Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (80 page)

Chapter 31

Q
ueen Raygan had ordered the remaining Abberdonian prisoners set free, provided they surrendered their weapons and swore to peacefully return home.

Ansellus and Eldon both felt they would do no mischief on the march back to Abberdon, they were defeated men. There was nothing left for them in Bandara, not even their pride.

The Abberdonians would also be followed by a company of Asconan knights to make sure they kept their oath.

The three watched as what remained of the enemy soldiers trudged back north with their heads down, they had lost the war and their King. The defeat would haunt them forever.

Eldon Cross shook his head in pity. “Havalon’s brother Hakan will be the only happy man in Abberdon when they return. With both Princes dead, the Kingdom will be his now. Havalon was at least a man of honor, Hakan is little better than a rat. I fear you haven’t seen the last of the Abberdonians, Majesty.”

“Well Grand Master Cross, I think it will be sometime before he will be able to convince his generals to invade Bandara again.”

The Master Knight nodded his agreement.

“I would like to hear the tale they tell when they return to their homes and families,” Ansellus added.

“They will be afraid of us now,” the Queen said, almost to herself.

“General K’xarr and his companions have seen to that, Majesty. At least the neighboring Kingdoms will not think the young Bandaran Queen is easy prey. The drawback is they will be very suspicious of you, and God only knows what the Church will do,” Cross pointed out.

The little Queen straightened her back. “I’m not truly Queen yet. I received word my brother controls Turill now and has reclaimed the throne, proclaiming himself King.”

Ansellus looked concerned. “When did you hear that?”

“The day after the battle, a courier arrived with a message from Cain, he wants to meet with me in Turill in ten days.”

“That gives us little time to get started. That is, if you plan to go? In my opinion it would be a mistake. Cain might try to imprison you or worse, Majesty. He needs you out of the way now. You’re the only thing that will keep him from consolidating his rule. It would be very dangerous to confront him.” Raygan could see Ansellus was troubled by Cain’s invitation.

The Queen flipped her hair back and a look of determination settled on her face. “If I don’t meet with him, my only other choice is war, and my people have suffered enough from Cain and I squabbling over the throne. Even if he had a hand in killing our father, I have to put that aside for the good of my Kingdom. A civil war could destroy Bandara. I will not have that on my conscious. I will go and try to settle this with him, but not alone.”

Ansellus folded his arms. “You have something in mind, Highness?”

“I do, but I have some reservations about it.”

Eldon Cross rested his big hand on the Queen’s petite shoulder. “Almost every decision I make I have reservations about. It is the fate of those who would command. Make your choice and stand by it, Majesty, it’s all you can do.”

***

Raygan dressed herself in a simple white dress and left her dark hair down. She turned her back to the mirror and looked over her shoulder. Her hair had grown long over the winter, almost down to the middle of her back. The long heavy curls were perfect. She gave herself a quick smile. God had truly blessed her.

She walked over to where Isabella sat with the little Prince. Raygan rested her hand on Isabella’s shoulder and looked down at her son. She must stay strong for him. His fate rested on the choices she made now. If Corwin was ever to be King, she had to settle the feud with her brother one way or another. Raygan felt much older than sixteen, all the fighting was beginning to wear her down. She wished her father was still alive and all she had to worry about was her hair. She would never be that carefree again. The Queen squared her shoulders and headed down to the small courtyard of Castle Blackthorn.

The Queen walked into the courtyard, she had not really noticed it before but the courtyard here was awful; it looked like it hadn’t been tended in years, but what could she expect from William Blackthorn. Her father-in-law didn’t seem like a man who would enjoy having a beautiful garden.

Kian and Endra sat on a stone bench, watching their odd little child play. Rhys had taken her to see the little girl the day before and the child had frightened her so bad, she let out a small yelp when she saw it running across the abbey floor. Rhys told her that Kian and Endra had tried to move the child out of the abbey after the battle, but she returned back there every night. Brigitte liked to climb the sanctuary’s wall and sleep on the huge crossbeam that spanned the Abby’s ceiling. So they decided to let the little girl do what made her happy. Raygan could not imagine how Endra must feel giving birth to a child like that.

“Kian, Endra, so nice to see you out in the sun.”

They both stood. “Thank you, Majesty, it is nice to have a day to ourselves. I wanted to thank you for the dress you gave Brigitte, she looks beautiful in it, when I can keep it on her.”

“I am so glad you like it, Endra.” Before the Queen could say more she felt something run into her leg. Raygan looked down to see the child standing beside her. It was odd to see a child so small standing, but Brigitte was not built like a human baby.

She was much thinner and she looked strong. Endra had tied the child’s long hair back into a ponytail. The little girl’s hair was gorgeous, it almost had an inhuman luster to it. Rhys had told her the girl had been covered in fine hair when she had been born. Thank God it had fallen out. It gave Raygan chills to think about it, but it was those golden eyes that disturbed her the most. Too much like her father’s.

In truth the child’s looks were beautiful, that could not be denied, yet so divergent! The more the Queen looked at the child, the more traits she found appealing. She wondered what kind of woman the little girl would grow into.

Raygan saw her tiny upswept ears, a bit more pointed than her father’s. It hurt the Queen’s heart to think of how the beautiful creature would be treated out in the world. “She is a pretty girl, Endra, let no one ever tell you different.”

Endra’s look told the Queen the young woman knew what she meant. The Queen walked over to stand in front of Kian. “It is your husband I actually came to see. I have a favor to ask.”

Kian looked at her with those frightful golden eyes. Raygan could barely hide her revulsion. “I am going to Turill to meet with my brother. I will be taking K’xarr and the remains of my army, but I would like to ask if you would go as my personal guard?”

Kian glanced at Endra, he saw the concern on her face. Both of them knew how the Queen felt about Kian. “Majesty, K’xarr told me about the invitation from the Prince. Are you expecting trouble from you brother?”

“Yes, unfortunately I am, and I could think of no one that could handle it better than you.”

Kian seemed lost in thought for a moment. “I do understand a brother’s treachery.” He gave her a slight bow. “I would be honored to escort you home, Majesty.”

“I thank you both, of course Endra, you may accompany us as well. I will find someone suitable to look after your children,” the Queen said, looking at their daughter. She wondered who on her staff would be so brave.

“Thank you, Majesty, but Nick Nock can see to them. Let me say, it will be a great pleasure to see you return to Turill.”

The Queen patted Brigitte on the head very lightly. “Thank you. I just wish it was under different circumstances. Well, I have plans to make, thank you both so much. I will have someone notify you when I am ready to leave.”

The Queen squatted down hands on her knees and looked the little girl in the eyes. “Thank you for letting me take your mother and father away for a little while, my dear.” Brigitte stood on her toes and licked the Queen’s face with her abrasive tongue.

“Brigitte,” Endra shouted. “I’m so sorry, Majesty.”

The Queen wiped her face and tried to smile.

Endra had taken Brigitte to the abbey and put the other children down for the night. She found Kian in the courtyard exercising. The movements and footwork Gildor had taught him seemed almost like a dance. The pivots and leaps the lunges and fades all could have music set to them, she thought. “Will you teach me?”

Kian stopped and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel. “Need you ask? I am not my master, but I will do my best to teach you what I can. I would feel much better if you had some training.”

“I have held my own in battle,” Endra snapped back.

“I meant no offence. You have great natural skill and you are strong. You can kill, I have seen that, but with training you could become an artist.”

Endra looked at Kian as if he was a madman. “What does swordsmanship have to do with being an artist?”

Kian pulled Endra’s bastard sword from her hip. “Gildor told me death was an art form. A swordsman must create death each time he fights. This is your brush.” He said pointing to her sword. “And your opponents are your canvas. You must start by giving life to the blade.” He slowly moved the bastard sword through the air in an intricate pattern. “Then envision your composition and craft your masterpiece.” He sliced through the air three times, too fast for her to follow. “It is easy to kill, it is a much harder thing to stay alive as you do it.” Kian handed Endra’s sword back to her hilt first.

She looked at the polished blade. “Teach me to be an artist.”

He explained what he had been taught all those years ago. He worked with her into the night by the torch light of the courtyard. The woman was quick and had good balance. She listened to everything Kian told her and did her best to mimic it. All the years of instruction he had inside him could not be taught in one night, but Kian felt Endra was off to a fine start.

When they finally sat down on a stone bench, they were both drenched in sweat.

Endra leaned over and kissed Kian on the cheek. “Thank you, my love, you are a good teacher.”

“You are a better student. I questioned everything Gildor told me. You listen and do as you’re told. I think you will learn faster than I ever did.

Kian became silent and looked into the night sky. The moon was bright and beautiful. He was quiet for a long time then he spoke very softly. “I have seen the Old Gods. They have spoken to me. I’m afraid of what they might want.”

Endra’s brow furrowed. She knew Kian well enough to know what he said was no fantasy. If he said he had seen the Gods, then he had. “Why didn’t you tell me? What did they say to you?”

Kian drew Malice and held it out before him, looking at the strange steel. “I think some may want me to serve them. It’s causing me great concern. I don’t know what I should do.”

Endra didn’t know what to say. Her people still believed the Old Gods walked the world in disguise and interfered with the lives of men. Her mother said they tested people to see if they were worthy to serve them. If they failed the test, the Gods would kill the poor man or woman for their inability to please them. “Do not anger them. If they are watching they have a purpose and it must involve you in some way.”

Kian looked into her eyes. “I do not wish to be involved.”

***

Eldon Cross sat on his huge warhorse at the head of a column of knights. “I wish I could send all of them with you, Majesty, but the Abberdonians have been defeated, and I can’t stay and help you with your brother, it is a Bandaran matter and must be handled by Bandarans, besides, I don’t need any more trouble with the Church. The Pope is not fond of me or Ascona, and I don’t wish to incur his wrath by meddling in the affairs of a Kingdom still in good standing with the Church.”

The Queen smiled. “You have been of great help to the people of Bandara, they and I thank you, and I will never forget the kindness you have shown me.”

The Grand Master of Ascona inclined his head toward the Queen. “I’m sure K’xarr and Ansellus will see you on your throne. I wish you luck, Majesty. I hope the small guard of honor I leave with you is of use.”

“I’m sure it will be, Grand Master.”

“I don’t believe you will ever call me Eldon.” The Grand Master chuckled. “Till next we meet, Highness.” The knight raised his gauntleted hand in farewell.

K’xarr came up as the Grand Master rode away to lead his knights back home to Ascona. “It’s time, Majesty.”

The Queen trotted her horse to the front of her company of soldiers. She sat with K’xarr and Rufio, watching the men ride past. “Only six hundred left, I will have to rebuild the army as first order of business, if I regain my throne,” the Queen said.

“When you regain it, Majesty,” K’xarr corrected. “I have not come this far to fail now.”

“Of course. I have faith in you and the men. It just seems like there is always one more battle to fight. Cain and my husband are very determined men. It will not be easy to win back Turill from them.”

“Just stay close to Kian and leave the rest to me. You’ll be fine, Highness. Besides, Cross left you that Asconan honor guard and Sir Ivan.”

Yes, here they come now.” K’xarr and the Queen sat leisurely on their horses and watched as five thousand Asconan knights rode past.

“All of you better listen to Nick while Kian and I are gone, or it won’t go well for you when I return.” The older children all nodded solemnly. Tressa gave her mother a hug and had to be pulled away by her brothers. Sabra and Brigitte only understood that Endra was leaving. Both looked downcast and unhappy. Endra bent down and pick both the girls up and gave each a kiss. “I will be back soon before you know it.” Payton shook his head. “Mother, you’re going into battle you might not come back.”