even when he couldn
’
t
tell the difference between them. When Captain Raddick decided it was time, at
the end of a long day of riding, for drill with weapons, formations both on
foot and horseback, and other training, Koren took his place with the soldiers,
griping and complaining just as they did. Although he did not take a turn
standing guard at night, he rose early to bring coffee and hot food to the
soldiers who were up guarding the camp, in the wee hours of the morning.

Carrying the
pail of hot coffee, Koren carefully stepped around the sleeping forms of
soldiers until he came to the edge of the campsite. Koren knew his vision at
night was far better than most people, it had been that way ever since he could
remember, so he didn't think it was the result of another spell Paedris had
cast on him. He had no trouble following the faint trail of flattened grass up
to where the sentries were posted. He also could move very quietly, so he took
care to make noise as he approached the guards, lest he startle a guard, and be
the target of an arrow in the darkness.

“
Halt! Who goes there?
”
A woman
’
s voice called out.

“
Koren Bladewell. The
password is 'cornstalk'.
”

“
Yes it is.
”
The woman chuckled.
“
Advance and be recognized.
Did you bring something to eat?

“
Just coffee, the cooks don
’
t have breakfast ready
yet.
”
Seeing
the disappointment on the soldiers' faces, Koren reached into his pocket with a
smile.
“
But I
do have this sweetcake that Paedris didn
’
t
eat last night.
”

“
Ah, give it here, my good
man.
”

Koren split
the sweetcake into three pieces, and sat eating quietly with the two soldiers,
looking off into the darkness. As they were still inside Tarador, no one
expected an enemy attack, and the sentries were bored.

“
Let me see your face.
”
The woman named Blogel
said, and studied Koren
’
s
cheek in the dim moonlight.
“
Huh.
You
’
ll have a
bruise, nothing more. If they do that again, you call for me, we
’
ll teach them a lesson.
They hit you hard.
”
Yesterday, Koren had been sparring with two soldiers who resented his
wizard-spelled combat skills; Koren found he could usually hold off three
soldiers, if they were only using practice swords. After getting whacked with
Koren
’
s sword
too many times, the men called three of their friends, and in the melee, Koren
had taken a hard blow to the face, before an officer stepped in and broke up
the fight. The five men were now on punishment duty, and Koren would try to
avoid them when he could.

“
I hit them harder.
”
Koren said with a grin.
And that was the truth, he had hit them hard, even with the padding wrapped
around Koren's dwarf-made short sword, it still hurt to get whacked on the arm
or in the belly.

“
And you did, you did!
”
Blogel agreed, patting
Koren on the back. She liked the young servant boy, he reminded her of her
brother, back on the family farm. With women making up only fourteen of the
hundred soldiers in Raddick
’
s
century, the women tended to stick together, and they had sort of adopted
Koren, looking after the boy.
“
Tell
me, that story I heard, about you rescuing the princess from a bear, or
bandits, or something, was that true?
”

“
Bah!
”
The other soldier, a man
named Kreger, snorted.
“
Next
you
’
ll be
believing the boy pulled the Cornerstone out of his pocket, and gave it to the
princess.
”

“
Let the boy speak, Kreger.
True or not, it
’
s
a good story.
”

Koren took a
deep breath, and repeated the story Paedris told him to use, if the subject
ever came up.
“
There
was a bear, a really big one, and the guards say they found bandits in the
woods, later. The bear came out of the woods, it was being chased by a swarm of
bees, and it knocked over the boat. I pulled the princess out of the river.
”