To Be A Maestro (The Maestro Chronicles) (7 page)

Sir Carlo’s eyes began blinking rapidly and the others seemed just as surprised by the answer.

“But, you are the one who brought this upon us, why now do you refuse to meet with General Kall, especially if there are Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild with him?” Malcus demanded, along with Sir Tomas and Sir Laurence.

Instead of answering the question, Daniel turned to the Senior Soarer sitting at the table in the light blue silks Daniel made for him, like he had for Sherree. “Accomplished Lassiter, would you inform everyone what your mission was upon leaving Aakadon?”

Jeremiah had taken the time to shave and cut his hair, as did all the male Accomplisheds who had formerly been Condemneds. His skin was the color of ebony yet his facial features were more like those of a person born in Taracopa. “My mission was to track down and apprehend the fugitive Serin Gell. I succeeded in finding him and was overpowered and captured by the renegade. It seems my associate, Samuel Cresh, continued the mission with the help of several others including Accomplished Trenca of the Willow Guild.”

“Would you have us believe your raid into Pentrosa was sanctioned by Aakadon?” Tallen asked of Daniel.

“I would have General Kall believe it was a raid by Accomplisheds of Aakadon. It is my proposal, if the Accomplisheds present are willing, that they meet with Kall. You gentlemen are all welcome to stay with me here as my guests,” Daniel replied and leaned back in his chair.

The Generals and Knights began debating the merits and demerits of his proposal, yet it was the Accomplisheds whose willingness was crucial. “Normally we of Aakadon do not engage in border disputes. However, I, speaking for myself, am willing to attend such a meeting since the reason for the incursion ended in my well being,” Master Togan gave his response, interrupting the debate among the nobles and bringing them to silence.

“We confronted Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild while protecting the hill,” Simon spoke up in his unobtrusive way. “We will deal with these as well.”

The rest of the Accomplisheds agreed with Togan and Simon. “Do you want us to give Kall a detailed report?” Samuel asked.

Daniel leaned forward. “Heavens no, I don’t mean for you to lie, just leave out things he does not need to know.”

“You want a judicial trimming of the facts.” Samuel confirmed his understanding of what Daniel had in mind. “I know what to say and I need to borrow a horse. Bio belongs to Senior Soarer Lassiter.”

Daniel nodded his head. “A horse can be provided for you and those who need one.”

“Arriving on horseback will give a better impression,” Accomplished Daria Copa explained to him, as if he could not have figured that out for himself. He understood and knew she was only trying to be helpful, so was not insulted.

None of the nobles objected to the Aakacarns going to the meeting on their behalf, even if dubious over the possible outcome. “What if Kall decides to invade?” General Malcus asked a question that brought everyone to silence and had them staring at their host.

Daniel took a deep breath and spoke in his most solemn tone, “I am a fully functional seven-bolt Accomplished. If Kall invades, he will not like the outcome of any meeting with me.”

Accomplished Samuel Cresh had a lot on his mind and was in a hurry to reach the area where the meeting was to take place, but Jeremiah Lassiter, his mentor in the Eagle Guild, set a leisurely pace leading them with a burnished-gold ball of light floating above his head, making it possible for them to see their way through the forest. The respected Senior Soarer had even taken the time to change the color of his silks to scarlet on black before setting out to the border shared between Ducaun and Pentrosa. The man was in no hurry and neither seemed to be his fellow Aakacarns who were taking up the rear. Samuel was scarcely able to restrain Tremor, the horse he borrowed from Tim Dukane. Even the horse wanted to move faster, perhaps sensing his rider’s mood. Samuel managed well enough without his right hand, yet had to admit it was blasted inconvenient, especially while riding on an unfamiliar steed.

Frogs croaked, crickets chirped, and tiny eyes in the surrounding darkness reflected the light off Lassiter’s sphere. The night was chilly but not unbearably so, st
ill, Samuel felt uncomfortable.

“Fidgeting will not make a good impression on the Pentrosans,” Simon told him while riding close by on Spud, a black mare.

“I’m concerned about Daniel,” Samuel admitted, keeping his voice down so the other Accomplisheds could not hear.

“He handled the meeting well and I think made the right decision in letting us deal with the situation,” Simon replied just as softly. “Far better than last night when he tried to handle the Serin Gell
affair alone.”

“Probably,” Samuel agreed, and then decided to tell his friend what was troubling him. “I’m not comfortable with what he did to Serin Gell.”

“I heard he defeated him in a duel.” Simon gave the answer everyone who had been in the hill complex had been told by Accomplished Cresh, whose word they took as fact, making Sam feel a little guilty.

Samuel tried to clear the disturbing image from his mind, having been the only one to witness the duel. “No, Serin Gell surrendered and Daniel ignored it, killing him coldly and cruelly. Our friend was angry over the Condemnation of Sherree and did not trust the Eagle Guild to keep the renegade
a prisoner, not that I blame him after the nasty Aakacarn escaped our custody, it is just that our friend is changing and I don’t know if it is to the good or bad.”

“Daniel is the Chosen Vessel and yes, he is changing, but I don’t believe toward the bad,” Simon replied while patting his mare on the neck. “After killing Serin Gell, as you phrased it, Daniel let himself be vulnerable to attack while we defended the hill, even knowing Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild were trying to get in along with thousands of Pentrosans. Anyone who would make such an effort to restore commoners to good health at such risk to his own life has to be caring. Although, it would be prudent not to push him too far, a seven-bolt Accomplished i
s not one to be trifled with.”

Samuel nodded agreement and decided Simon had made a valid point. Perhaps the Chosen Vessel needs a bit of a cold streak in order to do what must be done. Samuel decided to try and keep an open mind and also make a strong effort to help his Ducauna
n friend stay on the good side.

Behind him rode the rest of the Accomplisheds, Franklin Togan, Jerremy DeSuan, Daria Copa, and Martin Varroon. Each person summoned potential for shields that would be invisible to the eyes of non-Aakacarns, partial domes extending down to about ten finger-widths, half a cubit, from the ground, and added the Da Capos, a degree of protection in the event Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild Daniel had told them about decided to attack. The shields would fail if hit by a greater potential so it truly was only a degree. Up ahead through the trees, Samuel could see torches lighting the Ducaunan cavalrymen. A few moments more, he and his party were passing the massive trunks and into a clearing where stood a thin-faced Pentrosan Lieutenant.

“Greetings Accomplisheds,” Captain Johannan called out to them, raising his hands, and peering at the approaching light source. The amount of potential in the sphere was clearly in the non-Aakacarn’s visual range. His eyes seemed to be scanning the distance, as if he expected to see General Tallen and the Royal Knights of the Realm riding up.

“General Kall did not call for these people. Where are General Tallen and Sir Laurence? What is the meaning of this?” the Pentrosan Lieutenant demanded, growing red in the face.

Jeremiah Lassiter rode right up to the Lieutenant and stared down at him without bothering to dismount. “A raid was conducted last night against a Serpent Nest, led on my behalf by Accomplished Cresh. I’m sure if you ask him in a respectful manner, he will provide you with the particulars.”

The Lieutenant opened and closed his mouth several times before words actually came out. “I, we, thought the Ducaunans crossed the border, taking advantage of Pentrosa while we are mourning the loss of King Jarred. A goodly number of our own Sutton Guard members were killed and a legion of cavalry is even now lying unconscious on the ground along with hundreds of their dead.”

Samuel took a moment to get over his own surprise, having not expected the Senior Soarer to pass the explanation onto him so quickly. “I and Accomplished Trenca of the Willow Guild,” he began and pointed vaguely in Simon’s direction, “Battled spell to spell against multiple members of the Serpent Guild, one of which was riding with what appeared to be a band of common raiders. Well, you know what happens when commoners involve themselves with Aakacarns, sort of like a single drop of rain trying to put out a forest fire, their lives were the ones extinguished, quickly and with about as much affect on the outcome. We battled the enemy spell casters all night and into the morning and were in the end victorious. Simon, do you have anything to add?”

The sandy-haired Accomplished of the Willow Guild rode forward, staring down at the
Lieutenant, who no longer showed any signs of arrogance. “If you survey the battle area, you will see horse nettles, honeylocust trees, and poppies. I grew them and used those along with other guild specific spells to confound our opponents, which by morning included the clearly misguided legion out of Los Collins.”

“I launched needle sharp shards of stone at the members of the Serpent Guild, killing at least one along with quite a few commoners who seemed to be fighting on their side.” Daria made her part known.

“I extinguished flaming balls of fire launched from enemy positions into our protective zone.” Oceanic Varroon offered his part.

“I made the protective wall from which we defended our position,” Jerremy announced proudly.

“And I made the stone fort within that perimeter,” Master Artisan Togan stated.

By this time the Lieutenant was surrounded by mounted Accomplisheds and was clearly intimidated. “But, but, you killed innocent Pentrosans,” he sputtered. “And some of the bodi
es were killed by pile arrows.”

“Innocent Pentrosans do not ally themselves and fight side by side with members of the Serpent Guild,” Lassiter stated as if he were pronouncing judgment.

“Simon and I elicited the aid of a few commoners who had some skill with the bow,” Samuel admitted. “Be careful Pentrosan, my network of Eagle Eyes sees far and wide, do not underestimate my resources,” he added, earning raised eyebrows from his mentor. “Be thankful we were merciful at the last and left the area with the vast majority of that legion unconscious. We believe they came to defend your soil and merely got caught up in a battle between the forces of Aakadon and that of Tarin Conn. We allowed them to live. Do not give us reason to lash out at the forces you have gathered here.”

“Go back and inform General Kall, who apparently chose not to show up, what we told you. I am sure he has the good sense to back his army away from the border, lest he provoke a war in which Pentrosa is seen as the aggressor. We of Aakadon rarely get involved with border disputes, but this situation is not one of those. It was an Aakacarn affair as Accomplished Cresh and my associates have openly declared, going so far as to share their individual contributions to the effort,” Lassiter’s spell-amplified voice boomed out to where every member of the Sutton Guard could not fail to hear, and then he moved his horse so the Lieutenant could exit the circle and go back to his people.

“It will be as you say,” the Pentrosan officer replied and then made his way swiftly, about as fast as a man can move short of running, across the border.

“Eagle Eyes?” the Senior Soarer questioned while focusing his hawk-like stare at his Fledgling of the Eagle Guild.

Samuel shrugged his shoulders. “My network has only a few Eyes in it, nothing as grand as yours, but they are in Ducaun,” he replied with a smile.

“In Ducaun, I am impressed,” Lassiter told him.

Samuel was pleased. It was not easy to impress Jeremiah Lassiter. “We will wait to see if what we did here worked,” his mentor announced.

“Absolutely, and we also need to see if the members of the Serpent Guild Accomplished Benhannon told us of decide to cause trouble,” Master Togan replied and the other Accomplisheds agreed with him.

The Pentrosan legions slowly began moving north bearing torches and were out of sight after about half a mark’s time. The enemy spell casters Daniel had warned of apparently chose not to get involved.  “I think we can go now,” Lassiter announced.

Captain Johannan thanked them for defusing the situation and sent a man back to
Fort Casum to relieve him, apparently deciding the border needed close watching for awhile longer, and to give a report of what happened. Samuel heard a noise up in the tree above him, summoned potential, and focused an orange beam of light up where the sound came from. A black panther lie on a branch and staring down at him, his or her eyes reflecting in the light. Samuel did not know if it was Dusk, Twi, or Wind, panthers he had met last night, or some other big cat from Daniel’s swirl, but he knew his friend would know every word spoken at the meeting and be aware the moment any force crossed that border. Samuel had witnessed the animals fighting on behalf of the mountain-born Accomplished, knew there was a connection of some sort, and strongly suspected they would just as readily act as scouts. “And Lassiter thought my network of Eagle Eyes was impressive,” Samuel mumbled, and thought inwardly, wait till the Senior Soarer finds out about Daniel’s.