The Mirror And The Maelstrom (Book 4) (35 page)

“Will you sit back and calm yourself?” grumbled King Granu to the young man riding beside him.

“I can’t help it,” smiled the teen. He stood in his stirrups and scanned the horizon anxiously. “We should see it by now. Why can’t we see it yet?”

“I’ve told you. We skirt the foothills of the Southern Zorim. The Nagur is lost from us behind the remnants of the great hills,” replied Granu.

The young man craned his neck even higher in an unsuccessful attempt to see the southern horizon.

“Aul, you will be king one day,” chastised Granu. “The people expect a modicum of ... dignity. We will enter the Nagur soon and be within the halls of Luxlor not long thereafter. Can you project a feeling of calm confidence until then, even if you don’t truly feel it?”

Prince Aul glanced over his shoulder at the procession of retainers and soldiers trailing he and his father. He frowned and dropped back into his saddle. Granu smiled broadly, reached over and tousled the young man’s red mane.

“You will have a year amongst the Greys to study all there is to know about them,” laughed King Granu. “I am sure you can muster a few more hours of patience.”

“Yes, sir,” frowned the boy.

The guests and courtiers of the Grey Elf Kingdom crowded the throne room in small groups chatting about the day’s upcoming events.

“Do you think they will bring the baby?” whispered Queen Lilywynn from her seat upon the dais.

“I’m not sure,” replied Eidyn. “Certainly he’s old enough to travel, but they may prefer he stay with his nursemaids. It’s a long and tiresome journey, especially for one so young.”

Lilywynn frowned. Eidyn grinned broadly and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“If they don’t, perhaps we should make a journey of our own,” smiled the king. “We can inform the people that we need to assess the status of the kingdom.”

A shining smile quickly replaced her frown and she hugged her husband tightly.

“I can plant stories of suspicious activity near the borders,” came a whisper from Eidyn’s right. “It would be nothing to create the proper atmosphere which demanded your departure and investigation.”

Eidyn and Lilywynn exchanged a smile and turned. Lord Teeg leaned forward in his chair with a gleam of excited anticipation in his eyes. The Lady Jenpry sat beside him with an amused frown. She grabbed the edge of his cloak and pulled him back into his seat.

“You passed the mantle of Master of Spies on to Diom years ago, my dear,” she stated. “It is time to release your hold and let youth step forward.”

“Youth is overrated,” sulked Teeg. “I prefer the wisdom of age.”

Jenpry smiled broadly at her husband and patted his hand as she turned to the throne.

“Daughter,” she said. “Perhaps we will accompany you on this journey. It seems my husband longs for his days of roaming the wide world.”

Lilywynn smiled and nodded, but Teeg remained within his funk. Jenpry turned back to the Elf lord and looked deeply into his eyes.

“And then perhaps,” she continued. “We will leave you for a while. Traveling the world as Lord Teeg and the Lady Jenpry is not the medicine this illness requires. The great kingdoms of the world are so difficult to see from the heights of nobility. They are so much more accessible from the eyes of the traveling merchant, the poet, the acrobat or ....”

“.... the actor extraordinaire!” grinned Teeg with a flourish of his hand.

“Yes, the actor extraordinaire,” smiled Jenpry and she leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss.

From a pair of identical chairs set on the other side of the throne,  the Lady Eirtwin leaned forward and addressed her son.

“Perhaps Lord Teeg should be employed to discover the whereabouts of the delegation from the Toxkri,” she said. “The king of the Sprites and his wife were due hours ago.”

As if on cue to her query, the doors of the great hall opened and an Elf guard stepped into the room.

“Queen Lizzel and entourage from the sovereign kingdom of the Toxkri,” announced the guard.

All upon the dais rose and the guests throughout the room spun to the open door. Into the chamber stepped a group of a dozen Sprites dressed in the familiar gossamer robes and led by a beautiful young woman. She approached the throne and bowed deeply. As she rose her eyes met those of the Lady Jenpry and they danced with delight.

“Mother,” she smiled.

Jenpry returned the smile.

“Daughter. You are late and your husband is absent.”

“Yes,” frowned Lizzel as she turned to the center throne. “My apologies sister. The king left our party as we crossed from the Toxkri into the Nagur Wood. He needed to attend to something.”

“I am sure he will arrive shortly,” said Lilywynn, dismissing any slight with a wave of her hand. “I am elated to see you.”

She stepped from the throne and embraced her sister warmly. Jenpry also left the thrown and joined in the greeting. Eidyn moved to join them.

“I’m puzzled,” he said to Lizzel. “What could be so distracting as to cause him to leave your party? Security in the Nagur Wood is as strong as it has ever been. Certainly he did not fear for the safety of your party. My patrols scour the wood daily.”

Lizzel bit her lip and her eyes fell toward the floor.

“Ha! Youth,” scoffed Teeg. “There are plenty in this room who would like me to stop meddling in the affairs of the world, but I’m still the only one with his eyes open wide enough to see what is before his very nose.”

The former Master of Spies stepped forward and pointed to a group of young pages standing in a recess of the throne room. Amongst them, in the full garb of a court page, stood Sprig, king of the Sprites. The little man quietly entertained those around him by performing sleight of hand.

“He’s been here for nearly an hour,” laughed Teeg.

As all eyes turned on the little man he winked and dashed forward to embrace his wife. Jenpry eyed Lizzel.

“It appears our husbands cannot leave the ways of their youth behind them,” frowned Jenpry.

“A small price to pay to have men of such character,” replied Lizzel as she kissed Sprig on the cheek.

Teeg grinned at the compliment and stepped down from the dais to join his wife in a warm embrace.

“Where is Kael?” asked Manfir as he moved through the crowd and approached the group.

“Yes, I expected to see the boy when I arrived,” said Granu from behind the Zodrian king. “Although the hospitality of Luxlor is renown, I cannot tarry here too long.”

“He is hardly a boy,” scoffed Lilywynn.

The Elf queen turned to face Sprig and Lizzel.

“Did you see any signs of them on your journey?” she asked.

Sprig shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

“We saw no signs,” stated Queen Lizzel. “But they would most certainly travel a different path to Luxlor.”

Once again the doors to the throne room opened. This time a small contingent of black robed Windriders entered unannounced. Their leader stepped forward and removed the mask from across his face. Cefiz bowed deeply to the group gathering before the dais.

“I am a simple man and do not like to be announced like royalty,” stated the former Guardsman.

Manfir moved forward and the men embraced warmly.

“You’re late,” stated the Zodrian king.

“We wondered if you would ever arrive,” said Granu from beside him.

The giant patted his friend on the back and Cefiz extended a hand.

“The winds of the desert are fickle my friend,” said Cefiz as he shook Granu’s hand. “For obvious reasons we chose not to rush the journey.”

“You brought Kael with you?” smiled Granu.

Cefiz simply grinned, turned and extended a hand toward the group of black robed Windriders. From the crowd’s midst stepped a figure holding a small silken bundle. The figure moved toward Cefiz.

“Lords and ladies of the Elven court. Friends. I present to you, Kael Rada Shan.”

Cefiz moved in and wrapped an arm around the figure’s waist. With the other hand he peeled back the silken fabric that wrapped the bundle.

“The baby,” exclaimed Lilywynn with delight.

Vieri removed the veil that covered her face as she leaned forward, holding the baby for all to see. The crowd moved in closer, exchanging grins, hugs and congratulations. Teeg looked at his beaming wife and a frown crept across his face.

“Does this mean our trip is cancelled?” asked the Elf lord with a frown.

“No,” she replied. “It just changes our destination. Perhaps we should begin at the home of the babe’s namesake.”

“I shall join you,” announced Granu overhearing the conversation.

“Not without me,” added Manfir.

“Wait a moment,” cried Eidyn. “It was my idea. You will not go without us.”

Sprig winked at his wife and she nodded her agreement.

“It is settled then,” announced Vieri with authority. “In a few days time, we will followmy original plan and little Kael shall embark on a journey to be blessed by the hand of his namesake.”

The new mother’s eyes swept the room and dared anyone to contradict her authority over the specifics of the trip.

“Yes dear,” coughed Cefiz eyeing those around him. “It shall be as you say.”

“Absolutely,” confirmed Manfir as he nudged Granu.

“Assuredly,” added the Keltaran.

Sprig swept a hand before him and bowed low as the assembly broke into laughter.

__________________________________________________________________

“Oy! How ‘bout some service over here!” called a burly logger as he banged his ale mug onto the table.

The three men who shared the logger’s table nodded their heads and grunted in approval. A young man sweeping the floor of the inn looked up and approached the table.

“I’m sorry, gentlemen. As you see, the common room is busy this evening and my wife is having a difficult time keeping up in the kitchen,” said the young man.

“That don’t make no difference to me,” slurred the burly man as he abruptly stood, knocking over his stool. “I’m a veteran of the Great War, laddie, and I spect ta get treated like one.”

The young man stepped forward and retrieved the stool from the ground, placing it beside the table.

“Certainly, sir,” replied Kael. “The King’s Service is especially privileged to host veterans.”

The groggy patron glared at Kael as the young man offered him the seat.

“I faced Ulrog cleaver and the Men of Darkness for the likes of you,” grumbled the logger.

“And we at The King’s Service are most appreciative,” smiled Kael pleasantly. “Won’t you take your seat again, sir, and may I offer you and your companions dinner on the house in recognition of your service?”

“Now that’s more like it,” snarled the man. “I’ll take another jug of ale and your finest game hen.”

The men at the table chuckled and tipped their mugs in a toast as their leader dropped back into his chair.

“Each at your table will receive a complimentary meal of our finest hen ...” began Kael with a smile.

The men grinned and laughed at the response their friend’s rude behavior elicited.

“... but you will drink no more ale at my establishment,” finished Kael.

The burly man began to rise but a firm hand from Kael upon his shoulder kept him in place.

“You’ve tasted enough, my friend,” said Kael calmly. “A belly full of food and a good nights rest will set your mood aright.”

The logger was ripe to protest but a tingle ran across his skin and he filled with the certainty of this innkeeper’s words. The thought of a good meal and a long nights sleep in his own bed sounded like the cure for a series of unfortunate ills that placed undue stress upon him. He remained seated and nodded his head in agreement.

Kael smiled warmly at the table, turned and strode into the kitchens of The King’s Service. His wife, Raeve, stood just inside the kitchen smiling at him.

“If you continue to give meals away to anyone who asks, we will be penniless,” she laughed. “The common room is the only bit of business we possess. Our boarding rooms remain empty.”

“It is the least we can do. He’s probably a good man who has been through a tough time.  Besides, I seriously doubt we will ever encounter difficulty finding a meal of our own. Remember, we can always call on the stewards of Astel and claim my birthright,” said Kael with a wink.

“Oh no!” exclaimed Raeve. “There is only one kingdom you will ever rule in my lifetime Kael Brelgson, and it lies within the four walls of this inn.”

He smiled and wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her tightly. She kissed him quickly then broke free and shooed him toward the kitchen counter.

“Now get those meals out to our patrons before your father returns from his walk with Aemmon and decides he needs to pitch in.”

Kael retrieved a pair of plates from the counter and bowed low to his wife.

“As my queen commands,” he chuckled. “And I seriously doubt Aemmon will allow his grandfather to come anywhere near this place. He has probably asked for a fifth telling of the Battle of The Bear’s Knuckles by now.  He loves to hear how Uncle Flair stalked onto the battlefield by himself and demanded parlay with the mighty Keltaran.”

“Get going before our hungry diners turn the common room into their own battlefield,” she laughed.

Kael spun with a grin, walked into the common room and set a pair of plates upon the table of the four loggers. Their leader glanced at the fare with approval.

“Thank you,”  said the logger.

As Kael turned he noticed a  heavy swirl of dust rolling northward up the street past the open door of The King’s Service. Riders from the south were unusual. Kael closed his eyes and calmed. A smile crept across his face. He moved into the kitchen, his eyes wide and a broad grin spreading across his face.

“Raeve, I believe those boarding rooms are about  to be filled,” said Kael.

His wife turned and eyed him quizzically as she wiped her hands on her apron. He nodded toward the street and she hurried to the kitchen window. A huge black warhorse stood drinking from the water trough beside a shaggy red Brodor.

“Innkeeper!” called a voice from the common room. “I require meals for myself and a dozen more companions.”