The Lords of Anavar (24 page)

"Why should we believe you?" asked Kisle Ber.

"My master wants her safe."

"Is Macelan your master?" asked Zae Pol.

The dragon eyed her curiously.

"Believe what you will. No harm shall come to the Princess."

Princess Alicae opened her eyes and tried to scream. The dragon held up one finger. Its claws were inches from the Princess pale skin and of a size with her head.

"Hush, sweet Princess. I am your protector." The air trembled. "Even your great power cannot harm me."

"What is your name?" asked the Princess. She looked at the others for help but found none.

"Tiante."

"I've not heard of such a name. Where does it come from?"

"From before the cracking of the world. The lands were different then. So were the people. Much stronger, braver and it was an honor to fight them and kill them. Now, things are different. And I have a master. But bargains are bargains and once fulfilled, no longer apply."

Tiante grinned. His foot long teeth overlapped his lips.

"Do you know Macelan or Gerrand?" asked Zae Pol.

"I know both of them. Now, your thinly disguised attempts to gain information do not fool me, Zae Pol."

"You know my name?"

"Why should you be surprised? I have lived longer than any other creature save one."

"What other creature?"

"I have seen more years than you have hair on your head, and the hard won knowledge I keep shall not be dispersed casually, not even to my new master."

"How new?"

"Zae Pol, I am beginning to get irritated."

"I want to know too," said Princess Alicae.

"I am not to answer to you, only protect you, Princess. Let me make that clear to all of you. I will protect the Princess, even from you. Not even meals of maidens shall deter my resolve in this for I see the need in my endeavor and agree with the commands from my master. I will kill you if I must. I will not grieve. I gave that up before the cracking of the world. There is no sentiment left in me."

"Are you lonely?" asked Princess.

The dragon stared at her; its tongue flickered in and out. Its wings flapped abruptly.

"What is 'lonely'?"

"Being by yourself. No one else likes you to talk to or be with. A companion."

"Ah, I see what you mean. I have had many companions through the years and no, I am not lonely."

The dragon moved under the trees and lay down. They watched him closely, but soon his snores were audible. Lars Vokas walked back the way the dragon had come to see if it had been followed or had left any sign of passage that would draw attention to them. Zae Pol spoke softly with the Princess who shook her head. She had not seen the dragon before.

"Tiante," said Zae Pol. "Are you asleep?"

There was a heavy sigh. "How should I answer that? If I say yes, you will think I am lying. If I say nothing, you will think I cannot hear what you say and that too, will be lying. I do not like to be deceitful when it is not necessary. To answer your question properly I should say yes, I am asleep, as far as dragons sleep, but I hear everything around and can rouse myself in an instant."

"How far off must we go to talk without you hearing?" asked Kisle Ber.

"Humph! Go to sleep warrior. I cannot sleep while I laugh at your words. If I can see you, I can hear you."

Zae Pol shook her head and sighed. She shrugged her shoulders and turned to her bedroll.

Kisle Ber sat in the shadows watching the stars flicker in the distance. The night sounds soothed him as he relaxed. He heard the hoot of an owl far down below in the forest. He thought his life strange before the dragon arrived, but now he shook his head. Who was he? He believed himself a simple fighting man, a warrior. Now, it became muddled. Bonded to a princess by magic and swept away on a quest to fight a dead sorcerer; nothing made sense anymore.

He heard a slight noise behind and felt a soft touch on his shoulder.

"Mind if I sit with you?" asked Princess Alicae.

"No. I was just thinking."

"I believe it. You must think your life is turned upside down."

"I'm not sure it is my life anymore."

"Are you angry with me?"

Kisle Ber looked into the eyes of the Princess. He sighed and shook his head.

"I am not angry with you. I only want to know why me? Why did you choose me?"

"Did you ever think that perhaps I had no choice? This spell that drives me chose you. Not that I wouldn't have chosen you myself." She grinned and she appeared a young girl again. Kisle Ber realized magic was not the only spell tightening around him.

A cool breeze rose up and he felt her move closer to him. He could not say exactly when her head came to rest on his shoulder. His skin tingled for a moment then grew accomplished to the softness so close. He had run and fought for so long he could not recall the last time he enjoyed a quiet interlude. He did not dare move and break the mood. He did not know why and such questions were often useless. She sighed and held his hand. He sensed stillness inside himself and he was happy.

"I do not know what the coming days will bring," said Princess Alicae. "But I want you to know that I did not mean to wrong you."

"Speak no more of it. I am content sitting here. This would not have happened otherwise."

"Sitting in the forest at night with a warrior unchaparoned? Mother would have locked me up first." They both laughed.

She began to speak softly of her life in Finald. Her voice caressed his ears and he listened to her life story and told her his own story. Always close mouthed, Kisle Ber found sweet freedom in the opening of his self and his heart. She hugged him and kissed him and he felt himself falling to some wonderful place he had never seen but always knew waited for him.

"Beware!" hissed Tiante. They had forgotten the dragon could hear them.

"What is it?" asked Kisle Ber.

"Trouble approaches. I am not certain of the smell. I fear creatures of sorcery are sent against us. Warrior, if you know how to use that sword, keep the Princess safe. Wake the Mages, time is short."

Kisle Ber nudged Zae Pol and Lars Vokas awake with his sword and as they found their feet, a piercing cry froze them.

Suddenly, dozens of tiny red figures swarmed toward them. Faceless humanoids with pinchers for hands and large mouths ringed with sharp teeth. Kisle Ber sliced through dozens of them with his broadsword, but their numbers seemed endless. Zae Pol blasted a whole section of the forest but did not deter the flow. Tiante roared and let loose a blast of fire that seemed to last for minutes and when the dragon stopped, exhausted, the tiny red figures kept coming.

Kisle Ber danced aside and sliced through the attackers. Again and again he brought his weapon down. They were silent in death, as silent as their attack. The hair on his head tingled. He felt their little hands on his legs and then the sharp teeth tearing through his trousers. He jumped back and Princess Alicae flooded the area with her eerie power. The tiny creatures began to pop like bubbles and she increased the energy flow but the creatures still swarmed over her knocking her down. Kisle Ber shouted and tried to fight his way over to her but could not fight free. The creatures increased their frenzy when the Princess fell. Kisle Ber heard the fighting of the Mages but they could not help him.

Suddenly, he felt the connection to the Princess vanish. The bond was gone! He staggered and fell. His gut ached with a hollow pain no unlike hunger.

The sea of creatures faded into the shadows. Princess Alicae vanished with them! She left no trace, no mark that she was even there. They did not find any blood, footprint or other evidence of the red creature's existence. Not one dead body remained.

"Princess!" Kisle Ber screamed at the top of his lungs. "Alicae! Alicae!!"

"Easy, warrior. She is gone," said Tiante.

Zae Pol put her hand on Kisle Ber's shoulder. "I am sorry."

"It is going as planned," said Tiante.

"What do you mean?" whispered Kisle Ber.

"You played your part perfectly. Go back to your home. She does not need you anymore." Tiante flapped his wings and rose into the air. "We shall be enemies the next we meet. Beware!"

The dragon headed west, disappearing beyond the ridge.

"He said she doesn't need me anymore," said Kisle Ber. "But what about me?"

"The bond's broken," said Zae Pol. "You are free."

"No, you don't understand. I am not free. I can never be free." He walked some distance from them to the spot he had sat through the night with the Princess.

"Alicae," he whispered and then he wept.

Artus Endria felt the weight of the world snapping the bones in his back. His movements were sluggish and it proved difficult to recall his name without effort. Petyr Wolk kept spells surrounding him, influencing him, and testing the limits of his mind. He knew he must resist but he could not recall why. Wolk called to him several times before his words soaked into the mist surrounding Artus' mind. He heard Wolk's laughter and it angered him, but the anger did not last.

He saw shadows of people he did not recognize although some images brought stronger reactions than others. He fought to find the memories and his mind ached. Sweat dripped off his chin; he felt feverish. An image of an old, old man, smiling, extending a hand came to him. Part of him yearned to reach out and grasp the hand yet another side of him, the side that Petyr Wolk's words could reach; that side repulsed the image of the man. Artus shook with frustration. Why did he not know these people? Why does Wolk hate him so much? He cried himself to sleep.

Artus awoke to a cool breeze, stretching his arms high overhead. He felt much better than he had in days. He thought he remembered the voice of the old man from his dreams, speaking with him, counseling him on his future. However, he lost focus when he tried to recall the words spoken. No matter, the memory although indistinct, was warm and comforting. He moved about his room regaining control of his body, shaking out the stiffness, flexing and stretching his muscles until he felt agile enough to venture out into the castle.

The room was small and cold with a narrow window high above his head. He tried the door and it opened easily. The corridors lit by smoky torches, were full of shadows and deep pockets of blackness trying to swallow all the torchlight. He did not see anyone, no guards, no servants and he ventured out of the room. His balance had returned and he no longer staggered against the cold stone wall. His footfalls firm and steady as he followed the twists and turns to the main hall. Voices rose from the lower levels and he recognized Petyr Wolk's voice speaking to his soldiers. There were also the hissing voices of the demons called to Wolk's bidding.

After a time he realized he saw more than just the shadows of Wolk's mind creeping through the corridors, he recognized the strands of sorcery woven into the fabric of the castle. He did not know where he was, other than in Curesia, but he knew the castle belonged to Petyr Wolk. The taint of the sorcerer was unmistakable.

With his newfound sight, Artus made his way through the traps of Wolk and down to the lower levels where the great hall welcomed Wolk's allies. There Artus thought he might be able to hear something to make some sense of his situation.

Several shadowy figures moved along the edges of the great room, their cloaks billowing around them. Artus could not see them clearly, but several men cowered in the center of the room. Wolk stood before them.

"Fools! I am your master. Know this! Curesia shall bow to me and that is just the beginning. I shall bring the world to my knees. Do not think I shall fail. However, I have doubts about some of you. I do not recognize the obedience promised me. Why is this? I need a show of faith from you and your men, Geral Hamem. Kill Gharom and bring his head to me."

"Kill him, why?"

"Because I command it. I am not a leader to be questioned. Do you need to learn the same lesson the late Rechle Deama learned?"

"No, I do not."

"Then follow my instructions. It is a simple thing."

"If it is so simple, why don't you do it?" Hamem felt strength from somewhere although he regretted his words ere they were spoken.

"Because I do not need to prove my loyalty." Wolk motioned and the cloaked figures moved forward. Geral Hamem threw his face to the floor.

"No! I will obey!!"

"Do not be foolish, my dear Geral. There shall be a place for you with me. I shall need dependable men to govern my cities. Do you believe yourself to be such a man?"

"Yes, Petyr Wolk, I do."

"Very well. I shall think better of you once Gharom's head in delivered in person by yourself. I want to hear how you personally killed him and how with your own hand you severed his head. Be a dear and do that for me."

"Yes, Petyr Wolk."

"You are dismissed."

The men quickly regained their feet and fled behind Geral Hamem. Wolk laughed at them and when the echo from the slammed door faded, Wolk turned to the stairs.

"Artus, my boy. Do join me. We have so much to talk about." There was no response. "Artus. I know you are there, I sensed your arrival. Please don't force me to send my friends to fetch you."

Artus knew he was beaten and stood. The cloaked friends of Wolk did not move and Artus slowly descended the stone steps.

"Come, come, Artus. Sit here. Allow me to pour some wine for you. Do you know that each and every day you amaze me. You show me depths to your strength that I had not realized. No wonder Gerrand was so interested in you."

"At least he has a healthy interest."

"Does he? Are you sure?"

"More sure than I am about you."

"Oh, I see. You are regaining your teeth. Well, I shall have to address that. For now you may have the run of the castle and the grounds. Do not attempt to leave the grounds for it is well guarded." Wolk gestured towards the cloaks, which Artus could see, hung in the air without anything inside them save a pair of red eyes glowing with hatred.

"What are they?"

"You really don't want to know. Not in detail anyway. They are spirits of a sort and powerful. The lesser Mages would not want to deal with more than one at a time. Run along now. I've much to think about."