The Exodus Sagas: Book IV - Of Moons and Myth (77 page)

“I must say, you are fantastic with the rapier, Balric.” Lord Rodreigo came up beside him with a slash of his shamshir, dispatching another agent of the White Spider with ease.

“Agreed. Richmond, you could not find a better master of the blade to teach you, I am envious.” Prince Willian
dell Barrato
of Caberra parried with his curved blade, then the dagger, and sliced down with both across the open chest of another black clad agent. He was pulling up the rear, keeping Richmond safe, while Balric and Rodreigo led them under L’Herrim Castle.

Richmond drew his rapier as five more agents came from the bend in the sewers. “He has taught me for three straight days, all day, all night. My arm is still twitching, but I can fight.”

“Good, but remember, those were beginner lessons, Richmond.” Balric feinted a lunge, as did Rodreigo and Richmond, and they saw the whites of the eyes behind the black masks.

Before the agents could take in the strange red garb and masks, they reacted to the short lunges of these men. As they parried blades that were not there, three steel tips redoubled foreward intot heir chests.

“
Who are you?”
One of the agents withdrew, leaving the blade of Balric to make quick work of his comrade, which he did with two simple strokes of his rapier.

“We are the Red Wolves of Agara,
and we hunt spiders.”
Rodreigo spun fast and disarmed the shorblade with two flicks of his edge. Before the man could run or ques
tion or beg for his life, Richmond
plunged his sword into his chest, cleanly.

“Kill quickly, men. Remember, these agents work for Johnas Valhera,
the brand is for life,
they will never betray. So you leave a sword in the night for someone
else
, if you let them live.”

No one spoke, no one disagreed, and behind these four men laid over twenty spies and agents
of the White Spider. They ran left, then right, then up stairs that were unlocked from above. The sewer smell faded, the stone turned marvelous gray, and they came upon rows of cells. Balric led with Richmond now at his side, running in the dark of the prison ward. More spiraling stairs, more open doors, just as planned.

Richmond gasped, three hands covered his mouth, as he realized where they were. His hand reached out, touching the crimson cloth behind the thrones. Balric turned his face toward him, lifted his mask, and shook his head to the no. He pointed to Richmond, then to the wall to their left, a secret passage that was also convieniently left partially open. Richmond nodded.

Up the stairs between walls they went, in total darkness, yet Richmond knew this passage well. They passed the floor with the royal suites, the floors with the barracks of the royal guard, the guest rooms, the noble prisons, and even the great dining halls of L’Herrim. He wanted to go in, he wanted to see his former castle and home, but up past they went, unseen and unheard.

The wall at the end of the stairs pushed in, opening to an attic at the top of the castle. They ran for the window, it was open, ropes and banners there as they should be. They pulled the banners of Harlaheim in, then fastened the old crimson ones in their place.

Balric peered out, seeing a flash of light from Cilano,
half a mile across the city,
he saw it glistening from his staff. They were ready.

“I have never done this before, never, oh this is madness.” Richmond was breathing heavy.

“What, you never broke into a castle and plotted revolution?” Rodreigo commented.

“Not that.” Richmond stated dryly.

“You never planned a symbolic assault on a kingdom during a ceremony, with but ropes down the side of a castle as your only chance of escape?” Prince Willain asked.

“No. Not that either, though this is insane. No, I have never spoken to..said that…well I…” Richmond stuttered, the words were stuck.

“You have spoken speeches that inspired your kingdom beyond most kings. Surely this is---“ Balric was cut off.

“Yes, but I never spoke, never spoke the truth. Not ever, it was all lies, fancy words to sway people from the truth, to overlook the things I was really doing. Now, I have to tell the truth.” Richmond sighed, grateful he had gotten it out.

“There is a first time for everything, Richmond. What you do now, will plant the seeds for the future. I am with you.” Balric grabbed his shoulder.

“And I.” Prince Willian nodded with his wolf mask.

“And I.” Lord Rodreigo bowed in grand fashion.

“You are not Ric
hmond the Second up there, the former king. Y
ou are
Richmond,
a Red Wolf of Agara, a hunter in the night, a wa
rrior unknown for the freedom from
tyranny that has overtaken your kingdom. Remember that.
Do not reveal it until the right moment.
” Balric pulled his mask down, drew his blade, and grabbed a rope.
“You now stand for hope, Richmond. And we stand with you.”

“Very well, let us go then.” Richmond breathed in deep, grabbed a rope, and stepped out the window at the top of his former castle. He pulled the mask down, and cleared his throat.

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“Today, as you all know, is our honorable welcome of a new Cardinal.” Phillip was sweating, never had he seen so many people gathered in one place. They all stared at him, applauded his words, yet his stomach was turning flips inside.

“It is also a day for our Agarian allies. We give honor to our friends to the south, to the newly seceded King Johnas Valhera of Chazzrynn, who was here through our most difficult times at Richmond’s murder. In years and kings past, Chazzrynn was our strongest ally, and so it is again.” It was applause he heard, scattered and solemn, but it helped him continue.

“This day also marks another alliance, our brothers to the west, from the kingdom of Willborne. I have heard this day, that their council has finally decided upon a king and queen. Long ago, our kingdoms were allied against Caberra, in terrible wars, and I have the honor of stating to you, my people, that King Valistor and Queen Katrina shall once again honor those old friendships.” Phillip raised his hands high, receiving a little more
bolstering cheers
than his last pause, yet his nerves were
still
on edge.

“The culprits responsible for the murder of our former king are still loose, yet one, Sir Sebastian Caunrenier, has been
killed after another vicious attack on our sanctity. Many men died in that fight, but make no mistake my people, I will see justice done. The Caberran Prince will be found, even if it means war with his kingdom.” The people were cheering now, hearing blood, wanting justice, and listening to finely polished promises. King Phillip smiled and held his hands up to continue.

“Long has Caberra held naval threat over our lands, and now their nobility has assaulted and insulted us on such a level, a low level of murder and conspiracy, one that I, as king, will tolerate no more!” He drew his blade, the people roared like thunder, and he felt like the king of his people at last. Phillip saluted with his sword to his chest, then the sky, and his men went into action. The flags on flagpoles were raised, his banners hoisted everywhere, and the massive ten story curtains with the crown and rose of Harlaheim began to unfold down either side of him on the castle walls.

“Now, may I introduce the---“ The sudden lapse of applause held his attention and his tongue. Th
e people were pointing, gasping
, confused. Phillip had expected thunderous shouts, and nothing less, for the spectacle of pride he had spent days planning in honor of the new Cardinal. Where feathered crosses should have risen, there were wolf head designs on crimson flags. Where his banners of Harlaheim should be flying in the Square, snarling wolf heads of black looked back on fluttering
cloth. And on either side of him, where the
picturesque hundred foot draperies of scripture and Phillips image should have fallen in his
Harlian
glory, wolf heads with long tears in the cloth to resemble claw marks fell instead. He was horrified, beyond words, Phillip was suddenly frozen with embarrassing terror and shock.

Kalzarius covered his mouth and stared with wide eyes. Cardinal Ganaire shook his head and walked onto the balcony, eyes unblinking. And then they saw it, from directly over their king, atop the roof of L’Herrim Castle. Everyone turned, every Harlian present, all eyes were on an armored man with crimson boots and bracers, a matching mask shaped like a wolf head, and his red fur cloa
k. He lifted his golden rapier
as he spoke,
t
hree identical forms stood behind him, all fou
r of them with their blades out
glistening in the sun.

“People of Harlaheim, you have been mislead by your rulers, your
soveriegns, and your own blood!
This man here, this king below me, is but a player on a stage, and
he
is responsible for the attempted murd
er of your former king Richmond!
He and Joh
nas Valhera, and so many others!
What does he sell you, what do you buy that he flaunts with his words?
!
Fine promises of justice, beautiful vows of war, another enemy country, or are you purchasing rubbish from another crown and another name?
!
” Richmond yelled it over the masses, they cheered as he paused, some yelled toward the balcony in vicious tones. He felt it, he felt the revolution in their blood, his blood, he knew his Harlian people well. He waited, he waited for the question from the crowd.

“
Get me archers, get me soldiers, and get me their blood, capitan.
Get those banners down, or your head will roll in the square tonight!
”
Phillip turned from the crowd for a moment, then turned back as he heard his soldiers begin their march through the castle.

“What do you offer that is any different?” Cilano yelled over the masses, there was no way anyone would find him there.

“I offer free
dom, a new start, and the truth!
Your queen Rosana lives, your knights were murdered, and the alliances Phill
ip speaks of are all the result!
Black masks upon branded white spiders m
ove through every city at night!
They placed Phillip on the throne, lo
ok in his eyes and see if I lie!
The war he wishes with Caberra is merely another takeover, another ploy to keep you blinded, and Johnas Valhera takes another country from below
with our lives
!
Your me
n will die, ladies of Harlaheim!
Your children will grow up thinking their fathers died for their kingdom, when in truth, they died for land
and power of a foreign warlord!
” Richmond stepped back, seeing many archers funnel and push through the masses. He waited, another question, one more, and they had to leave. Otherwise, they would be captured
or filled with flights
.

“Kalzarius, do something!”
Phillip was still in shock, unable to see the voice from above him, only hear the words.
They sounded familiar, the voice, he had heard this man before.

“Go Kalzarius, discredit him while the soldiers move to arrest.” The Cardinal stepped back to allow him through.

“Very well, very well. This is atrocious in the most dishonorable degree, where are your guards
,
king Phillip
?” Kalzarius shook his head as he neared the railing, and yelled up to the men on the roof.

“And you speak of
kings, knights, and noble blood so bra
vely behind your mask and paint!
You are likely just some f
oreign spy sent to cause unrest!
I say you are likely a gutter rat, so before this kingdom listens to you
r lies
further, show your true self!
” Kalzarius tapped his staff, hearing some applause, trying to keep his grin from showing.

Richmond felt the towel, still wet, as Balric handed it to him from behind. He wiped his face, removed the mask, and the simultaneous gasps of tens of thousands rippled the very air. The Cardinal looked to Kalzarius, Kalzarius shrugged to Phillip unable to see up there at the angle of the balcony, then someone said it from the crowd.

“Richmond the Second!”

“
Not possible
.” Kalzarius gasped
and looked to
king
Phillip
and the Cardinal
.
“Richmond is dead, must be an imposter, or someone of close resemblance, your majesty.”

“My name is of no importance, all you need know, my people of Harlaheim, is that the Red Wolves of Agara have risen once more! You will hear howls in the night, howls of freedom, and of revolution! Do not be bought, do not be sold, and do not believe one thing this imposter of a king preaches to you!” Richmond threw the red paint smeared towel, it fluttered in the air, and landed below on the balcony
, next to Phillip
. Arrows loosed, they came close
to the red Wolves
, but not yet in range.
The crowd was chanting his name, it was deafening, and the soldiers could not get through.