The Prince of Exiles (The Exile Series) (18 page)

“A nomination has been given!” Elder Crane called out, stepping forward and neatly sidestepping the stunned former-Elder Warryn in the process, plucking the dagger from his hands before he could make a word or motion of protest.

“Who here wishes to choose as the next State Elder, William Goldwyn, the High Commander of the Armies of the Kindred and Scholar of War?”

There was a loud cry of approval, as the idea continued to build, floating around the arena on the winged lips of the gathered crowd.

“Elders!” Crane said, turning to those gathered around him. “We need to fill this position – does anyone wish to confirm the nomination?”

“I do,” Spader said immediately, stepping forward. He’d somewhere found a glass and filled it with amber liquid and was sipping it calmly, completely oblivious to the scandalized stare of the Elder Dragon Lady.

“Myself as well,” said Ishmael, also coming forward.

“And I,” said Keri, stepping forward with an eager smile.

“I approve,” said Demeter, the Elder of Agriculture, looking matronly in her deep green robes.

“And I,” said Lymaugh is his chocolate brown.

“Me as well,” said Ekman in his bright blue.

“That is a majority,” Crane concluded quickly, before Elder Dragon Lady could speak, though both she and Stanton the Engineer Elder looked highly affronted by this hasty ceremony. “The nomination is confirmed and we put it to a vote – Kindred!”

Crane turned back to the gathered men and women, and seemed to expand in size, as if he were suddenly tall as Tomaz. It wasn’t that his height actually changed, it was something in his demeanor and stance, his shoulders and bearing. Raven saw then what he had seen just once before, when the Ox Lord had invaded Vale: a man of secret power and endless strength, like a deep current hidden beneath the surface of a placid river.

“We have nominated for Elder of State William Goldwyn, the only man in our lifetime to survive his tenure as Prince of the Veil; the general who, through cunning and guile, has secured our borders against the long arm of the Empire; the scholar who, through patience and love, has always sought to enlighten the minds of those who come to him lost in the darkness.”

Cheers shouted out here as Crane finished the grand build, whipping the Kindred into a state of excitement. He was truly remarkable now – he was speaking with power and majesty, his quiet reserve momentarily discarded.

Who is this Goldwyn, that he could provoke such a reaction?

“Do you agree to choose him?” Called Crane finally, and a huge cheer went up around the gathered assembly, and there was no doubting how they felt. They all stood then, a huge wave of motion, and the scribe popped up again, quickly scanning the crowd, making brusque notations on his sheaf of paper, bespectacled nose pressed so close to the page Raven felt sure the man would be splattered in ink by the time he was done.

The Wise Elder crossed to the man and looked at the sheet, though Raven was sure this was mostly a matter of ritual – there could be no doubt the vote was nearly unanimous.

“It is decided!” Crane called out, spinning around and smiling at the crowd, his kind face once again losing years of age when it showed that expression of joy.

The Kindred roared in approval, and Leah jumped to her feet, shouting and cheering along with the rest of them, surprising Raven with her exuberance.

And then the crowd parted and a single, lone figure began to make his way down to the stage. The men and women parted quickly for him, aware of his passage, making his way easy and straight.

Raven caught glimpses of him only – a flash of a tall silhouette, a brief impression of wide shoulders, but the Kindred were too close to see more.

He lifted himself up on his toes, straining to see, caught up in the excitement in spite of himself. Leah was cheering so hard she was red in the face, and smiling and laughing like a madwoman. Most of the Kindred nearby were in a similar state, the only visible exception being Warryn, who stood forgotten behind Elder Crane, with a petulant, murderous look that implied he would claw off the face of anyone who dared speak to him.

Goldwyn finally reached the bottom of the stadium, and made his way onto the wooden platform at the center.

The man was tall, just over six feet it seemed, and he had the same grace of movement as both Leah and Davydd. He had long, graying golden hair that fell in waves down to his shoulders, with a high forehead and streaks of white at the temples. His face was old and lined, like Crane’s, but his back was straight and he carried himself with surpassing dignity, almost with an arrogance that tempted fate. It made sense – only the dangerously brave or the scandalously lucky would dare stand so openly as a symbol of Exiled defiance.

Crane clasped hands with Goldwyn and spoke some words to him. The two men smiled like old friends, and it seemed to Raven as if they could be brothers.

Goldwyn turned to the crowd and raised a gnarled hand, one worn and strong from what could only be countless years of physical toil. The Kindred fell silent and waited.

“I accept your nomination, and will serve you to the best of my abilities.”

The voice that rolled out of the man’s mouth was a rich baritone, much like Davydd’s, full and deep, the words coming from the whole body, projected effortlessly across the wide space of the Odeon. He smiled, and bowed to the Kindred, and they cheered for him once more.

Crane came up to him and touched him on the shoulder, and Goldwyn knelt down in a single, fluid motion. He might be old, but his body moved with the precision and ease of a much younger man.

“Do you swear to protect the Kindred, with your heart and mind, your body and soul, for as long as it is asked of you?”

“I do.”

“And do you swear to protect the knowledge entrusted to you, as Elder of State? To guard our secrets with your very life?”

“I do.”

“And do you renounce all previous titles, all property and wealth you have owned, but for your home and personal effects?”

“I do so happily.”

“Then rise Elder, and take your place among us.”

Goldwyn stood, and exchanged a smile with Crane, and the crowd cheered once more. Crane spoke something to Goldwyn, talking directly into his ear so as to be heard over the noise, and then he handed Goldwyn the dagger – the
sambolin
.

Immediately Goldwyn tensed, and his face went slack. Even from the distance, Raven could see his eyes glaze over as he stared inward at what must be hundreds of memories and impressions of lives.

I wonder if that’s how I look when I take a life?

And then Goldwyn came back to reality, prompted by the touch of Crane’s hand on his shoulder, and, breathing heavily, the new Elder smiled and laughed, shaking his head in wonder.

He turned to the crowd and raised his hands, as Crane had done.

“My friends, thank you for this gift! The Forum is now ended. I wish you all a day of laughter, and a night of dreams. I will see you when you wake.”

“WE WILL SEE YOU WHEN WE WAKE!”

“This is great!” Leah cried to Raven over the fading sound of the Forum, slugging him in the arm. They were in the process of leaving the Odeon – after Goldwyn had pronounced the Forum over, the Kindred had all begun to leave. The Elders had stayed behind to entertain a few questions by those who had chosen to approach them individually, but otherwise the ritual was over and the joviality of the returning army was back once more as friends and families reunited.

Leah whooped loudly and punched him in the arm again, this time with all of her considerable strength.

“Ouch! Shadows and light woman!”

She smiled wickedly at him.

“I had no idea princelings bruised so easily.”

“Stop it,” he growled, annoyed, “I’m not a Prince anymore, and I think I just proved I don’t want to be. It would help if you didn’t broadcast the fact – I think I’m unpopular enough already. Not that Autmaran helped at all … ”

“You’re worried about
that?
” She asked incredulously, and then smiled so wide she was practically beaming. Raven didn’t think he’d ever seen her smile quite like that before, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. It was like seeing a horse walk on two legs while juggling expensive cutlery – dangerous, and more than a little unnerving.

“Shouldn’t I be?” He asked cautiously, keeping his distance. He felt like she might decide at any point to abandon decorum altogether and hug him, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to deal with that.

“No!” She scoffed. “We just elected a new Elder, that’s all anyone will be talking about for
weeks
.”

“Oh,” Raven said, very relieved, “well good. Though I’m still considering smothering the Major in his sleep.”

“Don’t say things like that,” she chided him, exasperated, “it’s a great honor to be asked.”

They had just finished walking down the steps of the Odeon to the main road that led the way to the city proper, when a shout caught their attention.

“Leah!”

A dark shaped shot past Raven, knocking him over on its way to wrap the girl in a huge bear hug. After catching his balance, Raven saw that the shape was Davydd.

“Isn’t it great?” He asked, swinging her around while she laughed.

“I know! He should have been chosen ages ago!”

“Warryn was never anyone’s first choice anyway,” mumbled the quiet, yet strong voice of Lorna behind Raven, making him jump. She’d come up with Davydd apparently, and when Raven turned to her she nodded, looking quite pleased, though thankfully not enough to resort to hysterical displays of emotion.

“We have to go to the manor,” Davydd said quickly, turning to Leah and Lorna, “we have to congratulate him. I’m sure he’ll be in the mood for it.”

“If we can convince him to take any night off, it’ll be this one,” Leah said with a grin. She seemed to be calming down, though her eyes still shone brightly.

All the while, Raven just stood there awkwardly, not sure if he was supposed to join the conversation or not. For the moment anyway it seemed he had been forgotten as Davydd rattled off options for what they could do that night, everything from a grand, extravagant party, to an average, still extravagant party.

“Raven – I owe you an apology.”

Raven turned to see Autmaran standing just behind him. The man’s bald head and dark skin shone in what light was left from the setting sun. The sky above them was various shades of color, fading into twilight.

“Indeed,” Raven said, feeling a surge of anger at the man rush up inside him. He did not like being humiliated, and he didn’t like surprises.

“I truly am sorry,” Autmaran said, holding up his hands in defenseless supplication and looking concerned by the ugly look Raven was giving him. “I knew that if I asked, you’d say no … and I thought … well, I thought we’d stand an even chance of swaying the Kindred if your surprise was genuine.”

“I understand the need for showmanship, but do not do that to me again,” Raven said quietly. His voice was low and harsh, but he didn’t really care. The man needed to understand he was serious. “I think you’re a good leader, and I think you’re a good man. But if you do anything like that again, you and I are no longer on sociable terms with one another. I will cut all ties with you, and you shall be no more to me than a man I once respected. Do I make myself clear?”

Autmaran’s eyes grew wider and wider as Raven continued, and when he was finished, the Major looked half offended and half ashamed. Was it possible he hadn’t understood just what position such an act would put them all in?

He doesn’t know about the prophecy. He was trying to do right with what information he had … let it go.

The tension left him, and Raven sighed. He opened his mouth to soften the statement, but Autmaran stepped back, bowed his head in a formal farewell, and left without saying another word.

Great. Just perfect.

“There he is – the man of the hour!”

Raven turned at the sound of Davydd’s voice, and saw Elder Goldwyn approaching, Tomaz close by his side to ward off the bulk of the Kindred enthusiasm. Goldwyn didn’t seem to mind though – he had a smile and a cheerful wave for each Exile who called to him or caught his eye.

Leah and Davydd went to him and embraced the man. They made an odd trio – Goldwyn was taller than either of his children, and while they all moved with the same strange, liquid grace, there was little if any physical resemblance.

That makes sense though,
Raven thought to him.
I don’t know about Davydd, but Leah is his adopted daughter, that I know for certain. Her blood parents are among the Most High who reside in Tyne.

Goldwyn was smiling broadly around at them all, looking both proud and surprised.

Did he know the nomination was coming?
Raven asked, but then dismissed the thought. It was true that he and Crane seemed to be friends, but not everything could be planned out.

Oddly coincidental though that the Forum got called by Autmaran barely a day and a half after I was inducted into the Kindred. Crane and Autmaran couldn’t have worked more in concert if they had tried. Wait …

A series of pieces fell into place and Raven saw the whole picture. Crane not telling Warryn Raven and the others were waiting outside the tent, Crane convincing Raven to join the Kindred, Crane promoting Autmaran to Major so that he had the power to call a Forum. This whole time the man had been working toward one goal – replacing Warryn. It made sense – assuming he’d been honest when they’d spoken about the man, Crane was no fan of the former Elder.

He knew someone, most likely Autmaran, would call a Forum to elect a Prince,
Raven thought, marveling at the long-term thinking that went into orchestrating something like this.
And he knew that if a Forum were to be called, he’d have a chance to replace Warryn while the man’s disgrace was still fresh in the minds of the people. Even before that – was it he who had Ishmael insist I come report to the Elders, knowing I’d been wounded? Did he plan on me losing my temper? Could he have played all of this just to make Goldwyn Elder of State?

But then why Goldwyn? Was it because the former General was a good leader, or was it because he would be in Crane’s pocket?

“The solemn, brooding one over there is Raven,” Tomaz rumbled.

Raven looked up and saw them all looking at him and realized he’d been so caught up in his own thoughts he hadn’t been following the conversation.

“I know the name, though not the face,” Goldwyn said, watching him with a studious look. His eyes were almost entirely gray, with only the barest hint of green that seemed to shift and change with each angle of the light. But the force behind those eyes was what made them remarkable, and as they rested on Raven’s own, he could feel a tangible pressure on him, a weight of consciousness. This man had power to him, just as Crane did.

We should never have under-estimated the Kindred,
Raven thought ruefully. Having met more than one man like this among them, it was hard to believe the thought throughout the Empire was still that the Exiled Kindred were no more than a ragtag band of rebels too cowardly to come out and fight.

“It is good to meet you,” Raven said stiffly, awkwardly. He was still trying to understand how to be formal without coming off as arrogant. He didn’t think he was quite doing as well as he could, but he supposed stiff and awkward was better than offensive and boorish.

“It is good to meet you as well,” the man replied, watching Raven with a strange, unreadable expression, almost as if he were examining something in a shop, trying to make up his mind if he wanted to buy it.

“Congratulations as well,” Raven said, not knowing what else to say. “You seem to be a popular person among the people.”

“Popular now that none of them are my students,” Goldwyn said, his eyes never leaving Raven’s. “When most of them had me as a teacher they didn’t seem so glad to see me most days.”

“Elder Goldwyn!”

They turned to see Elder Crane beckoning, a serious look on his face.

“I must go,” Goldwyn said, looking over his shoulder. “It seems my official duties have already begun.”

“We’ll meet you at the manor?” Leah asked.

“Yes indeed,” Goldwyn said, nodding emphatically. He turned to Raven again. “You are of course welcome as well. I know my daughter is quite fond of you – any friend of hers is welcome in my home.”

“I don’t know if
fond
is the right word,” Leah muttered, shrugging wearily. “But he could be worse.”

“I accept the offer,” Raven said, still feeling completely at sea in this strangely informal, yet formal setting. It was awkward beyond belief – this was why people had rules and customs about social interactions. It made things so much easier to navigate!

“I look forward to speaking with the farther of Leah and Davydd,” he continued, trying to slip a compliment into the conversation so that it wasn’t a total disaster. “They seem very knowledgeable on a wide variety of topics. I’m sure their upbringing is much of a credit to you.”

“Hah!”

The sound shocked him, and he looked at Leah who was smirking at him.

“Where’s the proud Prince of the Realm who wouldn’t give out a compliment if his life depended on it?” She asked, her green eyes laughing at him “Surely you can’t be him.”

“Let him be,” Goldwyn said softly, smiling indulgently at her.

“Though, I do have to ask … you have explained to him that I’m not
really
your father, correct?”

“Wait,” Davydd said slowly, his lower lips quivering dramatically. “You’re … you’re not my
real father?
”

He turned and ran into the crowd, waving his hands over his head, wailing loudly. Lorna followed with a husky chuckle, her straw-colored bowl-cut hair swirling around her wide head as she broke into an easy trot.

“Yeah we covered that,” Leah confirmed.

“Good,” Goldwyn said, before he turned to go, bidding them farewell once more.

Raven followed Leah and Tomaz as they grabbed their horses and made their way into the city proper once more, away from the Odeon. The two of them were talking amiably, about small things of little consequence, while Raven stewed in his own thoughts. But when the conversation lulled, he broke in.