The Powterosian War (Book 5) (14 page)

Less than fifty Dreaddrac ships escaped the carnage. They reassemble in some order and turned back north at dusk. There weren’t enough to muster a threat and not worth the loss of ships to follow and destroy them. They sailed north into the night and an uncertain future.

When the Dark Lord learns of their failure, they will suffer worse, thought Agros. He turned his combined fleet back south with the wind to Olnak and safety. Still, there go fifty ships and who knows what kind of mischief they’ll still get into.             

* * *

“There’s trouble brewing with the empire,” Saxthor said to Bodrin, reading Memlatec’s message. “He’s got reason to believe my brother is dead and the imperial ambassador is missing. I’ve no family left.” He dropped the letter to his side and looked at Bodrin. “Everything is collapsing in the north and just when I need my cousin, the emperor, to send troops to aid us. We lost communications; all we get is rumors. Nonee is gone and Augusteros too, it’s just too much.”

Delia rose from her place of security under a table and came to Saxthor, sitting under his hand and licking it.

“She senses your pain, Saxthor,” Bodrin said.

“Is there anything I can do, Majesty?” Belnik said, stepping forward.

“Looks like you may be the only family I have left,” Saxthor said, then patting Delia on the head, he left the private audience hall and went to his apartment in the Hoyahof keep’s tower.

No time for sorrow and self-pity now I suppose, he thought. Delia at his side, Saxthor remembered his youth before all the trouble started with his Aunt Irkin, when life was simple and he was ignored by the court. He thought of Augusteros, when they played together. It made him sad. He remembered his brother’s fit claiming the game pieces when Habbernee and he were playing the game. Augusteros had swept them from the board. I guess we were never all that close. We had our own lives, I suppose, but now I’ll never know him. There were sad memories and good ones, too. The day slipped away and Saxthor only came out of his memories when dusk settled and Belnik tapped on the door to light the candles for the evening. Bodrin slipped in behind him.

“Mind if I join you?” Bodrin asked. Saxthor nodded and Bodrin settled quietly in a chair. Belnik lit the candles but didn’t leave. He busied himself nearby piddling with the wardrobe and such.

They want to keep me company so I won’t get too depressed, Saxthor thought.

“I wonder if Augusteros ever found the happiness he was looking for at the Engwanirian court?” Saxthor said to no one in particular. Bodrin said nothing. “He sought power and pleasure without responsibility. I wonder if he ever really knew what would bring him happiness more than the immediate gratification he indulged in.”

“How could you know the answers to those questions?” Bodrin asked.

“Well, we never knew each other really,” Saxthor said. “I was outdoors all the time playing in nature and he stayed indoors indulging in whatever it was that he found to entertain himself with there. Our lives were so different. He went away early, then you and I went into exile for the rest of our youth. Augusteros and I never really had a chance to know each other, I suppose.”

“Maybe he found what he was looking for at Engwaniria,” Bodrin said. “He remained there the rest of his life. You said Memlatec believes he married the princess imperial in the end. Maybe he was happy.”

“Who knows,” Saxthor said, fumbling with papers on a table. He glanced at Bodrin. “It’s lonely though, no family left. You, you have so many brothers and sisters, you’ll never know what it is to be alone. And Tonelia will always be there beside you.”

“Yeah, she’s a handful for sure.”

“Why don’t you try to get some rest, Majesty?” Belnik suggested, stepping forward. “I’ll bring you some dinner here and you can eat and go to bed early.”

“Yes, Mother Belnik,” Saxthor said to his devoted valet, his tone upbeat for a moment. Belnik looked down at the floor.

“I know you were trying to help, Belnik, I was only joking with you. I appreciate your concern and trying to look out for me.” He grabbed Belnik and gave him a hug which embarrassed the blushing valet. “Now go and get us some dinner and tell the cook more meat and less of those greens you keep throwing in front of me.”

“Very well, but you do need to eat the greens,” Belnik mumbled as he left.

“He always has to have the last word,” Saxthor said, nodding at the closing door.

“I’ll get you a few greens anyway,” Belnik said and the door closed.

“See what I mean? Those greens will be most visible on the plate; you wait and see. I have no say in the matter and I’ll get no rest until I eat the last leaf.” The two men laughed, but then Saxthor reverted to his melancholy, looking at the portraits of his late brother and sister on the wall. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and sat down beside his best friend.

“Bodrin, things are going badly in the north, as you know. I think Tarquak is neutralized for the moment at Botahar, but reports are suggesting someone is organizing the orcs in the southern Sengenwhan swamps along the Nhy. If there is a concerted effort to unite them, there may be a plan to cross the river and attack Heedra. If the Dreaddrac fleet can seize Olnak and the orcs take Heedra, they will be able to bring an army up river less than a week away from Konnotan.”

Attack Konnotan itself, unthinkable,” Bodrin said. He smacked the table with his hand.

“This war is not going well. With King Grekenbach tied up at Graushdemheimer and Heggolstockin wavering, the Dark Lord could bring an army against Hoya any time now. If they seize the river route to Konnotan and split our forces, they could conquer Konnotan and bring down the kingdom without a major battle.”

Bodrin jumped up. He went to the window looking out, scratching his head, contemplating what Saxthor had said. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to take the force you have at Botahar and travel southwest through the swamps of southern Sengenwha, disrupting the orc forces, defeating them as you go. That will take pressure off Konnotan until we find out if Admiral Agros can stop the Dreaddrac fleet from seizing Olnak.”

“Consider it done,” Bodrin said. “When shall I leave?”

“As soon as possible.”

“I’ll leave for Botahar in the morning.”

Saxthor went to the window and put his hand on Bodrin’s shoulder. “We didn’t know it would be like this when we were kids, did we?”

“No, Saxthor, life was a lot simpler then.”

Well you play the cards you’re dealt, don’t you? I just hope I have the strength to be up to the challenges,” Saxthor said. “We’re losing allies right and left north of Neuyokkasin. Soon we’ll be alone in this war.”

“You’ve done all right so far,” Bodrin said. He nodded his head at his best friend and real brother.

Belnik knocked on the door and entered with a large tray. There were plates and platters, goblets and jugs for a feast. With a groan, he slid the heavy tray on the table and took a moment to catch his breath.

“What’s all this?” Saxthor asked, looking at the spread.

“He’s staying for dinner, isn’t he?” Belnik asked, a dead serious stare fixed on Bodrin.

Grinning, Bodrin quickly responded, lifting one of the silver platter covers to inspect the contents. “Why yes, thanks for inviting me.”

“Hope I brought enough, should feed a dozen normal people,” Belnik said, again with a straight face.

“I’m sure there will be plenty,” Saxthor said.

“Well, if you don’t get some quickly, you might go hungry.” Belnik smacked Bodrin’s hand with a serving spoon as he tried to stab a piece of roast from a platter for his already filled plate. The valet filled a plate for Saxthor. The greens were indeed prominently displayed in a generous mound in the center. He handed the heaping feast to Saxthor and started to slide a napkin over Saxthor’s chest.

Saxthor rolled his eyes, looking at the grinning Bodrin. “See.” He pointed to the greens.

Bodrin finished overloading his plate and the two men sat down to eat with Belnik hovering over them, making sure neither one ever saw the actual plate surface under the food, no matter how much they ate. Delia had learned not to smack her lips when eating under the table with Belnik in the room.

* * *

The stable boy from Prertsten Palace hesitated, approaching Prince Pindradese’s tent. He looked back to the Akkin he’d just crossed. The chatra will kill my family like he said if I don’t tell the prince about the attack, he thought. He chewed his finger nails, fidgeted, and finally continued on to the tent. Worst he can do is kill me. The young man covered in soot and ash approached the tent. The guards crossed their spears and cast deep frowns but said nothing.

“I gotta see the prince,” the stable boy said. He puffed up his chest, pursed his lips, and looked each guard in the eyes.

The guards looked at each other. “What’s your business?”

“News from Prertsten… the chatra sent me.”

“Hump,” one guard said and went into the tent. The stable boy stood there avoiding eye contact with the other guard, who watched him. The boy jumped slightly when the tent flap flew back and the first guard returned. He said nothing, but stepped to the side and held the tent flap open. The boy hesitated and the guard nodded him to the opening. The skittish young man entered slowly, looking all around him at wonders like he’d never seen.

“Well, what is it?” Prince Pindradese snapped from his canopied bed.

The boy jerked off his cap and flushed when he noted the ash flying from it. He cleared his throat. “It burned,” the boy managed to say. He wasn’t allowed to speak to Prince Pindradese before, though he’d worked in the stables for several years.

Pindradese sat up, “What burned?”

“The palace, Your Highness.” The boy stood staring at the rich bed linens and the apparel the prince slept in. He slept on straw in the stable loft and had never imagined such luxury existed.

The prince flew out of bed, grabbing a robe of glistening silk brocade, wrapping it around himself and moved to face the boy.

“What are you saying? You can’t be talking about Prertsten Palace?”

“Yes, Your Highness, it’s the palace itself in the center of Prertsten.”

“Guards!” Pindradese barked. The soldiers appeared instantly. “Flog this boy until he admits to his prank.”

The guards moved quickly to grab the young man, who terrified, sank to his knees, his heart pounding.

“Honest, the queen came. She burned the palace. I didn’t want to come tell you, but the chatra told me he’d torture my family if I didn’t come.” He glanced up at the guards then to the prince and flopped down, groveling. Pindradese nodded to the guards and they released him. He wet himself, then flushed embarrassed.

“Queen, what queen? You’re making no sense.”

“The chatra said she was Dagmar, Queen of Sengenwha.”

“The queen of Sengenwha?” Pindradese said, stumbling back and sitting on the bed. “I’d not thought about Princess Dagmar in some time, never thought of her as queen.” He looked at the guards, “Release him.” He looked down at the cowering boy. “You’d better not be lying,” the prince said. “Lock him up and mention this to no one,” the prince said to the guards. “If you’re lying boy, your skin will make a chair cover.”

The guards dragged the whimpering, protesting young man out of the tent. The flaps closed behind them.

*

It’s not possible anyone could have gotten into Prertsten and burned the palace. It’s not possible, Pindradese thought. The Sengenwhan state has collapsed. They have no army left. How could this supposed queen assemble an army and attack Prertsten with enough of a force to take the city and burn the palace? Then a sickening feeling came over him, and his stomach seemed to twist. But what if it’s true?

The prince pulled off his robe and jumped into his uniform, buttoning buttons as he rushed out of the tent almost knocking a guard down.

“My horse,” He shouted. “Call my guards.” A sentry at the tent entrance rushed off.

As the prince waited for his horse and guards to accompany him, he finished dressing standing in front of his tent. When a groom rushed up with the prince’s horse in tow and half a dozen of his personal guards rode up just after, the prince mounted and rode at a gallop to the river. There he found a boat with a crew of rowers at the shore, jumped into the boat with the perplexed guards following and they set off across the Akkin. They found horses on the other side and rode full speed toward Prertsten, nearly killing the horses. As the Pindradese came over a ridge, he saw smoke rising in the distance.

“It can’t be!” the stunned prince mumbled.

They raced on until near the city gates, the horses slowed to a walk. The men stared up at the ominous smoky ribbons drifting in the slightest breeze from the center of the city. People covered in ash and soot milled around outside the walls moving charred lumber and wheelbarrows of rubble.

“What’s happened here?” the prince asked a guard at the city gate.

“That Sengenwhan queen led a raid and snuck in through a sewer somewhere, they say. She burned the palace before anyone was aware what she was up to.”

“Where are they?” the prince asked. He looked around but saw no enemy forces. “Where is this mysterious queen and her army?”