The Exodus Sagas: Book II - Of Dragons And Crowns (21 page)

“What a loss Katrina, what a loss. I could rule from below, and you from above. I like the
title of
snake, it suits me well. I appreciate the business, and wish you well in seeing Agarian glory restored
through bloodshed. Farewell.” t
he prince of Valhirst
bowed to the veteran lady mercenary
that held so much resentment and old world hatred in her heart. He did not share that passion, for the people who had come many millennia ago from the northern continent had led him to having a throne in the largest city in Chazzrynn. His passion was for unseen power behind the rulers and great kingdoms, for there was so much more he could do from that shadowy position.

“I wish you well in your murders and plots Prince Johnas.
Should you seek to impress me,
show me that you can take this kingdom for your own instead of slithering your way through it. Then, perhaps, we could talk some
more. Farewell.” Katrina bowed
and about-faced. She strode out of the castle with nearly twenty thousand in gold coin, enough to feed her army for another
half
year. Now the race was upon her, the race to sell this information to
Caberra, Shanador, and Kivanis
quickly and set them against each other. The lady of Willborne knew that politics and war were what made men rich and powerful, and also what made her army the most sought after mercenary legion in Agara.

“Organize the underchamber and all the agents of the White Spider, we have much to do. Get me Salah-Cam, my fastest ships with emissaries, and the doppelgangers. I want it done yesterday!”
p
aranoia ripped through his mind, sending flashes of r
age that made his facial muscles
twitch.
Johnas stripped off his robes, down to his leather
armor and tight fitting black
clothing. He
drew his emerald pommeled kris
blade, and stomped off
behind the throne to head underground. The servants scattered, knowing they better get there before he did, or there would be blood upon the floor this night.

Exodus
II:VI

Soujan Mountain, Harlaheim

”The plans are never perfect, the orders rarely timed correctly, and the enemy seldom waits for your final preparations. All one can do i
s stand their ground and fight
without thought of victory, defeat, or death.”
–Aldomin
Bradswellen
,
Lord of Saint Erinsburg, upon seeing the overwhelming Caberran army advance to the Harlaheim borders
three days earlier than expected
.
-
Circa 198 A.D.

Azenairk Thalanaxe rested his stocky legs and clunked down on a rock, his plate armor heavier than ever before. He
had traversed down a mountain chased by ogre
in the frigid south; but winding up one with no roads or trail to follow was exhausting. His shaved head dripped with sweat in the after
noon sun, cooling from the
winter air of Harlaheim. “At least there
be
no snow to slow us up. How much further Lord Cristoff?”

The human lord looked to his ten men leading the horses by the reins, as the climb was too treacherous to ride the last several hours up Soujan Mountain. “Perhaps an hour, maybe more good priest. Take a rest everyone, we need not reach the summit without the strength to stand.”

Gwenneth and James sat on a fallen pine tree and caught their breath. The few soldiers and archers tethered the horses to the low hanging branches of the forest filled mountainside and sat to rest as well. Saberrak the gray sniffed the air, wandering a wide arcing circle around the short term resting spot. He was not tired, his legs had more energy than ten men combined.

Shinayne T’Sarrin took a moment of close-eyed meditation, then circled the camp also, stopping fifty feet down the mountain. She sensed something, movement, almost as if she heard it coming closer
,
it called to her
.
The elven swordswoman stayed still by a small pine, hearing the squirrels scurry up to the top to watch her. Her aquamarine eyes closed softly, her mind quieted and tuned out the sounds of birds and the wind in the trees, then Shinayne breathed deep. Her thoughts went down the mountain they had spent the last day and
a half
traveling, through the forested
foothills, and inbetween the valleys and outcroppings. Too many to count, she felt them. Dark creatures, cold and black, moving swiftly th
rough the woods on the mountain. T
hey were following the trail she
and her allies had left. The elf could feel them close, too close
,
and moving fast on reptilian legs.
Salisan lizardmen
, she thought,
and a human man with them.
The noble highborne elf opened her eyes and dashed uphill to the camp.

“On your feet! We have company closing quickly!” Shinayne drew her curved elven blades and turned to face the slope with the others behind her.

“What is it? What do you see?” Lord Cristoff looked down the mountain, straining to see anything move.
There was nothing but ancient pines and rock.

“I sense them
my lord, they will be here soon. Salisans, a small army of them
track us up the mountain.” s
he looked around, seeing confused human soldiers waiting for an order from their lord. Zen, Gwenne and James all stood next to her, not second guessing their friend.

“I see nothing, are you certain Shi
nayne?” t
he Lord of Saint Erinsburg still could make nothing out, and he held orders for his men until he was sure.

“I smell them, rancid, oily and cold-blooded creatures.” Saberrak caught his breath after finishing his trek around the camp. “What are they elf?”

“Black salisans, lizard men, maybe a hundred give or take.” Shinayne looked deeper down the cliffs and trees of Soujan Mountain, waiting to see the first of many scaly creatures appear.

“A hundred? We make for higher ground, the summit of the mountain.
We cannot stand against so many here on such unstable footing.” Cristoff grabbed the reins and untied his well trained black stallion,
Leonis.

“One hundred is all, we have sixteen here,
don’t we? Why the worry
?” Saberrak smiled from under his curved horns and fierce gaze.

“Are you serious, minotaur?” Cristoff glance back, assuming the jest was just that.

“Very serious, human.”

“Well, if we don’t reach the top of the mountain and find help there, you can show me how serious you truly are in the face of a force of that
number. Until then, we move.” h
e led his steed up through more forested plateaus and valleys on the mountainside.

“I look forward to it.” Saberrak huffed, and headed uphill with the rest. He stayed in the rear, hoping one of the scaly beasts would show itself a little early.

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“It is not
impossible, nephew! I have you and ten men
and myself! I will not let Rosana be executed, not today, not tomorrow, and i
f that means my death, so be it!
” Savanno stood from t
he dirty wooden table in the basement of the abandoned armory. He knew that none of the preparations were in order in the courtyard, that the order of execution was obviously not being carried out. He had thought it was a trap or a lure man
y times; yet he could not take that
chance. He had snuck into the city late last night and searched out his nephew Sir Sulian.

“Uncle, Florin not only has your title, she has taken control of the city as acting Seneschal. Only the lords of Saint Erinsburg, Wynnegarde, Devonmir, and Saint Tarumin
combined
could hold any military threat now. She controls the city, they control their
lands, and without the cardinal
we have a divided church and order of knights.
We have no army!
” Sulian hung his gaze to the table, rubbing the stubble on his head, and thought hard of what options they had before them. He admired and believed his uncle, but it seemed like suicide to rescue the queen at this point.
Everything he had taught him now stood on the edge of a blade.

“They are distracted with the siege on Kalzarius, the men’s loyalty is in question every moment. You know this, they do not trust the bishop, Florin, or even their own king.
They trust in the knights, you and I
.” Savanno’s eyes began to tear, fearing that his own nephew and knight of the Order of Saint Tarumin may not follow him or assist.

“They have restrained the king to his chambers, if they did not trust in Florin-“

“Rosana carries my child, Sulian. Kalzarius told me, and I have been
suspicious anyway.”

“They are not going to execute the queen of Harlaheim, uncle. They would not dare make such an enemy of Caberra, the king will not-“

Savanno pounded his fist on the table, the other men in the room jumped to grab for their weapons. They had been on edge since they entered the city, and had not been used to fighting much other than the dead from the swamps. They realized that if this went foul, they would be branded for treason and taken to the guillotine themselves. Some began to wonder if the orders from their Lord Cristoff were legitimate, as he would be implicated should they be caught.

“The king knows she does not love him, he knows she loves me, and he seeks to empower only himself. You know Richmond as I do.” Savanno Lisario sat back down, feeling his age and anger wear on him.

“And what would you do, uncle? The heir to the throne
in the womb
,
with a
former queen, and the former lord of knights; where will you go, and what of the heir that is born? You will be hunted forever, unless you mean to take the throne…”

“Do not ever accuse me of such treachery, or we are blood no more. Understood? I love Rosana, regardless of title. I
will leave with her to Shanador
and find peace there. I have found a small acreage outside of Gillian, and have assurances that I will be safe there.
An old lordship by the name Azarris has no heirs to be found. My name will have to change, I have been arranging it for some time.” t
he veteran knight of Harlaheim looked directly into the eyes of Sulian, pleading with but a stare.

“
Fine then, very well. I will get as many men as I can trust, quietly. You stay here with Cris
toff’s men. We meet at sundown
and we enter from the sewers. I
will have Sir Leonard spread information that your were spotted
south
near the docks, and Sir
Karai will join with me if all goes well. Once we get Rosana, we
make for the north gate. Sir Leonard’s men will be there, and you will have to get safely to Saint Erinsburg. If we leave with you, Florin will know, and we are all dead men.” Sulian stood and shook his uncle’s forearm with his own, then pulled into a hug.

“You could leave with us Sulian.” Savanno let him go, overwhelmed that he had a chance to save his wife.

“No, uncle. I believe that Harlaheim will see brighter days, and I stay to ensure it. You have no choice but to leave, I have a choice to help my kingdom.
You have to foll
ow what God has laid before you. S
tay quiet until I return, and be safe. Alden
bless you and show us mercy.” t
he young knight pulled his black cloak over his shoul
ders and face to keep hidden as he
made out the rotted door and into the city streets.

Guilt and shame tried to poison his weary heart, guilt that he sought help from his own blood. He had trained Sulian since his father was killed eleven years ago in the war with Chazzrynn. Now in his twenty fifth year, now a knight of the order, his own nephew would be helping him. S
avanno
tried to think of the greater good here, the love for his wife, and the wicked cruelties he had seen as Richmond became even worse than his father before him. The veteran lord o
f knights drew his steel rapier
and checked the edge. Like his love and purpose here, it was free of blemishes or scratches.

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Whoosh, crackkk!
Another spear whistled past the elf’s head and splintered as it buried into a tree in front of her.
She kept moving
alongside the minotaur, bringing up the rear of the company as they neared the top of Soujan Mountain. She could hear them, so many of them, snarling and his
sing and taking longshots with
spear
s
now and again. Shinayne sprinted up further, and reached out to one o
f the archers that was leading his
horse. She grabbed his bow and quiver without asking, catching a confused look from the human who looked far more nervous than anyone else. “I will return this in a moment.”