The return to Redspire was far faster than his journey out.
Part of that was the fact that Matt was riding out with only his lifeguard to return. He had planned to leave the Irregulars with Grufen, just in case the Frost Elves weren’t quite as beaten as he had assumed. With those reinforcements, the newly minted Margrave would be more than capable of pushing into Winterfast, even with the poor weather and limited supplies. One way or the other, the northern rebellion’s days were numbered.
Matt also didn’t feel like he needed to watch for ambushes along the road now, so an escorting army seemed a bit excessive. Besides, he wanted to see how much the workers had gotten done while he’d been gone.
The road back to Redspire was just as cold and unpleasant as he had remembered. While it still hadn’t snowed, the wind was cold enough to blow straight through his cloak and armor, chilling him enough that he half-suspected that there were Winterknights attacking from the woods. His lifeguard shivered and grumbled in their saddles whenever they came to a stop. None of them complained at the fast pace he set them, hoping to outrun any potential assassins that might have tried coming after him in the open.
All in all, the journey only took a pair of days. In fact, he saw the walls of Redspire rising over the trees just before noon on the second day, with the bridge finally coming into view just after they’d taken a break for lunch.
It wasn’t a bad bridge, all things considered. The construction spanned the River Crimson and led to the city’s northern gate, where there was a small fort that served to guard the entrance. It was wide enough for two or three carts to rumble across it at the same time, side by side, though the normal flow of traffic usually restricted it to two lines, one going in and one going out. Even during winter, there were plenty of both leaving and entering the city, though the flow snarled and jammed as the traders and workmen paused to rubberneck his lifeguard while they rode past, traveling up the center.
He caught sight of the guards on top of the wall moving around. They’d probably sent a messenger to the palace the moment he had appeared on the road, but he wasn’t going to wait for someone to come fetch him. There wasn’t time for a grand parade now; besides, he was tired of freezing out in the snow when he could have a warm bath waiting for him in the castle.
All things considered, it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Gorfeld appeared out of the crowds to join his retinue. “Sire. Welcome back to Redspire.”
“Glad to be home, Gorfeld.” He glanced down at the Imp and grinned. “How have things been going since I left? Anything on fire?”
The Imp shook his head. “No, sire. At least, not technically on fire, really.”
Matt sighed. He should have known that things had been going too well. “All right, then, let’s hear it. What’s going on?”
“We’ve received some news from the Sortenmoors. The conflict there is beginning to slow down. Our forces are having more difficulty intercepting Teblas’ supplies, and they report he has started to build strongholds throughout the territory. It may indicate he is close to securing actual control of the Sortenmoors.”
Matt grimaced. Ever since the rebellions had started, he had hoped that Teblas would have been kept busy and worn down by the continued fighting in the Sortenmoors. As disputed territory, it was an inherently valuable spot; the rebel could easily trade it to the hostile Alliance of Light for support. Even if Teblas simply continued to hold it, he would represent a threat to the entire southern part of the Kingdom.
Unfortunately, it seemed like the initial chaos Matt had managed to provoke by promising his own partisans freeholdership for fighting against the rebels had run its course. He’d need to deal with Teblas directly now, rather than continuing to ignore him. “What about the Alliance of Light? Have they made an appearance?”
“It appears they are still gathering their forces and supplies, sire. Our last reports put most of their armies well south of the Sortenmoors, but that will likely change once spring begins.”
Which gave him roughly eight weeks to get ready for an invasion that would make Hethwellow’s absolute disaster of an attempt look like a clumsy, fumbling mob. The southern Alliance had apparently gathered nearly forty banners of troops, easily two or three times what Matt would be able to muster. Unless Matt came up with some better strategy than ‘hope the Alliance gave up their invasion out of charity,’ it wasn’t going to be a pleasant spring.
He shook his head. “Is there anything else?”
“There are a few more minor problems. The Speakers have established a camp east of the city, and have been inviting children to listen to them. Some of the city’s Low Folk and nobility have complained about it, saying the children are neglecting their work.”
Matt grimaced. “Sounds like a problem for the Council, not me.”
Gorfeld grinned. “True, but I believe they expect you to weigh in on the matter, especially since you invited the Speakers back to the capitol in the first place.” The steward shrugged and continued. “Some of the residents of the city have complained about the ongoing construction work. Apparently, Parufeth has disrupted some of the usual business of the city by digging new channels and building new tunnels for your projects. They have submitted complaints to you about the matter.”
“Great.” Matt rubbed at his forehead. “Don’t we have a Magistrate who can hear those complaints?”
“We do, but seeing as you are Parufeth’s employer, you are involved in the matter.” Then Gorfeld sighed. “There is also a new group of emissaries from the Western Coalition. They apparently have a proposal for you, which they wished to present to you personally.”
Matt eyed his steward skeptically. “You’re sure that it is actually them this time? It’s not another group of assassins using poor Ambassador Paralus as a cover, right?”
“We’ve been careful to make sure, sire. We even checked with Paralus himself, and he endorsed them.” Gorfeld pulled out a small scrap of parchment. “There are around twelve of them, and they’ve been waiting in Paralus’ apartments for your return.”
He blinked, trying to think through the possibilities. It wasn’t likely that the Western Coalition was looking for a military alliance with his Kingdom; it had been a minor miracle that he’d managed to avoid a war with them, just a few weeks ago. More likely, they were interested in some kind of trade agreement or diplomatic exchange.
Matt didn’t know why they would need to wait for his personal attendance, however. Paralus should have been able to inform them that the Great Council was more than capable of making treaties or negotiating trade. Why delay things until he was present? Was it some kind of trap?
Then he snorted and shook his head. Being a king was making him too paranoid. Assassins and enemies couldn’t be literally everywhere, even in this place.
“Send a messenger to the ambassadors to let them know that I am back and let them know I should have time to speak with them tomorrow. For now, is the truce with the Noble Races holding?”
Gorfeld nodded, his expression betraying a hint of surprise at the question. “Of course, sire. We released their prisoners as planned some time ago, and Margrave Morteth escorted them all the way to the border. He’s still there with a handful of banners, making sure that the first scheduled tributes are delivered and guarded appropriately. I believe that the first payments should arrive within the next day.”
Matt let out a relieved sigh. The pressure on the treasury would lessen at that point, which would be crucial. With the war ending in the north as well, things were finally looking up. If only he could finish the foundation for his magic as well…
Matt waited for the representatives from the Western Coalition in his throne room.
It was a grand chamber, and one that had seen more than its share of dramatic incidents throughout the history of the Kingdom. His own reign had seen a few of them, from his coronation and the initial declarations of rebellion and war, to the moment he’d taken Melren into his service, to the time he’d initially received the first ambassadors from the same Coalition he meant to meet today.
He only wished that it was not quite so… grim a place. The red stained glass filled the room with light the color of blood, and the throne itself was built of some dark metal that could have been ripped from an evil empire in a storybook. Much of the rest of the room was just as grim and unwelcoming as the windows. When he had first come here, there had been no chairs or anything else, just carved columns and distant tapestries.
At least he’d managed to change a small amount of that. He’d installed a small table—by royal standards, at least—with enough chairs to handle any embassy that was sent to his Kingdom. All the better, he’d be able to welcome them from the throne and then take a far more comfortable seat at the table.
The doors opened, and the lifeguard stationed all around the room tensed in response. A familiarly dressed group walked through the doors, led by Ambassador Paralus himself.
Matt could see that the past few weeks had not been kind to the young Wizard. He’d always struck Matt as something of an idealist, someone so dedicated to his ideals that reality had a tendency of springing unpleasant surprises on him. All the same, his devotion to the peace between the Kingdom and the Coalition had always seemed genuine, and he had been continually impressed by the construction projects that Matt had sponsored.
Now, however, the ambassador appeared to have been missing sleep. Perhaps his fledgling attempts at espionage had robbed him of a good night’s rest; Matt felt a little smug about that fact. If the guy wanted to sleep soundly, he just needed to not poke his nose in the Kingdom’s business.
The rest of the ambassadors were representatives from across the Western Coalition. A Knight from the Order of the Boar, a Dwarf from the Clan of Rust, a trio of Elves from the tribes that bordered the lands of Grufen’s own territory…and finally, another Wizard, from the Circle of Echoes. Arguably the nation that had started this whole mess, by running to Earth in an attempt to escape the Red Sorceress. If they hadn’t made that leap, Matt wouldn’t have stumbled across them, he wouldn’t have shot the Red Sorceress when she tried to kill one of them, and he wouldn’t have ended up a King.
It was hard, sometimes, not to resent them for that fact.
All the same, Matt waited until they had arranged themselves before the throne and bowed. He acknowledged them with a nod of the head and then rose from the throne. “Welcome to Redspire. I am glad you were able to wait until I returned to the city.”
Paralus glanced at the others before he answered. “It was no trouble at all, King Matthew. In fact, I am grateful for your decision to receive us. These representatives have come from the Coalition with a proposition that may interest you.”
Matt turned to regard the visitors, examining them for a moment. “Then I am glad to receive them as well. Let’s sit.”
He led them over to the table. The lifeguard stirred again, a handful of them stepping closer as the representatives drew close to their seats. Matt settled them back into place with a glance and then gestured for the newcomers to sit. Paralus chose the seat closest to Matt’s left hand, while the representative from the Knights chose the one at his right. All the rest settled in at the other seats, with the second Wizard taking the seat directly across from Matt.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
With a calm that belied the way his heart was pounding in his chest, Matt sat in his own seat, grateful for the cushions that padded it in comparison to the cold metal throne he’d just left. “Now, let’s hear this proposal. I believe our current truce has served both our peoples well. Is there something more we can do to help one another?”
Paralus hesitated, glancing again at the other Wizard. Matt looked in that direction as well, realizing that Paralus was probably not the deciding authority among the representatives in the room, and the other Wizard smiled slightly. “You are correct that the truce between us has been beneficial to us both. Your word has proved reliable and true, and it has avoided what would have certainly been a catastrophe had we declared war on one another.”
As a King who was not interested in yet another war on another of his borders, Matt nodded, and then gestured for the Wizard to continue.
“As such, King Matthew, our rulers have sent us with the mission of establishing a lasting peace between the Kingdom of Iron and the Western Coalition.”
Matt froze. It was everything that he could have ever wanted.
He didn’t want to be fighting any of these people. There was nothing he could gain from them by war that he couldn’t gain just from being able to sit in place for a few years and build things. If everyone around him would just leave him alone, he thought he could get this place to the point where anyone who was made a king of the place would have nothing but boredom to worry about. The idea that one of his primary neighbors was just offering to do exactly that, out of nowhere at all, was an absolute miracle.
It took a moment of struggle not to leap out of his seat to kiss the stuffy old Wizard right on the mouth. Another moment gave him enough calm to speak with the due decorum the situation demanded. “I… would be highly interested in this possibility. I have never seen the need for hostility between the Kingdom and the Coalition, and I believe that once we have a declared peace, we might even have the chance to explore options of trade and other matters. If your rulers have seen the benefit in that future as well, then I believe we will have a lot to celebrate soon.”
The Wizard grinned, and something about it set off a few alarm bells in Matt’s mind. “I am grateful to see that you are just as dedicated to this ideal as we are. Of course, I understand that your… Great Council, I believe it is called? That your Great Council will need to review the terms and lend their wisdom to the conditions of the treaty.”
Matt nodded slowly. “They will. While I remain King of the realm, I respect the traditions and insight that the nobility provide, but I believe they will see the same potential for prosperity that I do.” At least, they would if they knew what was good for them.
“Then we seek your permission to address the Council, so that we can present the terms of the treaty to them.” The Wizard’s smile widened slightly, in a way that made Matt a little more uneasy. A glance to the side told him that Paralus was sinking back into his seat a little. Why wasn’t the younger Wizard excited about the possibility of a peace treaty? Before now, he would have expected Paralus to be butting in with overly-pacifistic demands about reductions in armies and disarmament. Now he just sat low in his chair and suspiciously avoided Matt’s gaze.
Matt turned back to the head of the table, his eyes narrowing slightly. Things were going too well. Was this some kind of assassination attempt, after all? Or was there some kind of poison mixed in with the candy here? “You are welcome to address the Council at your earliest convenience. I can send them a message so that they can make time for your negotiations.” Then he paused and tilted his head to one side. “Was there anything else you needed from me?”
The representatives shifted slightly, but the Wizard at their head merely nodded in what seemed like a friendly manner. “Only one more thing. In the interest of our continued friendship, and the peace between our peoples, we have brought you a gift.” He turned and gestured to where a page was waiting beside the outer doors. The Knight stepped through the doors, and Matt felt his unease increase. This time, when the lifeguard shifted in their posts, he didn’t bother looking in their direction.
“It has come to our attention that you have had…difficulty in finding an appropriate Consort among those you rule.” Matt’s attention snapped back to the Wizard, who seemed far too self-satisfied about something. His heart beat faster as the man continued. “It can be a lonely task, to rule alone among strangers. For this reason, we have sought out a solution for you, to ease your burdens. We hope this act can cement our friendship and the peace we both seek.”
Matt opened his mouth to explain, in what he hoped was a calm and controlled manner, that the choice of his Consort was no business of anyone but himself. Before he could, though, he heard someone speak from where another small group of ambassadors had stepped through the doors.
“Holy shit, are you human?”
His head turned back to the door so quickly his vision almost blurred.
There was a woman standing in front of the doors.
She was dressed in a medieval style dress, something fashioned from rich red cloth and a moderate amount of white lace. Her long black hair fell in thick tresses down her back, and she stood about his same height. None of that mattered nearly as much as her dark brown eyes, both of which were fixed on him, and both of which looked entirely, impossibly human. The pupils were normal sized, he could see the whites without her looking to the sides, and the way she stood…
Matt rose from his seat without realizing it. There was something so right about her, about the way she stood and stared at him. It was like the people around him had just been acting, impersonating actual human beings so poorly that the difference was so brutal and clear that he could never even hope to deny it. At the same time, it was so hard to define that he couldn’t pinpoint the differences exactly; he could have spent an entire month trying to find the words, and would have come no closer than when he started.
The woman stepped forward, her face desperate—it was so easy to read the emotions on her face—only for the lifeguards at her side to reach out and stop her. She glanced at them and then looked back at Matt with something close to panic. “Look, I don’t know what these things are, and you’re the first human I’ve seen since I got here. They keep saying things, but I don’t understand—”
She cut off as the Wizard at the head of the table spoke. “As you can see, King Matthew, she is a woman from your home world. We are sure that she will meet your expectations far more than any… individual that your own subjects could present to you here. I am sure—”
“Paralus.” The Wizard cut off, and a subtle ache started between Matt’s eyes. He looked over at the younger Wizard, intentionally ignoring the more senior visitor. “I… appreciate the gift you’ve sought to give me, and I can accept her as a… servant in my court, but I am sworn not to accept a Consort until my land is at peace. I will speak with her in order to determine how best she can serve my Kingdom.”
The older Wizard tried to speak up again. “King Matthew—”
“Unfortunately, I have work to do now, for the sake of my people. You may bring these representatives to your apartments and bring them before the Great Council to discuss the treaty. I may also call on you over a separate matter.” He kept his voice light, but the way Paralus’ face drained of color told him that the ambassador had read the appropriate meaning in his words.
Then, keeping his expression locked down and his voice neutral, Matt looked around the rest of the table. “Thank you again, for your visit, your intentions for peace, and for your… gift. May you find everything in Redspire that you were looking for.”
He stood, and the visiting ambassadors stared at him in a mixture of surprise and unease. Then Paralus jerked up and out of his seat, leading the others to follow suit. The ambassador bowed low. “Thank you for your time, King Matthew. I will wait for your summons.”
He gave the others a brief, but serious, look before he led them out of the room. The woman—the human woman—watched them go with more traces of desperation, but they didn’t look at her at all. When the last of them stepped through the door, Matt looked to the lifeguards. “Guard the door and let go of her arms. One of you go get Melren and Gorfeld. Now.”
The lifeguards took one look at him and then sprang into action. Both of the Orcs holding the woman’s arms jerked back as if she had been lit on fire, and an Imp and a Goblin near the door darted out of the door at a flat sprint. Those who remained in the room began to search every nook and cranny, as if scouring the place for signs of a threat.
For her part, the woman just watched, staring around at the armed and armored Orcs, Goblins, Imps, and Gnomes. She waited for a moment longer, as if to make sure that the lifeguards weren’t going to come closer to her. Then she looked at Matt.
“Who are you? Why am I here? Where is this place, anyway?”
Matt looked at her, and then sat back down. He braced his elbows on the table and started massaging his own forehead with his hands. “My name is Matthew Irons. You’re in a place called Redspire. As for why you are here…”
He paused, searching for the words. The woman spoke before he could manage it. “Did you say something about a Consort before? Because if that’s why I’m here, I swear, I’m going to—”
“No! No. At least, that’s not what I want at all.” Matt leaned back in his chair, looking back up at the ceiling. “The people who brought you here were trying to mess with the people who live in this place, and they thought they could do that by bringing you here and giving you to me.” She opened her mouth, clearly ready to respond to it, and he spoke faster than she could start yelling. “I’m not going to go along with it! I’ll find something else for you to do, some paperwork or something, at least until I can get you home. I didn’t want you here, and I’m sorry you were kidnapped, but we’re going to fix this.”
She stared at him, her eyebrow twitching slightly. Then she spoke in a voice full of gritted teeth and barely restrained shouting. “And how exactly are you going to do that? They brought me here in some kind of flash, like it was…”
He grinned when she trailed off. “Like magic? That’s because it was.” Matt spread his arms wide. “In case the fantasy creatures and castle didn’t clue you in, magic is all over the place here. I don’t know it myself, but I have people who can use that sort of magic. I’m going to figure out if they can—”
Behind her, the doors suddenly slammed open, and Gorfeld came barreling through them. The steward skidded to a stop at the sight of the woman, and his eyes widened. He looked at Matt. “Sire?”
“Gorfeld.” Matt gave his steward a tight smile. “Our friends in the Western Coalition have apparently decided to try and gift me a Consort. From Earth.”
“So I see.” Gorfeld appeared to be trying to school his features back to neutrality, but the Imp was clearly rattled. “Is she working for them, sire?”
“She doesn’t even know the language, Gorfeld. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one she understands.”
The woman cleared her throat, folding her arms in front of her. “Just because you are right doesn’t make this okay. Do any of these things speak English?”
“No.” Matt held up a hand for a moment. “You’re the one who came to get me, Gorfeld. Can you take her back?”
The steward blinked. Then he shook his head. “I was able to journey to you because of the Divine Right. It connected me to you through your link to the land. Without that guide… it would be difficult to locate the precise world. I could not be confident of the portal.”
Matt grimaced, and then a thought struck him. “Oh really? So how were you planning on sending me home once I was done here? Was I just going through a random portal and hoping for the best?”
Gorfeld shifted his feet slightly. “Ah, well, I had planned on having more time to arrange your departure. If it was necessary, sire.”
He glared at the steward a moment longer. Then he grimaced and shook his head. “Fine. We can deal with that later. How long will it take to get her home?”
“I… cannot say, sire. I would need to consult with some experts.”
The woman broke in before Matt could continue. “You know, I only hear half the conversation, but I’m not liking what I’m hearing.”
“That makes two of us, miss…” Matt trailed off with the uncomfortable realization that he didn’t know her name.
“Tanya. Tanya Richardson.”
“Miss Richardson.” Matt drew in a steady breath. “It’s looking like it might take a little longer than I hoped to get you home, but we’ll get it done.”
She did not look convinced. “You’d better. If not, you have no idea how much trouble you’re going to be in.”
The blatant threat was almost humorous, given the amount of danger he’d faced over the past few weeks. Matt fought the urge to smile. “Hey, just so you remember, I didn’t ask for you to come here. If you feel like you could find a better way home, you’re welcome to leave. No one here will stop you.”
Tanya gave him a glare, which Matt ignored. He turned back to Gorfeld. “Give her a set of quarters in the palace and let the servants know that she’s going to need help. You might need to keep an eye on her; I don’t think she’s going to be able to speak with you the way I can.”
Gorfeld nodded. “Because she lacks the Divine Right? That is… a problem.” The steward looked at her, and Tanya stiffened as if ready to run from a threat. He didn’t appear to notice. “I have learned a small amount of your language. Perhaps it will be enough to communicate.”
“Do your best.” Matt paused as the doors opened and Melren came through. He gestured for the former nobleman to wait and then turned back to Tanya. “Go with my steward here. He’ll show you where you can stay while we figure this out. You can trust him to take care of you. He’s loyal to me.”
The words seemed to make Gorfeld a little embarrassed for some reason, but the Imp offered Tanya a respectful bow. She examined him with an expression of distaste. “So he’s your what, a butler or something? What are you anyway? Are you some kind of emperor or something?”
Matt hesitated for a moment. “I can explain more later, but for now… they brought me here to be their king. I’m staying here to help them, but you don’t need to.” He glanced at the others, and then back to her. “Go with Gorfeld for now. You’ll be safe. I promise.”
Tanya stared at him, her expression somehow both hopeful and calculating. Then she slowly nodded. “I’ll go, but we are going to talk about this later. I’m not staying here.”
He kept himself from responding right away. Instead, he simply bowed his head slightly and gestured for her to head for the doors. She swept out behind Gorfeld, who gave Matt a quiet nod of the head. Without looking, a pair of the lifeguards peeled away from the walls of the chamber to follow both of them out; he gave them a grateful look as they went to guard his steward and their unexpected ‘guest’.
The doors swung closed a moment later, and Matt finally looked back at Melren. “Well. I’m afraid I am going to have some questions for you.”