The Oracle Page 8

  Home. It was a thought that had haunted Samantha for the past year. Of course she missed her family and often longed for the simplicity of that life again, but that was lost to her. A different life, a different Samantha; would they even recognise her now? She had worked out such thoughts and frustrations on the training grounds, whenever it got too much. She turned her energy into training herself and the army that had gathered to her in Caelum.

  Samantha hesitated in the dim refuge of the tent. She could hear the celebrations and longed to join them, but she knew that she was expected in council. Tobias and Jillis were probably already there, wondering why she tarried. She smiled as she thought of the brother and sister, they had all grown so close and were now the nearest thing she had to family.

  Samantha set off across Treefort, heading to the crowd of people gathering towards the horse paddocks, to gain some privacy from the masses. She detoured to where her cream stallion was penned, taking the time to give him a stolen apple, before she turned her attention to more serious matters.

  The council had the usual group of captains and the woman nominated as the head of Treefort; but tonight there were those that had not joined the council for a year: the Deorwines and, more noticeably, a silver-grey unicorn who lay comfortably in the grass. Samantha felt soothed by the unicorn’s presence, Alina was of the noble line of Praede and a dear friend.

  “Samantha, we were just filling their highnesses in on the past couple of hundred years.” Rian announced with his trademark smile as Samantha sat down next to the Deorwines.

  “There’s a bit of recent history we’d like to know about.” Tobias spoke out.

  “You mean what happened after you went to Caelum.” Rian didn’t even bother making it a question. “Well, Hrafn had encircled us at the Temple of Gates and it seemed like that’d be the end of all of us; our rescue came just in time. The unicorn leader, Autumn, must have noticed Hrafn following us as he was making his way back to the Great Forest. Now, Autumn may dislike us for all the problems we bring, but he’s a decent fellow and did the right thing. He gathered as many of his kind as he could and came to our aid.

  “There must have been fifty unicorns, I’ve never seen anything like it. They spirited us away to the safety of the forest; Hrafn could not hope to keep up with their speed.” Rian paused and shrugged, glancing at Alina, “We haven’t seen the unicorns since. I think they’re finally done with us.

  “Throughout autumn, we split into several divisions and kept moving to spread the word to our allies and to avoid confrontation with the King’s army. We had thought of going overseas and taking over Drake Island as a base, but Hrafn must have heard something – he caught the Gilded Rose ferrying near a hundred Gardyn – he killed them all, crew too.”

  The Gardyn captain paused again, letting the rest of the council share their disgust. Samantha sat quietly, her memories overwhelming her thoughts. As much as she hated the loss of life, she found it difficult to pity the crew of that ship.

  Rian continued again, “When winter set in, we came back to the Great Forest. Winter was heavy and made it impossible for the King to attack us and although it was difficult, we could survive. We also had help from Siabhor and his pack sharing their hunting kills.

  “Hrafn turned his anger on the villages and towns. We heard of the Winter Riots as everything boiled over between the peasants and soldiers. We did our best to protect them; we brought as many as we could into the safety of the forest. The harsh winter gave us some defence, the heavy drifts staying well into spring.” Rian looked about the gathered council, “Since then, there have been a few small skirmishes. More and more of the King’s patrols have been sent into the forest of late, anticipating... your return, or some intervention by Minaeri.”

  There was a murmuring between the council members when Rian finished. The first to speak aloud was one of Rian’s captains.

  “What happened in the other world?”

  Jillis took her turn to speak, “We all arrived safely in Caelum. It was a world much like our own - it was hard to believe that it was an alien sky above our heads. Despite overpopulation and the fact that their lands were fit to burst, the people of Caelum were kind and welcomed us warmly.

  “Their world was full of advancements that we can only dream of, and I admit that some people were somewhat... condescending in their treatment of our backward existence. We were very welcome in their homes, but were curiosities to most civilians.

  “By Minaeri’s blessing, there were still descendants from the last Gardyn to cross over from Enchena. They had blended with the Caelum folk, but still kept their history alive, their tales written in books and ledgers that were kept in this magnificent library... They told us about the part that Prince Lugal and Cristan had to play; they are revered as Saints, the sons of the Gardyn’s enemy, giving their lives to save the innocent.”

  “Is this true?” One of the princes asked in disbelief.

  “Aye,” Jillis replied with a smile, “They never forgot you. In fact, it may have inspired many to return with us. They heard that they could come and finish the war that plagued their ancestors, forcing them to cross worlds to find peace. Many were keen to embrace the adventure and would not be dissuaded. For months we lived and trained together, waiting for the time we would return. Those brave souls never could have dreamt that Prince Lugal and Cristan would return, they have been abuzz with excitement since.”

  There was a pause as those gathered took in all Jillis had to say.

  “There is one missing from this council. Where is Lord Mgair?” Rian eventually spoke up.

  Those that had returned from Caelum exchanged looks. Samantha supplied the answer, relishing the moment. ”Mgair has deserted us. Once we got to Caelum he forgot about his desire for a glorious death, he gave a big speech about Minaeri sparing us, then settled down. He made no effort with the army and turned a deaf ear when we said we had found a way back to Enchena.”

  “We all know what Mgair was like, we are better off without him.” Tobias added. It was no secret that the young man had a deep-seated dislike of Lord Mgair.

  “Yes, but it throws our plans into chaos somewhat. When we overthrow King Hrafn, Lord Mgair was going to head a parliament,” Rian explained, glancing about excited, “It’s this wonderful idea of a democracy where we rule in accordance with the common people.”

  Everyone at the council seemed to approve of this idea, their faces brightening at the thought. All but one.

  “No.”

  The single word was spoken so quietly that it could have been missed. Everyone turned to the speaker. Samantha sighed, feeling a headache coming on at the mere thought of politics.

  “True, it will begin honourably enough, but those in parliament will be raised above the commoner. Greed will set in, corruption; they will use words instead of swords to suit their own purposes. Lord Mgair would have been a terrible choice for a leader.” She argued.

  “As a noble lord in Enchenian court, and a leading voice in the Gardyn, Mgair was the obvious choice to bridge both sides.” Rian countered, without any real conviction.

  “And what of the masses that do not side with ourselves or Hrafn? They will not accept a Gardyn parliament running the empire alone.” Samantha continued. “What we need are heroic figures with a strong, direct bloodline to a king, an honest claim to the throne after Hrafn is deposed.”

  Lady Samantha’s words were heeded. All eyes turned to the silent and thoughtful princes.

  “And what do you know...”

  “Lady Samantha,” Rian said curtly, “just how would you recommend going about this? By Minaeri, who is going to believe that these are the long-dead sons of Gearalt? They will accuse the Gardyn of finding twins and planting a wild story, just so we can get our puppet on the throne. No offence, your highnesses.”

  Samantha crossed her arms and waited for him to finish. “Well, Captain Rian, half of Enchena are convinced that I am a deity; and the other half know that the current h
eir to the throne is from another world. Not to mention, that everyone knows King Hrafn brings people back from the dead on a daily basis. So really, I think two-hundred-year-old-royal-Gardyn-sympathisers isn’t much more of a stretch.”

  Rian leant back, observing her shrewdly. “I shouldn’t even try arguing with you anymore, should I?”

  “Not if you hope to win.” She countered with a smile.

  “If I may intercede,” Prince Lugal spoke up, “My brother and I were never meant to rule, and we have assuredly never desired it. We did not come back to take over.”

  “We had not chosen to come back, at all.” Prince Cristan said in agreement. “Also, I do not know if it has escaped your notice, but there are two of us. How do you intend to select the new king? Will the people approve of your choice?”

  Samantha shrugged, “Simple, we have two kings.”

  There was a burst of laughter and disbelief around the circle.

  “Two kings?” Tobias echoed, “What barmy country has ever been ruled over by two kings and queens?”

  “It might not be the worst idea.” Jillis silenced her brother, “Especially if we want the people of Enchena to adapt to the concept of several people ruling them in a council- sorry, a parliament.”

  The Gardyn looked towards the Lady Jillis, starting to warm to the idea.

  “But we are getting ahead of ourselves, first we must win this war.” Jillis said gently, looking purposefully towards Rian.

  The captain nodded, taking his cue, “I have sent messages to the rest of the Gardyn. Any man capable of carrying arms is to report to the Valley. With any luck we will be at full force before the month is out.”

  “A month is a long time to wait.” Prince Cristan sniffed.

  “Most of our men are out there, in Enchena, trying to staunch the damage of the King.” Rian said pointedly, “We only have the bare minimum here to protect the families.”

  “Surely the army that Lady Samantha brought back is enough.”

  Rian sighed, “Even with these brave people, King Hrafn has always had better numbers. Ever since he came up against Lady Samantha, he has realised that he is as flawed and mortal as any man. Hrafn has been recruiting, driven by fear that it will not be enough.”

  Nine

  Captain Losan paused as he walked along the upper corridor of the training barracks. There was the unmistakable ring of metal as swords clashed together, the sound floating out of the yard and echoing around the bare buildings. The Captain grit his teeth, a cold feeling flooding through his veins. He had his suspicions of who would dare use a sharp sword in the practice arena. Losan muttered to himself as he turned towards the nearest staircase, descending to the yard where his men were encouraged to sharpen their skills.

  Despite his reputation for being brutal, Captain Losan drilled his men with wooden swords. He hated the idea of good steel being broken in novice hands; and there was no point in his men getting too bloody before battles, especially now the King had lost his ability to heal and revive others.

  The thought itself was treason; King Hrafn had become more desperate to seem infallible and above the mortal man. The more desperate he became, the more rumours and doubt crept into Enchena.

  All his life, Losan had worked tirelessly to ensure that people respected his King, that they never questioned Hrafn’s rule. But now he felt the unease of political waters shifting for the first time since Hrafn took to the throne. Powerful men and women were using the disruption to see what could be gained, and the populace as a whole, as much as they were starving and downtrodden, knew that the balance was changing.

  The list of people Losan trusted was growing shorter by the day, but for the time being, he could still drive fear into the hearts of men and cow those that he did not trust.

  Captain Losan rounded the last corner to the training yard, and spotted the man he trusted least.

  Prince David was in the centre of the yard, wielding a sword and shield, turning slowly to keep his two opponents in sight. A third man was already on the floor, whimpering and clutching his bloody leg. At the edge of the sand arena, other soldiers stood, rapt and excited by the show.

  David yelled at his opponents, goading them to attack, as he raised his own sword to strike the nearest man.

  Losan watched for the briefest moment, and he had to admit that David had taken his training well. He was balanced, controlled his blade, and moved faster than the two that he fought.

  “Who gave the prince real swords?” Losan demanded from the nearest soldier.

  The man panicked at the sight of the feared military leader, and he struggled to get his words out. “No one, Captain. I mean... the prince... apologies, Captain.”

  Losan sighed and turned away from the stuttering soldier, as the men gave a cheer. David had caught one of his opponents off guard and thrust his shield up under his chin with force. The man had collapsed, whether he was dazed or knocked out, Losan couldn’t tell. He only hoped he wasn’t dead.

  In the middle of the arena, David turned to his final opponent. Losan could tell by the nervous twitch of his blade, that the man’s confidence had completely drained. The prince could surely see the sign of weakness as well, but instead of calling the practice bout off, David exploited the weakness and charged at him.

  The soldier’s sword was knocked uselessly aside, and he cried out in pain as David sliced his side on the back stroke. The man fell to his knees, and looked up to his prince, waiting for mercy.

  Fuelled by the bloodlust and electricity of the enraptured crowd, David raised his sword aloft, ready to make his final move.

  “Enough!” Losan bellowed.

  The soldiers jumped sharply to attention at the familiar voice. David turned his head, his defiant blue eyes meeting Losan’s. After a few lingering moments, he sighed and relaxed, lowering his sword and stepping away from his victim.

  “Captain Losan, how good of you to join us.” He drawled.

  Losan crossed his arms. “I would appreciate you leaving my men in one piece, your highness.”

  “I thought you’d approve of me providing extra training, Captain.” David replied with a smirk. “What with the impending Gardyn threat.”

  “Aye, and how many Gardyn have you fought and defeated, young prince?” Losan asked mildly. “Leave the training to me.”

  David scoffed and turned away.

  “You doubt my ability to teach, boy?” Losan shouted, then gestured to one of the soldiers. “Sword.”

  One of the men hurried forward, offering his captain a sword.

  David hesitated, eyeing the Captain warily. Noticing the increasing interest from the men surrounding the arena, he knew he couldn’t refuse the challenge. He shifted the sword in his hand and rebalanced his shield, and slowly turned to face Losan.

  The Captain stepped down into the sand arena, and circled the prince, taking his time, waiting for the slightest weakness in David’s stance.

  The prince didn’t wait, he took the opportunity to attack and swung his sword. Losan parried it and pushed him back. He was surprised at the strength of the blow, this was no longer the weak boy he had dragged back from the forest a year ago. Losan put the thought aside and started an attack. He settled blow after blow across David’s sword and shield, making the prince hurry back and stumble. Losan pressed his advantage and threw David off balance, who landed ungracefully on his arse, his sword skittering away across the sand floor.

  David tried to raise his shield, but Losan stamped it down, sending waves of pain through the prince’s wrist.

  “Had enough, Prince David?” Losan asked, barely out of breath. “Do you feel you have benefitted from training? Or do you need a few more cuts?”

  David grimaced, he bit his tongue, not wanting to play the Captain’s game any longer.

  Sensing he was getting nothing out of the prince, Losan turned away, throwing his sword into the sand. “Get these weapons locked up; and get those men to the healers now.”

  As the
Captain watched as the soldiers scurried to do his bidding, he wondered how much longer he would have control over his men. How long before Prince David had infected that authority too?

  “I have a mission in the Great Forest. When I return, if I find anyone has used real weapons, they will wish they had ever been born.” Losan growled to the commanding officer.

  *****

  The following morning there were a few sore heads from the previous night’s festivities. But the travelling Gardyn dutifully packed up, tacked up, and got ready to venture on to the Valley.

  Samantha and Jillis carried their packs toward their horses, walking amiably side by side. Samantha wondered whether she should take a few minutes to speak to that girl, Jemma. She had perhaps been a little harsh last night, whether she had good reason or not.

  Before she could come to any conclusion, Samantha noticed that Jillis had been stopped. Most soldiers were intimidated by her beauty, and by the deadly fact that she could shoot a flea off a cat at a hundred paces; but occasionally one would try to speak to her. Samantha turned, wondering which hapless fool it was today. To her surprise, she saw one of the princes rising from a bow.

  “Lady Jillis, I was hoping that I might... offer myself as an escort for you, today. I find myself still lost in current affairs, and I have been told that you are one of the most knowledgeable sources.”

  “Why thank you, prince...”

  “Lugal, my lady.”

  Samantha was a little surprised to see a light blush cross Jillis’ cheeks, and she bit back her smile as she witnessed her friend accept Lugal’s offer, and quickly forget all about Samantha.

  “My brother always had a fine eye for beauty.”

  Samantha spun round to see the spitting image of Lugal, with a somewhat tired expression. “Prince... Cristan?”

  “In the flesh.” He replied, with a bow of his head. “Although I am still getting used to that fact after centuries in stone.”

  Samantha regarded him for a moment, she hadn’t thought that the princes might be as out-of-place as she had been when she first came to Enchena.