To Be Chosen (26 page)

The man was obnoxious and Daniel smiled, he had been underestimated by people far more powerful than this puffed up jackal. “Does being born a prince make up for yours?” he answered. Silvia chuckled and Sir Carlo smiled just a crack.

Xavier’s face flushed red and he turned to Sir Carlo. “I can see why you are his watcher. The young man is still not out of training.”

“Diplomacy is not yet his strongest quality so it is probably best for all concern
ed if we stay in recognized boundaries,” Sir Carlo replied evenly.

The Pentrosan prince chuckled. “Boundaries, I think it is you Ducaunans who have a problem with boundaries. I seem to remember a map where everything north of
Mount Geble and all of the area around the Taltin Sea belonged to Pentrosa,”

Daniel laughed. “Only in your fanciful dreams, Ducaun has always held its borders, and will continue to do so.”

Xavier smirked. “You can take the mountaineer off the mountain but you still have a person only half educated,” he said and touched the sword at his hip. “Perhaps I will have leisure to give a lesson or two.”

The thought of going a few rounds in the practice arena with this flatlander had a certain appeal and Daniel looked forward to thumping him a few times with a wooden sword. “Swatting you in the rump is not going to change the facts, but if you want ..,”

“But Sir Daniel has urgent business and has no more time to mingle tonight,” Sir Carlo finished for him, and then actually pulled him away so fast Silvia had to hike up her dress and jog to keep up. The prince just stood there laughing.

Sir Carlo escorted them out into the plaza where people were dancing and an orchestra played
Felsum’s Fifth Overture, which caused Daniel to remember the concert he, Tim, Sherree, Samuel, and Jerremy performed for the cavalry escorting him to Aakadon.

“That was almost a no-win situation for you and Ducaun,” the Knight said after coming to a stop in a vacant corner.

“I was just going to offer to go a few practice rounds with him,” Daniel replied, and was a little annoyed at being rushed away like a child.

“I know; which is why I pulled you out of there. He was goading you into challenging him to a duel,” Sir Carlo explained.

Daniel laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That little man couldn’t hurt me if his life depended on it.”

“I agree, and that is part of the problem. When you are in that uniform, you officially represent the Queen of Ducaun. An official representative of Ducaun issuing a challenge to an official representative of Pentrosa, if you fight him, and hurt him even just a little, it would have severe consequences that could set back years of negotiations that have kept our two kingdoms from going to war,” Sir Carlo told him.

“Why would he want to provoke a war?” Daniel wanted to know. The prince, unpleasant as he was, knew the stakes better than him.

“He doesn’t want war. He wants to have a grievance to bring up at the Board of Inter
-kingdom Relations. He never mentioned the type of lesson he would teach and would claim touching the hilt of his sword was inadvertent. You would be seen as the aggressor,” Sir Carlo explained.

“Oh,” Daniel replied, feeling way out of his depths.

“You will learn these things in time. And just so you know, Prince Xavier was correct. The Suteck Empire did hold the boundaries he described, ending about two thousand years ago, after lasting nearly five centuries. Paul Tarsheese, a Grand Maestro put an end to it and had the old boundaries restored. We have held ours ever since, but some folks on the Pentrosan side still harbor fantasies of taking the land back and re-establishing the empire,” Sir Carlo educated him.

“So thumping him on the rear with a practice sword wouldn’t have made me right,” Daniel said. He raised his hand when it looked like the older Knight was going to belabor the previous point. “I understand, and will not let him goad me any furthe
r.”

Sir Carlo glanced back toward the reception hall. “I have to meet with some people, so enjoy yourself and try not to get into any duels.” He said it with a smile, but his tone of voice indicated he was serious.

“I think the prince could use a good thumping,” Silvia remarked, after the Knight walked away. “He didn’t even acknowledge me.”

“Being acknowledged by a hound would be more meaningful,” Daniel replied.

Silvia smiled. “I can’t argue with that.”

“I think my knightly duty has been satisfied for the evening. Let’s go by the Excursion so I can change into my blue suit, and then we can grab Jared and eat with your troop,” Daniel suggested.

“Well, if you’re changing clothes, then I am too. My regular clothes are better suited for riding out to the wagons, unless the carriage you rented takes us there,” Silvia was quick to reply.

Daniel wanted to be out of his knightly garb and into clothes that did not make him stand out in the crowd. The coat and hat the Teki had given him along with the shirt and pants Jared purchased would do nicely. “I want to ride Sprinter. He’s been stabled for two days.”

“Jared might be a little disappointed. I think he likes riding in carriages.”

“I think you’re right, but he loves Sandstorm, so I don’t think he will mind,” Daniel replied, and escorted her out of the palace to where the coachmen stood ready to assist those who were arriving and departing.

---------------------------

Vance Cummin sat in his cherry wood-paneled office. The surface of his desk was covered with reports and hundreds of amulets were in the drawers. To his right, on a side table, was
a golden crown on the front of which was a sapphire-eyed cobra poised to strike. Inside the circle of the crown were communication-infused gemstones, three rubies, two emeralds, two diamonds, and five sapphires, one of which was flat with a round diamond set in it. Double gemmed amulets were rare, but not unheard of.

“Are you hearing me?” the voice of Prince Xavier sounded in his head. The man always began these reports with the same question.

“Yes, Highness, what news have you from the court of Ducuan?”

“I met Sir Daniel earlier.”

“What was your impression?” Vance sent back. He had to remind himself to be patient with commoners because they simply did not understand the workings of a communication amulet.

“Without his Aakacarn powers, he is nothing more than a backwoods mountaineer. It is obvious his Queen took pity on him, giving him a noble title and a uniform, but he is still only a half educated commoner, yet the peasants refer to him as the Chosen Vessel,” the Pentrosan sent.

Vance already knew Daniel Benhannon was safely out of the way. Tarin Conn had appeared in a dream and warned him to avoid confrontations with the young man. The Supreme Maestro no longer seemed to have any desire to recruit the Ducaunan, but indicated there were ways the young man could be of future use to the guild. Tarin Conn had plans within plans and would disclose them at his pleasure. Meanwhile Vance had plans of his own.

“Your information is valuable,” Vance always told the prince even if the information was trivial. “I think you should start your journey home soon.”

“Does this mean my father has rejected your proposal?” Xavier sent back.

“He and your two brothers do not see, nor can they perceive the benefit of cooperation with me and my associates. They are satisfied with the status quo. You, on the other hand, have the vision to see how Pentrosa can gain greater glory,” Vance sent in response.

“The Suteck Empire rising from antiquity to once again be the mightiest of the nations,” Xavier sent with undertones of euphoria and exaltation. This was the man’s dream and he would agree to almost anything to make it a reality, which is what Vance was counting on.

“Don’t you mean, the Suchen Empire?”

Waves of excited emotions flowed through the link. “That does have a better sound to it,” the prince agreed.

“Then, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. By the time you arrive home, King Jarred Suchen will have fallen from his balcony and broken his neck. Prince Romin will have died in a hunting accident. It seems one of his friends will loose an arrow and the wind will take it slightly off course and strike your eldest brother and heir to the throne in the neck, killing him fairly quickly. Prince Xaan will have plunged to his death off
Jerdin Falls after his horse panics and they both go over the edge, leaving you heir to the throne.”

“That is sad news. One wonders what the Serpent Guild gets out of this,” the Prince sent, and suspicion flowed through the link along with the words.

“We get a strong ally, one who will be on the right side when the Chosen Vessel rises from Kelgotha. His coming is eminent and those who are faithful will be in his favor, while those who resist will face his wrath. The Supreme Maestro’s victory was never in doubt but it is assured after he maneuvered Efferin Tames into Silencing the other Chosen Vessel,” Vance replied, his last sentence being an out right lie. Tarin Conn had not planned what occurred, but he did warn the foolish young Accomplished what would happen if he placed his trust in the Grand Maestro of Aakadon.

“You mean that woodsman is the Chosen Vessel?”

“His bite was poisonous enough to kill Balen Tamm, but now he has been defanged, and is unable to defend himself against even the weakest Aakacarn. The first time he ever touched a sword was probably when his Queen handed him one, which means he is not even a threat to a common soldier. Even so, my associates and I will continue to keep track of his doings,” Vance sent.

“I have a sudden desire to head back to my homeland,” Xavier sent, alo
ng with a sense of merriment.

“I will see you at your coronation,” Vance replied.

The contact ended and Rex Badger entered the office. The slender Ducaunan was recruited from the Mount Geble region thirty years ago at the age of five. His irises were black and impossible to distinguish from his pupils. His brown suit, white shirt, and gold cufflinks caused everyone to believe he was an account keeper.  “I understand you have an assignment for me,” he said in a soft tenor.

“Yes, some people need to die,” Vance told him while rising from his chair and donning his black and crimson cloak.

If he had been at Serpent North, he would have been wearing the gold on black silks only a Three-both Accomplished of the Serpent Guild was permitted to put on. Here, in the residence of the Accomplished of Holcum, the capital of Pentrosa, the raiment of an Accomplished of Aakadon must be worn.

The Two-bolt Accomplished smiled, clearly he enjoyed his profession. “Is Prince Xavier among them?”

“Come, walk with me and I will give you the details,” Vance told him and led the way out of his office.

The building constructed by the Stone Guild had twenty stories, each ten cubits high, and a giant golden eagle on the roof staring down as if ready to swoop onto unwary prey. He went down the red carpeted hall and into a room where a One-bolt Accomplished
, a stout swarthy fellow,
native of Aczencopa with light brown eyes,
held ten people captive, each suspended above the floor and wrapped in bonds of solidified air.

“Xavier will be replaced if he attempts to reveal my allegiance to
Tarin Conn, otherwise leave him be. I made a mutually beneficial deal with him and as long as he keeps his part, he is to remain healthy,” Vance replied and then focused on the tenth person suspended in the air; a One-bolt Accomplished of the Sun Guild. Her flame red hair framed a freckled face and her green eyes were blazing in fury. “Sandra, it is unfortunate you uncovered certain truths about where my true loyalties lay.”

She spat, but the spittle fell well short of her target. “How could you a Senior Soarer, serve the Dark Maestro?”

“I am a practical man. My goals coincide with those of the Supreme Maestro and I am proud of my mental link to him. He is the Chosen Vessel and the most powerful Accomplished in the history of the world. Do you know I will virtually live forever by casting his Ageless Melody? The one used in Aakadon must be cast annually, grants the caster to live a mere two or three centuries while Tarin Conn’s need only be cast once every century, and the caster can live perpetually. And that is only one of the benefits of serving him. The other is power. You are looking at the next Maestro of the Serpent Guild,” Vance said, having no qualms about sharing his reasons with her.

“You are corrupted,” she replied, as if she actually exp
ected her retort to affect him.

“On the contrary, it is the fools in Aakadon who have corrupted the heritage of all Aakacarns. Jupiter, Apollo,
Ra, Isis, and our other ancient ancestors never had a problem ruling the commoners, but under the rules of Aakadon, we must guide and protect the ignorant weaklings. The Supreme Maestro is only looking to restore our race to the glory it once held.”

“Our purpose was to watch and care for the weaker races, not rule over them, and especially not be worshipped by them, which is why our ancestors were banished from the earth and given this second chance on a new world to be what we were created to be. The very ancestors you speak of were the ones who established Aakadon and the seven guilds,” she argued, with the same religious dogma perpetuated in the Aakacarn city. There was no point belaboring the issue and he had no time for debating over whose point of view was correct.