Fury of the Crown

2. Dinner

TWO

Dinner

Spring 965 MC

Gerald leaned his back against the wall. They were out the front of the Royal Estate beneath the covered archway that served as its entrance. Gazing towards the edge of the woods, he noted the downpour. "It's cold," he said, "and wet."

"That's pretty obvious, isn't it?" said Anna. She took a seat on the flagstones, setting down her goblet. Beside her loomed Tempus, stretched out and acting as the back of a chair while around her sat most of her friends, each seeking what comfort they could while Sophie passed out drinks.

"The food will be along shortly," the maid added.

"There's no hurry," said Gerald. "It's not like we're going anywhere."

She passed a tankard to Sir Preston, and as he took it, their hands brushed each other. Anna noted the looks on their faces and turned to Gerald, smiling. The marshal grinned back.

"You know," the queen said, "I think it's time we gave our gallant knight a more permanent command, don't you?"

"I should think so," he replied. "What did you have in mind?"

"How about captain of the heavy cavalry?"

"Surely Sir Heward is more deserving," offered Sir Preston.

"Perhaps, but we have other things in mind for him," said Anna.

"Oh?" said Beverly. "Care to share that information?"

"I'll leave that to the marshal. After all, it's army business. Gerald?"

Gerald straightened himself. "Yes, I've decided to promote him to commander. His experience in the north has proven him more than capable of operating in that capacity."

"And well he deserves it," added Beverly.

"Indeed he does," said Anna. "And we'll be needing more commanders when we push into Norland."

"So we're finally going to strike back?"

"We have little choice. We can't just sit back and relax after their invasion of Merceria."

Everyone went quiet, their concentration on their young queen. They had all known it was coming, but the details had been scant. Doubtless she had discussed it with Gerald, but not a word had leaked out.

"Well?" prompted Beverly. "Are you going to tell us or not?"

Anna wore a grin. "Not just yet, no. The plan is to return to Wincaster, then recall to Summersgate to discuss strategy with King Leofric."

"Yes," agreed Gerald, "he may have other ideas on how to proceed. In any event, we'll come to some sort of agreement to coordinate our actions. Once that's done, we'll return and start putting things into place."

The door opened, and Baron Fitzwilliam came outside, Albreda clutching his arm.

"Sorry," he said as everyone looked at him. "Did I interrupt something?"

"We were just discussing plans," said Gerald.

"Oh? What did I miss?"

"The queen is going to Weldwyn to confer with King Leofric," offered Beverly.

"Is she now," said the baron. "Good for her."

"I was hoping you'd accompany us," said Anna. "And we'll need Albreda to help take us there, of course."

"I should be delighted," said Fitz.

"Yes," Albreda agreed. "How many are going?"

"Aside from you two, I'll take Gerald and Beverly."

A bark erupted from behind her, causing her to laugh. "And Tempus, of course."

"A small enough party," said Albreda, "but shouldn't you take some guards as well?"

"I hadn't thought of that."

"That means we'll need more mages," said Gerald. "No offence to Albreda, but even she can't take everyone."

"How about Aubrey and Kraloch?" said Beverly. "That would give you two extra casters."

"I wonder what King Leofric will make of an Orc?" mused Gerald.

"I think he'll take it in stride," said Anna. "Of course, I'll want to take Alric. It's his home after all."

"Speaking of Prince Alric," said Gerald, "where is he?"

"Looking after the troops," noted Anna. "He's taking his position as your aide very seriously."

"Oh?"

"Yes, though I think he's a little miffed you didn't let him in on the full battle plan."

"It couldn't be helped. Secrecy was important to its success. Only Fitz and I knew the full details, aside from you, of course."

"Aha!" said the baron. "You finally called me Fitz!"

"Merely a slip of the tongue, my lord," said Gerald, adding a deep bow.

"Perhaps, but I shall remember it."

A servant appeared, edging past Fitz and Albreda.

"Ah," said Gerald, "the food."

"Just some cold meat," said Anna. "We must make do with what we have."

"Fine by me." He selected a piece of ham, taking a bite.

"So," said Fitz, "I suppose they'll call this the Second Battle of Eastwood."

"I propose a different name," said Anna.

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"The Battle of the Deerwood. After all, it was Gerald's use of the forest that made all the difference."

"So it was," said Fitz.

"We're lucky to have you as our marshal," added Beverly.

"Let's not forget the Orcs," said Gerald, blushing profusely. "If it wasn't for Chief Urgon, we'd have become lost in the trees."

Anna held up her cup. "To our noble allies," she toasted.

"Hear! Hear!" they all echoed.

An exhausted-looking Revi Bloom came out of the estate, interrupting their conversation.

Anna looked at him in sympathy. "I trust all is in order, Master Bloom?"

"It is, Your Majesty, though there's more work to be done, but I must rest and recover my strength."

"How is everyone?" asked Gerald.

"We dealt with the most seriously wounded first. Now that they're recovering, we can look after the others. On the whole, our casualties have been light, but I'm afraid I can't say the same of the enemy."

"Still," said Anna, "we must treat them as we do our own."

"It's strange," interjected Sir Preston, "that we should even be having this discussion."

"Oh?" said the queen. "Why would you say that?"

"It wasn't so long ago that the wounded would've had to fend for themselves. Under your father's rule, the Royal Life Mage only worked for the Royal Family."

Anna turned frosty. "King Andred was NOT my father!"

The knight turned crimson with embarrassment. "I'm sorry if I caused offence, Your Majesty. I merely meant—"

"I know what you meant, Sir Preston." She took a breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped, and in actuality, you are quite right. Under my rule, however, the wounded will be given every consideration. I only wish we had more Life Mages to help."

"We need to train more," insisted Gerald.

"Yes, but how?"

"Actually," said Revi, "Aubrey's been working on that very idea."

"Oh?" said Anna. "Do tell."

"She has been consulting with Kraloch and Roxanne Fortuna."

"The Weldwyn Life Mage?" said Gerald.

"Yes, that's the one. In any event, Aubrey's been able to identify people's magic aura while in spirit form."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning," continued Revi, "she can now discover others who have the potential to learn magic."

"Then she'll finally be able to get that school up and running in Hawksburg."

"It's an academy, Your Majesty, not a school."

"What's the difference?" said Gerald.

"A school is for teaching children," explained Revi, "while an academy takes a more mature approach to learning."

"But surely children could learn magic?"

The Life Mage laughed, cutting it off when he saw no one understood. "No, Gerald, that's not possible."

"Why ever not?"

"Well, for a start, they don't manifest until they get older."

"Manifest?"

"Yes, develop their magical power. Magic, you see, is in the bloodline but lies dormant until the child reaches maturity. It's only at that point they can learn to harness the power that lies within them."

"Not always," objected Albreda. "I seem to recall being quite young when I first found my power."

"There are exceptions, of course," said Revi, "but, by and large, we have found these things generally activate at puberty. I believe thirteen is the usual age."

"Oh," said Albreda, "I suppose I'm much like the rest, then. I was that age when I first entered the Whitewood."

"In any event," continued Revi, "we usually don't discover their potential until many years later, if at all."

"And just how common is this potential you speak of?" asked Anna.

"No one truly knows, though some have speculated it might be as common as one in a hundred."

"One in a hundred?" said Gerald. "That would mean the realm is crawling with them."

"As I said, that's mere speculation. As for myself, I think the odds are much lower, perhaps only one in a thousand. Mind you, there's nothing concerning which schools of magic are more common. We have no information on how many would be Earth Mages versus Life Mages, for example."

"It would be nice to have a Fire Mage," said Gerald. "At least then, the campfires would be easy to set up."

Anna laughed. "Trust you to think of that."

"It does raise an interesting point," said Revi. "If we did find a potential Fire Mage, we'd have no way to train him."

"Or her," added Albreda. "You can't assume they're all men."

"I stand corrected, but the point still remains."

"What about Weldwyn?" asked Gerald. "Have they no Fire Mages?"

"They do," said Albreda. "A fellow by the name of Osbourne Megantis. A fairly difficult man to get along with if his reputation is anything to go on. They have a Water Mage too."

"That's good news," said Revi. "It allows us to cover off all the disciplines, assuming they agree to help, of course."

"I see no reason why they wouldn't," said the queen. "They stand to benefit as much as we would. I shall be sure to bring it up when we go to Weldwyn."

"That still leaves the matter of air," said Revi.

"Having trouble breathing?" said Gerald.

"No, I mean Air Magic. I don't suppose they have an Aeromancer, perchance?"

"I don't believe they do," said Albreda. "Still, at least we have the other disciplines covered."

"What of the Orcs?" suggested Sir Preston. "Do they have any Air Mages?"

"That's a good point," said the queen. "Though I believe they would use the term 'Master of Air'. I shall have to talk to Kraloch. He would know."

"Personally, I doubt it," said Gerald. "If they did, they would have sent them to fight, wouldn't they?"

"Possibly, but you must remember, the Orcs can communicate over long distances. If the Orcs of the Black Arrow cannot use Air Magic, perhaps another tribe can?"

"A fascinating idea," said Gerald. He turned to Master Bloom. "Tell me, Revi, when can we expect our own mages to be able to communicate over long distances? It would certainly benefit the army."

The mage's face showed a look of disgust. "There's more to magic than simply battles, you know. In any event, we must consider how to pay for all of this training. Learning magic takes time, and we can't have the students working on farms while they learn how to harness their power."

"The Crown will assume the cost," said Anna.

"That's most generous of you, Your Majesty."

"It is not without a price," she added. "In exchange, your students will be required to render services to the Crown."

"I should have expected that I suppose," said Revi, a trace of gloom entering his voice.

"When would you start?"

"That depends on Aubrey. She's the one with the expertise. Of course, there's also the matter of where the school would be located."

"We already know that," said Anna.

"We do?"

"Yes, at the old Royal Estate on the outskirts of Hawksburg. I gave it to Aubrey for that very purpose."

"You did? Why wasn't I notified?"

"You were unavailable," said the queen, "due to your infirmity."

"Still, she could have told me about it afterwards."

"A great deal has occurred in your absence, Master Bloom, and we cannot spend all day catching you up on things. Your presence is most welcome, of course, but you must make an effort to find out what you missed on your own. We are far too busy."

"I humbly apologize, Your Majesty."

"As well you should," rebuked the queen. "Now, let us get on to other things, shall we?"

"Shouldn't we wait until the Nobles Council can be convened?" asked Fitz.

"That can wait," said Anna. "And in any event, all the important people are here. Well, most of them, anyway."

"And what news is there?" said Fitz. "Other than the war, I mean?"

"I hear the Trolls have finished building their town," said Gerald.

"Yes," said the queen. "They're calling it Trollden. I understand it's quite breathtaking."

"It's in the swamp, isn't it?" said Revi. "I'd hardly call that breathtaking."

"I think you'd be surprised. Most people think of them as brutes, but according to Tog, the Trolls are quite adept at construction. Some say they even rival the Dwarves though naturally, the scale of their buildings is larger due to their physique."

"Do they use stone?" asked Beverly.

"No," answered Anna, "they prefer wood, and they use timbers that are much larger than we would be used to."

"I suppose that has to do with their strength."

"In any event, they've also cleared out the mouth of the river. By now, the first Weldwyn traders have likely sailed up to Colbridge, maybe even as far as Kingsford."

"That should help our economy," said Fitz.

"And how is Bodden?" asked Gerald. "I haven't been there since my return from Norland."

"It's doing quite nicely, thank you. We've seen an increase in trade since Queenston was founded, and it'll only get better as the roads are cleared."

"That's excellent news," said Gerald, "but is it enough to get us out of debt?"

"Eventually," said Anna, "but the war has set us back significantly. After the Battle of Uxley, we had to rebuild our forces, and that didn't come cheaply."

"And the war itself?" said Revi. "I know we won this battle, but where does that leave us?"

"I'll let Gerald answer that."

Gerald tucked another morsel of meat into his mouth, chewing as he thought. He swallowed, then took a sip of ale. "There are no longer any Norland warriors on Mercerian soil," he began, "aside from the wounded and a few stragglers. The bulk of our army will move north to reinforce the garrisons on the border and prepare to carry the war to the enemy once we decide on a strategy. The remainder will return to Wincaster to rest and recuperate."

"Shouldn't we just invade?" asked Revi.

"It's a difficult task, made all the more so by our lack of maps of the area. We'd be stumbling around in the dark, so to speak, and that's no way to run a campaign."

"We have sent scouts north of the river," added Anna, "with the purpose of gathering more information."

"What about allies?" asked Beverly. "Some of the Norland nobles seemed to be amenable."

"We are making plans to contact them, but repelling the invasion of Merceria takes priority." The queen looked over at Gerald, who was staring off into the distance. "Gerald? Is anything wrong?"

"You just reminded me of something," he replied, patting down his tunic. "Now, where did I put it?"

"Put what?"

"It was a letter. You remember, Beverly, we were given it by Lord Creighton."

"Yes," added the knight. "I remember now."

"What did this letter say?" asked Anna.

"I don't know," admitted Gerald. "It was sealed. I was supposed to give it to you when we got back, but I completely forgot about it."

"You were badly wounded," Beverly reminded him.

"Yes, but that's no excuse. I must have put it in my trunk."

"Shall I fetch it for you?" offered Sophie.

Gerald glanced over at the queen's maid. "Would you? I'd be ever so thankful. It should be easy enough to spot. It has a red seal on it."

"I'll be back in a moment." She disappeared indoors.

"What do you think it says?" asked Fitz.

Gerald shrugged. "It was Beverly who was given it." He looked at his Commander of Horse.

"Lord Creighton mentioned Hollis had enemies," said the red-headed knight. "He saw the king's death as the start of a civil war."

"If that's true," said Anna, "then we may have allies in Norland after all. This may change our strategy."

"How so?" asked Beverly.

"Well, for one thing, we would need to support our allies. Until we know who they are, we really can't start anything."

"So we're back to waiting," said Fitz.

"It's still early in the campaign season," said Gerald, "and we've got the whole summer ahead of us for marching. Don't worry. One way or the other, we'll have Mercerian troops across the border eventually. The only question is where they'll be marching."

The conversation died down as trays of food were brought out. It was odd, sitting outside and watching people sip soup from bowls, but it still somehow felt like home.

Sophie's reappearance brought them all to their feet, their food all but forgotten.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"It is," said Gerald. "You can give it to the queen if you like. It's for her anyway."

She placed the letter in Anna's hand, then stood back as it was examined.

"The seal is intact," mused the queen. "I wonder what secrets it holds?"

"You'll never find out if you don't open it," said Gerald.

"No, I suppose I won't." She broke the seal, then unfolded the letter, scanning its contents. All eyes were on her as she finished. Anna looked up to see everyone staring at her. "It seems we have an opportunity."

"Oh?" said Gerald, trying to sound only mildly interested.

"It appears the late King Halfan's son died some years ago, but not before his wife gave birth to a Royal Granddaughter."

"So there's a child out there who can claim the throne of Norland?" asked Revi.

"Not quite," the queen said, "at least not as I understand it. A woman can't rule in Norland, but her husband could."

"She's married?"

"No, but Lord Hollis has her at his estate. Or rather, he did as far as Lord Creighton knows."

"How old is she now?" asked Gerald.

"She'll soon be old enough to wed, according to this. I suspect that's why Lord Hollis has her."

"But Lord Hollis is already married, isn't he?"

"I believe he is," Anna confirmed.

"Even so," offered Fitz, "I wouldn't put it past him to get rid of his current wife. Men like that will do anything for power."

"How much time do we have?" asked Gerald.

"I have no idea," said Anna. "But we should act on this as quickly as possible."

"Act on it, how?"

"That's easy," said Beverly. "We send in a force and rescue her."

"What if she doesn't want to be rescued?" said Fitz.

They all looked at him in shock.

"It's a reasonable assumption," he continued. "We know nothing of this girl. Perhaps she desires power of her own?"

"By marrying Hollis?" Beverly asked.

"Stranger things have happened."

"Richard makes a good point," said Albreda.

"Then what are we to do?" pressed Beverly.

"I propose," said the baron, "that we send a small group to try and get in contact with her. They can determine what her own wishes are in this regard. Then, if she wants to, they can bring her back to Wincaster."

"I think that an excellent idea," said Anna, "and there are directions in the letter. The estate is just north of Beaconsgate. That's close to the Whitewood, isn't it, Albreda?"

"It is," the Druid agreed. "That being the case, I think it only reasonable I should accompany whoever goes."

"Certainly, but it will have to wait until we return from Weldwyn as we need you for that."

"I'm sure Aubrey and Kraloch are capable of helping you to their capital. You can also use Aldus. He's more than powerful enough."

"Can he use the spell of recall?" asked Gerald.

"He can," said Albreda. "I taught him myself."

"Then it's settled," said Anna. "Albreda shall accompany the rescue party."

"Hold on," said Beverly, "we still haven't discussed who else is going."

"That's easy," offered Sir Preston. "Lady Hayley. She is the High Ranger, after all, and she can take some of her rangers with her."

Anna nodded. "That's an excellent suggestion, Sir Preston."

"Speaking of which," said Gerald, "where is Hayley?"

"Setting up pickets," said Revi, "but she sends her regards."

"When do we leave?" asked Albreda.

"We'll return to Wincaster first," said the queen. "There's a few things that need seeing to before you go. Then you can use your magic to travel to the Whitewood from there. How long would you need, do you think?"

"To get to the estate?" said the Druid. "I don't know. No more than a week, I should think. The real question is, what will we find when we arrive? In any event, returning should be no problem. I'll bring her straight to the capital."

"Assuming she's willing," added Anna.

"Even if she's not." Everybody looked at Albreda in shock. "What?" she asked. "We can't let her be controlled by Hollis. Better she be a prisoner here in Merceria than aid our enemy, surely?"

"She does have a point," said Fitz.

The queen nodded her head. "Very well, but let's hope it doesn't come to that." Anna looked around at the small gathering. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"Not at the moment," said Gerald.

"Good, then you'd all better get some sleep"—she stared at Gerald—"especially you."

"Me? Why would you single me out?"

"Because I know how involved you get planning out battles."

"Very well, I'll head off to bed as soon as I've seen to the guards."

"I'll do that," offered Beverly. "You need your rest."

He was about to object, but her smile disarmed him. "Very well, I know when to admit defeat."

"Good," said Anna, "because tomorrow we're starting early. I want to be back in Wincaster by noon, assuming our mages have enough power left."