The king’s first direct command to Lucius came as a soft-spoken letter. The response it garnered was not. Holding their child like a totem of power, Aisha demanded, “And what are we supposed to do? Go with you?”
Lucius had been caught on his way to the academy and abruptly turned around by the parchment. He had no distress about missing lectures from the professors, but the king’s command was exactly the kind of punishment he had been suspecting. The only reason it hadn’t come sooner was because there hadn’t been opportunity. The difficulty it posed occupied his mind and Aisha’s frustration did little to rouse him from his writing desk. His first reaction was that he needed to send messages, but when he had ink and quill at hand, he fell short of friends to contact.
“You won’t leave Forum,” he said. “You’ll be safer here, with Leomund. I’ll ride by myself, won’t even bring a retinue. No, I’ll have to bring one of the other knights with me. In a moment I’ll have to find Theo and get a line of credit. May as well spend his money. It’s the king’s command afterall, no time to lose.”
She sighed. “He’s trying to use you like a butcher.”
“Trying to,” Lucius agreed. “Where’s Lupa?”
“Shopping with Aria and Felicia,” she said as she took a seat across the room from him.
“The three of them?”
Aisha rolled her eyes. “For clothes. Aria is showing her gratitude.” That it was for Lupa’s treatment of Lady Solhart didn’t need to be stated, not when the woman was still in the manor and conspiring to arrange a marriage for Aria.
Lucius settled on what to write, dashing down commands in his understanding of the ancient tongue. The language was better than any cipher at concealing his intent. While there were a handful of people throughout the kingdom that could read it, he had only modest concern. At the head of the letter, he began with, “If this message is not for you, read at the peril of your life.” The body of the text was instructions on how Lupa could contact Faezel’s men within the city and what coordination would be needed.
The king had commanded him back because of unrest at the ports. At the time of the summons, there had been petitions, attempted legal action, and the threat of escalation to a general work strike among the shoremen. Food prices had been rising, pressuring the lowest classes, and several fishing companies had come together to demand the abolishment of the prohibition on whaling, citing that the current monopoly on the harvest was held by the temples and they were negligent to the needs of the people. They only sanctioned enough whaling to procure the oils they needed for their alchemical purposes. The meat was growing more precious by the day and they didn’t even sell the meat. Every pound of it was kept for themselves.
Given the time constraints, he had no choice but to entrust the letter to Aisha and leave for the headquarters of the Warden Blades. Theo was not available, but there was a scribe who both sent a runner to fetch the commander as well as gave Lucius a provisional line of credit for the day. If Theo didn’t affirm the credit, it would be treated as a loan and taken out of his wages, but it gave him enough money to procure supplies and have them sent to his manor. When he returned to the headquarters, Theo had returned and read the letter.
“The king’s will be done,” he said, not interrupting his meal. The food almost resembled soldier’s fare, grilled meat and tubers, but was accompanied by a selection of chocolates from different importers in the city. “I’ll send Valerie with you.”
“Will she slow me down?”
“A former smuggler? Hardly,” Theo said and sent him on his way with a letter of credit in that only Valerie could sign for.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Lucius had no choice but to find her himself and inform her that her days off had been rescinded. It had been the Blade of Steel’s duty to oversee Lucius’ patrol through the city that day and Valerie had already begun drinking in a gambling den. Like Jon Brume, if she was dismissed from the Warden Blades, she would be sent to Donjon, so she had little choice but to take her losses and leave to procure horses for the ride.
The sun had set when Lucius returned to his home. Only cold food remained to fill his stomach and there was no sign of Lupa. Lady Solhart demanded that he bring back a schedule of ships leaving for Rackvidd so that she could plan her return that spring, which he agreed to. He had been planning to get that information regardless because those ships would likely continue on to the Misty Isles to expand the plantations. Furthermore, the captains would be able to inform him of pirate activity. If his mother wanted to risk becoming a foreign slave, it was of no concern to him.
The Aillesterrans would practically be doing him a favor.
Despite being travel companions on a quick ride for two days, Lucius learned little of Valerie. They rode fast, swapping horses like postal couriers. Time resting the horses was spent filling their stomachs. The one night spent on the road was not camped outdoors but in the hospitality of a temple. Lucius was recognized by a pair of retired soldiers, not from firsthand acquaintance but through reputation. He spent the night retelling how he had traversed the Giordanan desert and Valerie only made a handful of comments pertaining to the ragtag fleet that Medorosa Canta had assembled.
They rode hard again the next day, reaching the gates of the capital while the sun was still up. Navigating the city took until sunset, with people thronging the streets and milling about only to avoid the ire of the guards. They were like shambling ghouls, moving to keep themselves warm and afraid to be beaten if they dared to sit down and loiter. Pickpockets were rampant, more interested in food than coin, but none could reach into their saddlebags.
Lucius needed no introductions at the palace, but he had to vouch for Valerie despite her crest of the Warden Blades. The institution was so new and specific, that the castle guards didn’t know that so many knights had been assigned to keep Lucius in check. Their arrival was announced to the king while they were stabling their horses but they were made to wait for an audience, eating in the barracks mess hall like any other soldier of the realm.
When they were finally let into the minor audience chamber, King Arandall sat upon his throne. Their footsteps echoed against the stone and a dozen guards watched the pass in silence. Despite the winter chill, the king wore only dueling leathers embroidered with the royal heraldry as well as the golden crown of the kingdom. The rumor was that he had not smiled since the day his father died and in front of Lucius, he did not falsify that rumor.
“I received your summons,” Lucius said, for lack of an introduction from an attendant.
The king said, “Do you know why I summoned you?”
“To bring throughput to the port once more.”
“Yes, but why you specifically?”
Lucius frowned. “I can think of several reasons you might have chosen me, but they would be mere speculation. I’m not privy to all the needs of the kingdom. To guess who else could have been called on for this would be a slight upon them.”
“Because whether I like it or not, your actions during the Jemeaux Rebellion showed you are not negligent to the needs of the kingdom. Those aren’t my words, they’re the opinion of the main instigator of this incivility. When they submitted their demands, they named you specifically to be the negotiator.”
“If they think I will favor them, they are mistaken,” Lucius said.
“Then end this matter.”
“Do I have your authority to command the guard?”
“Do you need it?”
“My lord, I am a soldier. A soldier without force is one in name only.”
At last the king smirked. “Are you saying you couldn’t kill them all yourself? What was that command you had in the rebellion? Fabia was it?”
Lucius matched his smirk. “Not at all, but that would be my only recourse. A port without workmen is hardly a port. To subdue takes many hands.”
“You may speak with the Watch Captain. If he has men to spare, it is his choice. You have three days, Solhart. Resolve this issue before my fiancee is left sitting at anchor on the waves.”
Lucius had been expecting a deadline, but lost his tempo nonetheless. “I wasn’t aware such an arrangement had been announced. I congratulate you.”
“A sweet congratulation to hear from your mouth, Solhart. I thought you might be upset to learn that Frederika Ashe was to be my queen.”