Search for Audric (19 page)

"I will attempt to find him," nodded the general, "but you must know that I hold out little hope of succeeding. I could start in Capri, but he has not been seen there in many weeks. I doubt that he is still there. Without any other clues, he could be anywhere in the world."

"I understand," the king replied with acceptance. "There is another matter that we need to discuss, and its solution may aid in the search for my son. I want a dramatic increase in our spy network. I want spies in every nation possible."

"You want to spy on our allies?" questioned the general. "They will not take kindly to that if they find out."

"And so they must not find out," retorted the king. "You will use men who are not sworn to me. Do not let them know who they are working for."

"And who will collect the information from these spies?" frowned the general.

"Find me a dozen men who are willing to give up their lives for Arin," answered the king. "Their loyalty must be unassailable. Those twelve men will be the contacts between the new spies and us. If they are captured, they must be prepared to take their own lives to avoid compromising Arin. Can you do that?"

It was the general's turn for introspection, and the king proved to be just as patient as the general.

"I can do it," declared General Fergus. "They are men I would sorely miss if war came to Arin, but they will fulfill the mission you have set out."

"Good," nodded the king. "When you get them moving, inform those twelve men that they should search for Prince Antion while they perform their other duties."

"Everything will be done as we have discussed," promised General Fergus. "I will get started on it immediately."

"Wait," ordered the king as the general turned to march out of the office.

The general turned expectantly, and the king crossed the floor to avoid raising his voice.

"We still need to deal with Prince Calitar," declared the king. "While we stand here talking about our plans, he is still cataloging our weaknesses."

"Actually," smiled the general, "he has already left the palace for the day. When I heard the type of questions that he was asking, I made sure that all of our men were too busy to answer anything he asked. He got frustrated and returned to the Palace Shadow."

"Well done," chuckled the king. "Are you sure he returned to the inn?"

"Positive," nodded General Fergus. "I assigned two men to keep tabs on him. They will not be obvious, but they will track his every move."

A loud knock hammered the door to the king's office. The king and the general looked at each other, and the king nodded his approval to open the door. The general opened the door and saw a soldier standing outside.

"What is it, Sandar?" asked the general.

"The foreign prince is gone," reported Sandar.

"Gone?" scowled the general. "Gone where? Explain."

"I sent relief to the two men assigned to watch him as you had requested," reported Sandar. "One man was posted outside the front door of the inn and another outside the back door. The soldier in the rear was missing, and I was called to the inn. My first impulse was to check the stables for the prince's horse. It was gone, but in its place was the body of our man."

"How did he die?" asked the king.

"I don't know," answered Sandar. "There were no obvious marks on the body and no blood on his uniform. Is that important?"

"Very important," nodded the king. "General, seal the city. We now have a legitimate reason to imprison Prince Calitar. Even if he ends up innocent of foul play, the body was found where his horse should be. I am prepared to discuss this matter with Caroom if they protest. Sandar, get the soldier's body to a wisper. I want to know how he died."

The soldiers left the office in a hurry and moments later a loud horn sounded from atop the palace. More distant horns echoed the order as the city of Anatar began to close down. Gates were shut and barred, and walls were manned. Citizens streamed out of the marketplace and fled to their homes. Merchants and deliverymen abandoned their stalls and carts and moved indoors. Within a matter of minutes, the city was sealed and the streets deserted. The only people moving in the city of Anatar were the patrols of soldiers. Several hours later, General Fergus returned to the king's office.

"Did you find him?" asked the king.

"No," answered the general. "If he is in the city, someone is hiding him. I have sent out patrols to search outside the city, but they have found nothing. It is as if the man had vanished into thin air."

"Why am I not surprised?" frowned the king.

"You are not surprised?" questioned the general. "Pardon my impertinence, but could you explain that statement?"

"Everything about Borunda seems to reek of magic," sighed King Caedmon. "Why should we be suddenly surprised when the unexpected happens?"

"I see where your thinking is leading," shrugged the general, "but we have no indication that there was anything magical going on here."

"Nor should you ever have an indication, general," retorted the king. "The purpose of using magic for nefarious deeds is to avoid detection. If we begin to see signs of such use then they are failing in the practice of their art."

"Your arguments are specious," the general countered. "If a lack of indication means that magic is present, what are the signs of no magic present? Surely, you can see that the indications would be the same, and yet the realities would be poles apart? Such logic is flawed, Your Highness."

"You were the one who spoke of no indications," rebutted the king. "I am trying to get you to see that the lack of evidence is not a certainty of no magic. As for my beliefs, my gut is telling me that we are up against magic, and I have learned to trust such instincts. What we have to learn to do in order to survive is to expect the unexpected. How do we do that, general?"

* * *

The wagon pulled off the Caxon-Kyland Road and into the small Salacian town. People turned to stare at the newcomers, but they soon went on their way as the wagon passed them by. The town was small, not much larger than a typical village, but it hosted an inn and a smith. It was mostly a village that had grown due to its proximity to the Caxon-Kyland Road. Kerzi guided the wagon towards the inn and the stables beyond it.

"Which inn would you gentlemen prefer?" joked Kerzi.

"I prefer the other one," laughed Gunnar as he gazed at the weather-beaten building.

"Sorry," grinned the merchant, "but the other one has not been built yet. We will stay at this one."

"You always get to choose," chuckled the Arin prince.

Talot looked at each of the other men and shook his head. "I think both of you are suffering from the lack of ale," he said seriously. "Go into the inn and refresh yourselves. I will take care of the horses and the wagon."

Kerzi brought the wagon to a halt in front of the inn and immediately climbed down. Gunnar jumped down after him, and the two men entered the inn. Talot shook his head again and drove the wagon around the back of the inn to the stables. He brought it to a halt and applied the brake. As the Lomite giant jumped to the ground, a young man came out of the stables. The man appeared to be around fifteen years of age, and Talot turned to greet him.

"We will be staying at the inn for a few days," declared the Lomite. "Where should I park the wagon?"

"You can put it right beside the stables if you want," offered the stableman, "or I would be glad to take care of it for you."

"And what would the fee be for that?" asked Talot.

"I do not charge anything," he answered, "but I will accept a token of your appreciation if you think the job is done properly."

"How do you earn your keep?" asked the giant.

"I take care of the stables," he answered. "In return, I am fed and I am allowed to use a room if one is available. There is usually one empty."

Talot smiled at the lad, for that is what Talot saw the young man to be. He was grown to the beginnings of man-size, but his thinking was simple and his needs were few as it should be for a boy.

"I am called Talot," smiled the giant. "I will judge your proficiency and reward it appropriately."

"Thank you," beamed the lad. "My name is Jared, and I shall answer your call if you need anything at all."

Talot nodded pleasantly and entered the rear door of the inn.

Talot entered the common room and saw Kerzi and Gunnar already seated and enjoying mugs of ale. They were the only patrons in the room and the giant walked over and joined them.

"That was pretty quick," remarked the merchant as Talot sat down. "It usually takes me a bit longer to take care of the horses."

"They have a stable lad here," Talot smiled, already feeling good about the tip he would give the lad. "He works for food and accepts gratuities. He looked like he could use a few coins so I let him take care of everything."

"A wise move," Gunnar replied. "The world could use more men like you, Talot." He took a sip of ale. "Why do your people remain so secretive? Why don't they emerge from the jungles of Lom and show all the rest of us how to be humane?"

"Your people are quite humane as it is," smiled Talot, as he knew that the Arin prince could not discuss his people without giving himself away.

"I was thinking of others," grinned the Arin prince as he noted how deftly the Lomite had outmaneuvered him.

"You know Gunnar's people?" asked Kerzi, suddenly alert to the conversation.

"It's possible that he was referring to all of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms," Gunnar was quick to inject.

Talot ignored the question and ordered a mug of ale from the innkeeper who had come by to take his order.

"Will you also be having a hot meal?" asked the innkeeper.

"Also?" questioned Talot as he looked towards his two friends. "I guess that I will. Are there choices?"

"Not today," the innkeeper shook his head as he turned to leave. "Business has been slow."

Talot sipped his ale as Kerzi and Gunnar discussed what cargo they should purchase in Kyland for delivery to Anatar. At first he ignored the conversation, but it soon grew interesting, and he found himself listening.

"I am not hauling rocks to Anatar," Kerzi said adamantly. "You may have been right about the fish, and we are not sure about the hardwoods yet, but I am not going to buy a load of rocks. You are crazy."

"They are not just rocks," countered Gunnar. "There are certain types of stone that are quarried in the mountains of northern Salacia that are not found anywhere else. Anytime you can supply something that is rare, your profits will soar. Is that not right?"

"Rocks are not rare," retorted the merchant. "You can find rocks in any country."

"Are you talking about decorative stones?" asked Talot, "the type that jewelers use to make things?"

"Exactly," Gunnar nodded vigorously. "See, Kerzi. Even the Lomite knows what I am talking about. They are only found in Salacia."

"Actually," Talot shook his head, "they are more readily available in Hyrem. The ones that I have seen from Salacia are fine stones, but they are quarried by amateurs. The Hyremites know how to quarry for such precious stones."

Gunnar gaped at the giant. The Lomites were supposed to be hermits and yet the giant appeared to know a great deal about the countries of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms.

"How do you know this?" he asked the giant.

"I have seen them work," shrugged Talot. "The Salacians quarry for stone to build walls and castles, but the Hyremites have little use for such fortifications. They are a nomadic people for the most part. When they quarry, they are looking for things to decorate their bodies or their animals. As such, they take great care not to injure the stones."

"I thought the Lomites did not leave the jungles of Lom," Gunnar said suspiciously.

"You have been mistaken," Talot smiled thinly. "I expected more from a person such as you, Gunnar. Just because you do not understand a people, or perhaps because they are different than you, does not mean that they are stupid and backward."

"I have never thought of the Lomites as such," Gunnar defended himself. "I just thought they preferred to be left alone."

"To a degree, you are right," conceded Talot, "but that does not mean that we are not curious about the world around us."

"Yet you deny that same curiosity in others," accused the Arin prince. "Now who is prejudging others?"

Talot stared blankly at Gunnar for a moment and then finally nodded. "You are right," he admitted. "I never looked at it that way before. We assume that everyone entering our lands is there to take it. Perhaps we all have something to learn from one another?"

"Then it is a good thing that we are sharing our journey," smiled Gunnar. "If we all keep an open mind, we will learn much about our friends and neighbors."

"And our enemies," Talot added in a serious manner as the innkeeper arrived with three bowls of greasy stew and a loaf of dark brown bread.

Gunnar and Kerzi resumed talking about products to take to Anatar, but Talot tuned them out. He silently dwelled on the previous conversation and his thoughts soon drifted to the day when Gunnar and his friends had been found violating the border of Lom. He suddenly realized how close the Lomites had come to executing all four of the men and how wrong that would have been. Only the strange feeling he had felt for the man who was later identified as the prince of Arin had made Talot intervene. Why was he so drawn to Gunnar? What made this particular man special? The questions twirled around in his head. Unable to reason an answer to the questions, he pushed the empty bowl away from him and stood up.

"I am going to see how the lad has taken care of the wagon and the horses," announced Talot.

"I'll go with you," offered Gunnar. "I want to wax my bow tonight. It will give me something to do other than sit in the common room and drink ale."

"I plan to catch up on my sleep," declared Kerzi. "I don't need anything from the wagon for that."

Gunnar and Talot left the common room and stepped outside through the rear door of the inn. The horses had already been unhitched, and the wagon sat alongside the stables. Gunnar went directly to the wagon while Talot entered the stables in search of Jared. He found the stableman just inside the doors where Jared was tending to Kerzi's horses. The Lomite pressed three coins into the lad's hands, and Jared's eyes lit up in appreciation. Talot smiled at the lad and left the stables to rejoin Gunnar. Jared suddenly frowned and ran after the Lomite.

"This is far too much for me," Jared declared loudly. "I am looking for your appreciation, not pity."

Gunnar heard the voice and a cold shiver raced up his spine. He spun around and gazed into Jared's face. With a movement made swift by years of practice, the Arin prince drew his two-handed sword and placed the tip to Jared's throat. Talot dove through the air, his huge body colliding with the Arin prince. The two men tumbled to the ground, but Gunnar was quicker getting to his feet. He snared his sword and swung a slashing sweep towards the stableman's waist. Inexplicably, his swing slowed down, and the sword stopped a hand's-width away from the lad. Gunnar stared at it in amazement, clearly confused about what had just happened. Talot jumped to his feet and grabbed the sword from Gunnar's hands. He tossed the sword to the ground and pinned Gunnar against the tail of the wagon.

"What is wrong with you?" shouted Talot. "Have you lost your mind?"

Jared had remained frozen in position. His body trembled with fear, and his mouth hung open. His eyes were wide with fright, but he did not run away.

"Kill him!" shouted Gunnar. "Kill him before he uses the Talent to destroy us. He is the dark prince."

Kerzi had exited the building when he had heard the shouting. He raced across the yard to find out what was happening.

"I do not know who you think this lad is," growled Talot, "but he is no harm to you. He is just a poor stableboy."

"Did he say dark prince?" Kerzi asked excitedly as he stared at the lad. "Is this him?"

"Gunnar thinks this lad is his enemy," answered Talot, "but he is just a lad."

"He is magical," argued Gunnar. "Didn't you see my sword halt in mid-swing? Let go of me and get out of my way."

"Did his sword really stop?" asked Kerzi.

Talot nodded. "But I do not care about that. This lad would not kill anyone. Gunnar has gone mad."

Kerzi moved close to Jared and stared at him. He shook his head when the lad refused to even acknowledge that someone was talking to him.

"The lad is in shock," Kerzi said as he walked over to where Talot was holding Gunnar. He looked his friend in the face and said, "He is in no condition to harm anyone, Gunnar. Calm yourself down before you strike out at an innocent lad. If this boy was truly the dark prince, and he held the powers that you claim, we would all be dead by now."

Kerzi's logic seemed to get through to the Arin prince, and Gunnar began to calm down. Talot felt Gunnar's body uncoil, and he cautiously eased his grip. The Arin prince moved to one side so that he could see the stableman. He saw the lad shaking in fear, and his heart was burdened by what he had done.

"I do not understand," Gunnar said softly as he approached Jared. "He looks exactly like the dark prince. He even has the Borundan's voice. That is what alerted me. How can this be?"

"There are stranger things in the world than two men looking the same," shrugged Talot. "We need to help the lad. Let's get him inside."

Talot scooped up the lad and carried him towards the inn. Kerzi ran before him and held the door open while Gunnar picked up his sword and followed, his mind still dazed in confusion.

"Where is the boy's room?" Kerzi called to the innkeeper.

The innkeeper hurried over and looked at the lad. "Is he alright?"

"I think he is just scared," offered Kerzi. "We need to put him to bed."

"Any room is fine," replied the innkeeper. "What is he scared of? Is he afraid of you three? He's a good lad and would not even think of stealing if that is what you have accused him of."

"We do not think that he would steal from us," Talot said as he carried Jared up the stairs.

Talot opened the door to the first room and placed Jared on the bed. Kerzi, Gunnar and the innkeeper flowed into the room and stood staring at the stableman.

"Get some water," Talot instructed the innkeeper.

The innkeeper rushed over to a small table near the window. He picked up a pitcher and poured a cup of water. When he went to hand it to Jared, Gunnar reached out and took it from the innkeeper.

"He cannot drink for himself right now," explained the Arin prince. "I will help him."

Talot's eyes narrowed as he watched Gunnar. He was not entirely sure if he could fully trust the Arin prince with the lad. Gunnar slid one arm under the pillow to raise the boy's head. When his arm touched Jared's skin a bolt of energy shot through the prince's body. He yanked his arm away and dropped the cup as he scrambled backwards to get away from the bed.

"What is it?" the innkeeper shouted in alarm. "What is going on?"

Kerzi retrieved the cup and moved to refill it. Talot moved towards Gunnar and placed his body between the prince and the lad.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"I do not know," replied Gunnar as he examined his forearm. "It was as if just the touch of his skin burned me. My arm felt seared as if I had stuck it into a fire, but there is no burn on my skin. What is happening to me? Am I truly going mad?"

Talot turned so that they could both see the lad. Kerzi had raised the boy's head and held the cup to his lips. The innkeeper cast a strange look towards Gunnar as if the foreigner was crazy, but the Arin prince did not notice.

Jared drank from the cup, and his eyes soon began to focus. He blinked and looked around the room, confused by his surroundings. When his eyes landed on Gunnar, he stared intently.

"I think the lad will be fine now," Talot said, directing his words to the innkeeper. "We will keep watch over him for a while. You might as well return to your duties downstairs."

The innkeeper hesitated as he glanced at Gunnar again. Kerzi understood what was going through the man's mind.

"I'll go with you," offered Kerzi as he put his arm around the innkeeper and led him towards the door. "Perhaps a bowl of that good stew you made will make the lad feel better. I wouldn't be surprised if his empty stomach caused his fainting problem. You can add the cost of it to my room."

The innkeeper nodded agreeably as was his disposition, and Kerzi led him out of the room. Talot crossed the room and closed the door. He moved quickly to the bed and sat down before Gunnar could do anything foolish.

"How are you feeling, Jared?" asked the giant.

"I feel strange," answered the lad as his eyes drifted towards Gunnar. "Why did he attack me? I stole nothing."

"He mistook you for someone else," explained Talot. "He is very sorry about it. We all are. How long have you worked in the stables here?"

Gunnar understood what Talot was trying to do. He walked to the window and sat in the chair next to it. He tried to appear disinterested in the conversation, thinking it would ease the boy's nerves, but he listened intently for any clues that might explain the lad's appearance.

"About a year," answered Jared. "I have been well-treated here. I eat regularly and have a bed most nights."

"Do you not have parents?" asked Talot.

"Not anymore," Jared shook his head. "My father died a year ago. That is when I struck out on my own."

"Was your father a stableman, too?" asked the Lomite.

"No," Jared shook his head. "My father didn't have a trade. We hunted mostly, and moved around a lot. When we needed money, he would do odd jobs for people. He was very skilled in many things. He could fix anything that was broken."

The door opened and Kerzi entered with a bowl of stew and a chunk of bread. Jared's eyes widened at the sight of the stew, and he sat up in the bed to receive it from the merchant.

"This is a generous amount," beamed the lad, "much more than I am used to."

Gunnar began to feel for the lad. It was not that long ago that he was fifteen, and he could not imagine existing on less food than a bowl of stew. Jared spooned the stew into his mouth hungrily and bit off a large chuck of the bread. Talot shook his head sadly and let the boy eat without having questions thrown at him. Jared finished the stew in short order, and Kerzi took the bowl and placed it on the table.