‘Henrik’ he called. ‘I must go and return Ragni to his family. You have command ‘til I get back. I will be leaving as soon as the Loremaster reports back and will be gone for the rest of the day and probably tomorrow’
Jemryn put up his hand. ‘Preceptor. My mother will be here soon. She said she would call on you in the early afternoon.’ The Preceptor’s shoulders sank. ‘any other messages for me?’
‘Yes Preceptor’ replied Jemryn. ‘The armourer will make you seven halberds and meet you for an ale to discuss weapons for Bria and the others. He doubts they will be effective with the halberds.’
‘That’s actually what he said?’ the Preceptor raised one eyebrow.
‘No Preceptor’ said Jemryn. ‘He called you an old goat and said the halberds would be a mite heavy for the lasses. I was trying not to say that though!’
In spite of the tragic circumstances, Sir Anders nearly choked trying to stop himself from laughing and the trainees smirked but the rest of the knights managed to cover their mouths with their hands.
The Preceptor scowled. ‘Go to the kitchens and get some sweet pastries and cold drinks for your mother.’ He pointed to one of the guard recruits. ‘Heikki, go and fetch a clean stoppered vial and scalpel from the infirmary so that the Lore Master can have his sample as safely as maybe. When the duchess arrives, I will be in the refectory. Once all is straight, get back to training. I will leave tomorrow.’
Nia cautiously peer around the door of the of the side room where Camryn had been put into a bed. Camryn was lying still, completely unconscious, but the rise and fall of the blanket covering her showed she was still alive. Bria and Adeline were sitting on the side of the bed watching her, but turned their heads when the door moved and their mouths dropped open in shock.
‘You’re wearing armour.’ hissed Adeline.
‘Yes I …’
‘Ladies. If you don’t mind!’ Duchess Vaalea, an imposing blonde woman had marched through the infirmary door and was heading towards them. ‘I will see to the care of my daughter. I will send you news when I have some.’ She pointed back the way she had come. ‘Out! Now!’
* * * * * * *
It wasn’t soon that the duchess arrived. It was over an hour later; Nia and Sir Lars had ridden out with the poisoned weapon and the rest of the recruits were back in the Southern Hall drilling with quarterstaffs. Jemryn was sitting and twiddling his thumbs in the corner of the refectory when she arrived and jumped to his feet as she walked in.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
‘Preceptor, you wished to speak to me’
‘Ah your grace, good of you to find time to come.’
Jemryn’s mother looked at him for a moment before answering. ‘If the rumours are true, it’s not my time that is scarce at the moment. I hear two of the recruits have been killed.’
The Preceptor looked sombre. ‘Unfortunately, one of the recruits has died and another is ill, but we are hoping for her full recovery.’
The duchess gave him a hard look. ‘And Gloria’s return?’
The Preceptor smiled faintly. ‘That’s Lady Nia in armour she found in the women’s barracks. Not yet quite as fierce as Gloria was reputed to be.’
‘And where do I fit into this pretty pickle?’ the duchess wanted to know ‘I’ll not be going into some dark hole that hasn’t been investigated for centuries and yes I do know about the legends and the enchantment.’
‘Your grace is ahead of me’ The Preceptor inclined his head. ‘But I actually want your advice on matters horticultural. Let us go through to the garden. Jemryn, please come with us’
The duchess blinked in surprise but followed the Preceptor out into the garden.
The Preceptor closed the doors behind them and led the way to the benches in the centre of the garden.
‘Have you heard of the queen’s tears?’ he asked.
She nodded. ‘That was a garden on the mountainside above here with pools of water that were reputedly bottomless. They were filled in fifty years ago or more, after two royal children were found drowned.’
‘We need those pools back.’ said the Preceptor. ‘They were the windows for the women’s barracks. It would look very odd if the Dragon’s guard took up gardening but your expertise in horticulture is well known. It would also sit better if you were to petition the king to restore the gardens, rather than the guard.’
‘He may not agree to the project.’ The duchess sounded doubtful.
‘I think you’ll find the king amenable to the suggestion.’ The Preceptor looked at her carefully, trying to judge whether this approach was going to work. ‘As you know, the Dragon’s guard is not a wealthy order, but I have been assured that certain assets could be made available to pay for the work.’
The duchess narrowed her eyes. ‘What sort of assets? I would need to assess them before I could agree. I should say that Farrenreed don’t deal in knowledge or information. This back water has so little of either that it’s not worth trading in.’
The Preceptor laughed. ‘Your husband is not the only shrewd trader in your household it would seem.’ He put his hand inside his breastplate and pulled out the parchment that Jemryn had seen before breakfast and unfolded it. At the bottom of the letter was a seal with a single blue crystal pushed into it.
The duchess’ mouth dropped open. ‘Is that a diamond?’
The Preceptor nodded. ‘I think it about a carat. This should be enough to get the work underway. Yes?’
‘Oh indeed, underway and done. Preceptor.’ The Duchess reached out and plucked the diamond from the seal. ‘I will have it assayed today, and should it be good, I will see the king tomorrow.’
She stood to leave and Jemryn blurted out ‘Preceptor, the book!’
The Preceptor nodded to Jemryn ‘Your son tells me of a book in Farrenreed that details some new innovations in siege warfare. As a student of martial arts myself, I would be grateful if you could loan it to me for a short while. At your convenience of course.’
The duchess shrugged. ‘It was an asset to be traded, but Jemryn was fascinated so we kept it. I will send for it. A courier leaves tomorrow and will bring the book on his return; he will be back in a week.’