The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1) (46 page)

Daenon’s main sitting area was a two story, high-ceilinged room paneled from top to bottom in polished, maroon wood.  The intricately carved paneling was hand pieced to flow together seamlessly.  A massive stone fireplace stood in the center of the wall opposite the door.  Flanking it on either side were three-foot wide windows running from floor to ceiling.  All of the furnishings, from draperies to floor rugs, were the muted color of green sage.  The room overlooked the back gardens, and if it had been daylight they would have had a spectacular view. 

Jessica had seen the room before, when she first arrived and was taken on tour by Merula, but it was dark then, and late at night.  Now the room was brightly lit by dozens of thick candles.  Taxidermy animals packed the open spaces, with heads of various beasts mounted on walls as well as whole bodies arranged in woodland settings in the corners.  A large, stuffed bird of prey in flight was suspended from the ceiling.  Before she really took it all in, Jessica heard her father’s voice from down a connecting hall.

“I can hardly believe this!” he sounded exasperated.  “Everything is so well documented.  It’s as if he were going to publish his memoirs or something.”

“Hey, Dad,” Jessica yelled.  “Where are you?”

“In here,” he stuck his head out of a side room.

Daenon’s office bureau looked as if a hurricane had hit it.  Paneled in the same wood as the sitting room, the den was brightly lit by silver candle stands in each corner.  Papers lay strewn all over the floor.  Cupboard and file drawers stood wide open.  Sitting in a black leather chair behind a long desk, Lepsis thumbed through a ledger while John rummaged through an armoire against the wall.

“Daenon kept detailed diaries and records of everything he did,” John said, looking up when Jessica walked into the room.  “So he wanted to marry you, huh?  You’re not the only one to leave out certain details of your adventures.”

“He thought he could rule more legitimately,” she shrugged.  “It was not a pleasant prospect.”

“What’s all this?” Lyrista gave her light, gentle laugh, as she picked up several of the discarded papers. 

“Mostly garbage.”  John sounded disgusted.  He tossed another couple of documents on the pile.  “The important things are on the desk, but this stuff,” He indicated the mess on the floor, “is all trash, the rantings of a truly deranged mind.”

“It’ll take us a couple of days to go through everything,” Lepsis warned.  “So don’t expect to see us any time soon.”

It was a gentle dismissal, but a dismissal none-the-less.  Merula showed Lyrista to a guest room identical to the one Jessica was in, and Jessica, with Varnack still by her side, settled into the one she had occupied for over two months.  Her things were still in their drawers, and a fresh candle sat by her bedside.

Varnack curled up on a rug beside the bed.

“Varnack, do you miss your family?”

“Sometimes.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Larone and Anton family now.”

“And me.”

“Yes.  And you.”

In the morning, John and Lepsis made a late appearance at breakfast.  After they took some nourishment, Merula suggested the time had come to show the men the Treasure chamber.

“My, oh my!” John exclaimed when he walked in.  “It looks like a king’s ransom!”

“I assume this is where Addex met his end,” Lepsis said dryly, looking at the large bloodstain on the carpet.

“Yes, thanks to Merula I’m still in one piece,” Jessica said.  Merula remained silent. 

“Daenon used to talk about this room, but I never once saw it in all my years of living here,” Lepsis said.

Jessica pointed to the painting of her grandfather.  “Dad, this is Lord Graesion.”

“I haven’t seen that picture in more than fifty years.”  Anton’s loud voice echoed in the room.  “Looks just like the lad.  He was as fine a man as I ever knew.  Ya remind me a lot of him, John.”  Anton affectionately slapped him on the back.  “Haesom always wondered what happened to that paintin’.  Now we know.”

After looking everything over, they exited the room.  Merula locked the door and handed the key to Lepsis.  “Here.  It belongs to you now.”

He looked at her in surprise.  “She’s right,” John agreed.  “You are the rightful regulator of this province.  It’s been your home, and the people trust you.  Who better to head a transition government?  Use the money Daenon so selfishly accumulated and transform this desert.  I’m sure you’ll have willing hands ready to give you whatever help you may need.”  John smiled at Merula and she smiled back.

For four days Jessica barely saw her father.  When she did, he was busy sorting through Daenon’s papers, sending directives, and answering messages from Reese, Cordon and Ru.  As far as she knew, the occupation was going smoothly.  John mentioned only one village that actually took up arms against the Esparians, and they were quickly subdued.  Lepsis sent riders to all corners of Demar, trying to consolidate power and guarantee freedoms.

John published a standing offer of amnesty to any Elitet willing to take an oath of peace, but from the small number of assassins Jessica had known, she felt few, if any, would accept it.  Reports came in concerning one Corter, a Shield trying to gather Daenon’s remaining loyal troops. 

Anton roamed the countryside with Varnack, and Jessica contented herself with showing Lyrista around Rendaira, inside and out.  Lepsis moved back into his house and a major renovation project on the servants’ quarters was planned.

“Hopefully we can stem Corter’s flow of support by proving to the desert people we mean to rule in mercy and justice,” John said one night at dinner.  “In two days we’ll set off on our desert tour and begin putting actions to my words of clemency.”

“I’ve prepared a route for us to follow,” Lepsis said.  “It’ll take about two weeks to complete the scheduled stops.”

On the night before they were to leave, Cook Stratin prepared a sumptuous meal of herbed meat, sweetened fruit compote, braised greens and leavened whole grain breads.  The servants, the three hundred Guardians, and the honored guests all assembled in the grand ballroom. 

When the meal came to an end, Lepsis stood and raised his hand for silence.  He formally bowed to John and Jessica, then held his hand out for Merula.  She wore a soft pink gown, and her curled hair glowed in the candlelight.  Jessica saw her blush when she took the outstretched hand, but standing beside her gallant hero, her eyes glistened with love.

“My friends,” Lepsis began, “I…no…we have an announcement.”  He placed his arm around Merula and continued.  “I will make the tour of Demar with the Protectors, and upon my return here to Rendaira, Merula and I are to be wed.”

A collective gasp rose from the crowd, but within a second the servants erupted in wild applause and cheers.  Jessica ran to Merula and hugged her. 

“I knew it, I just knew it!” she gushed.  “Merula, I’m so happy for you!”

“I sent word to my father at Ramadine,” Merula said.  “He should be here in time to perform the ceremony.  Until elections are held, he is still the Regulator of Palium.”

John shook Lepsis’ hand.  “I’d like you to come to the wedding, if you can,” Lepsis said hopefully.  His eyes glanced over at Lyrista. “Everyone is invited.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” John grinned. 

“I sent a message to my family in Marone, and to my sister, Naydeen at Ramadine this morning,” Lepsis emphasized Naydeen’s name.  “I hope they will be here by the time we return from our journey.  I’ve also taken the liberty of inviting Lady Gayleena and Healer Larone.”

Anton perked up at the mention of Naydeen.  Lepsis slipped from Merula’s side and moved smoothly to where Anton was seated.  Being only a chair away from them, Jessica overheard what Lepsis proposed. 

“Anton, I’m going to speak boldly.  I want you to carefully consider what I’m about to say.”  He sat on an empty chair next to the large man.  “I have loved Merula for many years now, but because of circumstances I could never control, I couldn’t do anything about that love until now.  I’ve come to realize, in these last few months of fighting and seeing death all around me, that it’s never too late to grasp happiness.  Anton, I may not know much, but I saw my sister when she looked at you.  She loves you.  Forty years of her life have been wasted away in a prison.  It’s time to take life and live it while you can.  It’s up to you, of course, but I’d be honored to make this a double wedding.”

Anton sat speechless.  Lepsis squeezed his shoulder and left him to his thoughts.  Jessica considered his words and found she completely agreed with him.  Lyrista’s gentle laughter drifted over to her.  She was in an animated conversation with John
.  I wonder if Lepsis could talk some sense into my Dad.

“Uncle Anton,” Jessica turned around to him.  “Uncle Anton,” she tapped him on his shoulder.  “
Uncle Anton
,” she called a little louder.

“Huh?  What?” he looked blankly at her.  At last, the light of recognition came into his eyes, “Oh, Jessi!  What can I do for ya?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead.  Ask away.”

“Well, I know my Grandma will want to come to this wedding, and I’m a little worried about her traveling here without a good guide or escort.  I was wondering if you could take some of your Guardians and go to Ramadine and…hmmm…make sure she gets here safely.  If it worked out, Merula’s father, Uncle Larone and Lady
Naydeen
could go with her too.”  Jessica also emphasized Naydeen’s name.

Anton stared at her for a moment, digesting what she had just asked of him.  The corners of his mouth twitched and a small smile appeared on his lips.  It grew larger and larger until he grinned broadly.  Jessica noticed for the first time how deep the smile wrinkles were around his eyes and mouth.  His tanned face accented his white teeth, and he looked quite handsome at that moment.

“Jessi, m’dear, that’s a terrific idea.  I’ll go give the orders right now.”  He pushed his chair back and almost ran over to where his group of Guardians sat.  With contagious enthusiasm, Jessica watched Anton tell his buddies they were going back on the road.

“What’s Anton so excited about,” Jessica recognized her father’s voice in her ear.

“Oh, Dad, we may have a double wedding.”  And she told him what Lepsis had suggested to Anton.  Swallowing hard, she decided to take a plunge.  “Dad, I bet they would love to have a triple wedding.”

“And who are you planning to marry?”  He did not crack a smile.

“C’mon dad, don’t play dumb.  You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Don’t go there, Jess,” he warned.  “I’m not ready yet.”  John turned away from his daughter and walked from the ballroom.  She knew she had upset him, but someone needed to prod him along, and this was a first step.

“What was that about?” Lyrista asked walking over to Jessica.  “His mood seemed to change so quickly.”

“Denial,” was the only explanation Jessica gave.  She walked out of the ballroom with Varnack romping after her.

Anton left in the morning with his twenty-five Guardians.  Before he rode out, Jessica saw him talking with Lepsis, and Lepsis looked very happy.

John’s Dream

“This is the tiern where I first met Farin, I wonder if he’s returned to Asmerth?” Jessica said to Lepsis.  They slowly approached the large city.  The highway teemed with people, not just women and children, but men as well, many men.  The accompaniment of fifty Guardians kept their weapons close and Jessica saw the distrust on each soldier’s face, but she felt no premonitions of danger, so enjoyed the humanity around her.  Varnack too seemed content to be on the road again while he romped up and down the line, teasing the horses. 

At one point Web whinnied his frustration and Jessica had to scold him.  “You’re driving the horses crazy, Varnack.  Will you please calm down?”

“Good fun,” he replied.

“Fun, huh?  Well don’t come crying to me when one of these mounts gives you a swift kick.”

Lepsis rode at the head of the procession, with Jessica beside him.  John and Lyrista followed directly behind, while the fifty Guardians rode three abreast in a neat column after them.  Unusually quiet, John seemed to be troubled.  Lyrista tried several times to engage him in conversation.  Inwardly Jessica cringed after each of her father’s cryptic responses. 

“What is bothering you?” Lyrista finally asked, a frustrated look on her face.

“Nothing.

“Oh, please.  You’ve got a black cloud the size of Ragus hanging over your head.” 

“I just need some space.”

Her mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged in astonishment.  “Fine, enjoy your solitude.”  Lyrista reined her horse so it slowed, and the Guardians split to allow her to join their ranks.

Jessica felt terrible.  She looked at Varnack.  “Any advice for the love sick?”

He shook his shaggy head.  “Human problems.  Human solutions.”

John trotted up and fell into step beside Lepsis. “Farin’s a good man,” Lepsis said to John.  “I want to make contact.  He would be invaluable as an advisor in the new government.”

“He comes and goes with an uncanny quiet,” John commented.  “’Ghost Walker’ is an appropriate title.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to run into him when we least expected it.”

“You have him measured quite well,” Lepsis agreed.

Jessica showed them the house where she first encountered Farin and his men.  He was not there, but Lepsis left a note, certain the Ghost Walker would eventually receive it.

When out of Asmerth, John finally snapped out of his mood and began bouncing ideas off of Lepsis for improving the villages and the desert land.

Realizing Lyrista was still back with her men, Jessica turned to look at her.  The woman’s emotions played across her face, alternating between confusion, hurt, and anger.

A slight pause in the conversation between John and Lepsis gave Jessica an opening to chide her father.

“Dad, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you can really be a jerk sometimes.”

“What!”  He looked astounded.  Lepsis laughed.

“Lyrista?  Remember her?”

The startled look on his face did not change.

“Men!”  Jessica felt frustrated and pulled Web to slow him down.  She maneuvered next to Lyrista.

“Don’t let my dad upset you,” Jessica blurted out.  “He’s got a lot on his mind.”

Lyrista said nothing.

“I know he loves you, Lyrista.  I’ve seen it in his eyes.  He just can’t seem to let go of my mom.”

“I know.”  Her body language said the brief conversation was terminated.

Jessica reflected on her friend.  When she had first met Lyrista, Jessica felt a little overwhelmed, but now, she felt every bit the woman’s equal.  Lyrista certainly treated her like an equal
.
  There was a bond with Lyrista, and it came without a great deal of effort.  Jessica was determined to have another chat with her dad
.

The countryside was just as she remembered, barren, but with its own kind of stark beauty.  This time, she enjoyed her trip through the desert.  The temperatures were dropping as the autumn days approached.  They only stopped to eat, sleep in the open, and purchase supplies in the small villages.  Four days went by, and they traveled southwest about a hundred and fifty filons.  Jessica noticed the further west they rode, the more distrusting the desert people seemed to be of them and the more arid the land became.  The ground slowly changed from hard, barren earth to crumbling, dry, sandy soil.  Gazing westward across the vast wasteland before her, Jessica saw vast dunes of hot, dry sand
.

The Deserts of Demar were of a dual nature.  The eastern half, or Eastern Desert, was inhabitable, with small water sources allowing for some farming.  The western half, or Western Desert, was utterly parched.

The Esparian troops had penetrated all of the inhabited areas of the Eastern Desert to the line of civilization along the Western Desert.  As per John’s orders, the occupation troops paid for their own supplies and remained busy by helping the locals where opportunity arose. 

The far western lands were forbidding to all but the truly foolish.  There was no water for filons on end and invisible sand traps lurked throughout the barren regions.  The traps were like dry quicksand, they blended in with the normal sand until anything over ten pounds happened to cross, then the object was quickly ensnared and sucked under.  The greater part of the desert people completely avoided the west. 

After two hundred filons, Lepsis turned due north.  They followed the imaginary line between the eastern and western deserts.  “I want you to see the border settlements,” he explained to John.  “I think it’s important you show the border people you care enough about them to travel to their bleak hoffles.” 

In the larger tierns they stopped long enough to meet the local leaders and hear their concerns.  Everywhere it was the same, food and water.  The task of bringing water to these desert parts emerged as the single most important endeavor the Esparians could undertake to win the trust of the Demarian people.  As it turned out, that was how Segal originally won them over.  He found untapped water sources and brought the precious liquid to the masses, thereby allowing for larger cities and greater prosperity.

They had braved the dust and heat of the invisible western border for five days when Lepsis announced the end of the journey.  “We’ll be at our last stop, Jorton Hoffle, tomorrow afternoon.  This is the last tiern along the western border that I want you to see, then we’ll turn southeast and head for Rendaira.  Jorton Hoffle is unusual in that it’s a tiny green haven in this barren, desolate land.  I’ve never been able to figure out their water source.  About twenty years ago, Daenon had me thoroughly explore this region, but I found nothing.  The Olders are quite good at evading questions about their water supply.  If Daenon were with me, he would have ordered the people tortured to extract the information.  Luckily, I was able to divert his attentions from Jorton after the underground spring near Rendaira was discovered.  He only wanted Jorton’s water source for himself, not the general good of the people, so when he dammed his own private lake, his interest in this little hoffle disappeared.  There’s still much more of Demar, but I think you have seen enough to have a good idea of what the desert is like.  To the north are mountains.  It would take several more days to reach them and many more after that to see the tierns.  The people there are less wary and more open to Esparia.  In the past, they’ve had good associations with the citizens of Snow Peak.”

“I’d like to see maps of that area when we return to Rendaira,” John said.  “Perhaps there is a way to bring the water from the north to the deserts in the south.”

“That’s a tremendous undertaking, John.”

“Well, I’m up to a good challenge, Lepsis.  We’ll see just how good the Esparian engineers are.”  When the conversation turned to the ever-present water problems in Demar, Lyrista, spurred her horse flush with the two men.  She had a few ideas to interject on the subject and wanted more information on Jorton Hoffle.  Jessica and Varnack were left as lone companions, traveling behind the three leaders and ahead of the Guardians in the rear.  During their journey, Brayon was the only Guardian who spoke with Jessica.  The others never interacted with either her or Varnack.  They were respectful and kind enough, but she knew most of the men viewed her as little more than a child.  As for Varnack, Trigal Hounds were creatures of myth and legend, so many of the men regarded him with wary respect.

“Well Varnack, how are you holding up?  The sand isn’t too hot for your feet I hope.”

“No,” came the telepathic reply.  “Anton made boots before, but this sand cool.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  You…”  Before she could finish her sentence the beginning twinges of nausea crept into her stomach. 

“Varnack!” she barely whispered.

He growled in response, immediately on his guard.  She did not need to express in words her anxiety, for her telepathic terror reached him immediately after her stomach lurched.  Web, as well as each of the other horses, also felt the warning communication and as one, reduced their pace.  The sudden, unbidden slow down alarmed the riders and they murmured their surprise.

“Guardians!” Jessica yelled, “ahead…on the right…those boulders.”  She pointed at the location.  Looking forward, she knew she had only seconds to save the three leading the column.  Understanding her thoughts as soon as she had them, Web sprang into action, galloping toward John and Lyrista, while Varnack ran at Lepsis.  Web squeezed between Fireguard and Lyrista’s mare while Jessica, in a swift, powerful motion driven by adrenaline’s strength, thrust her arms outward at each side, pushing her loved ones off their mounts.  Varnack, jumping up, slammed sideways into Lepsis, unseating him from this horse.  Just as the three riders crashed to the ground, a volley of arrows barely missed them.  Two, however, hit Jessica, one in her right arm and another in her right leg.

The Guardians, only seconds behind Jessica, galloped toward the hidden attackers, their own arrows filling the sky.  A whistle was heard, then moments later a band of Elitet left the boulders and escaped into the western desert.

Lepsis, up on his feet and recovered from the fall, yelled to the Guardians.  “Do not pursue them.  The western deserts are suicide to anyone who doesn’t know the sand-trap secrets.”

As if to prove the truthfulness of his statement, the scream of a terrified horse rent the air.  The Guardians pulled to a halt and everyone, including a pain-racked Jessica, watched in horror as an Elitet and his unfortunate mount sank quickly into a deadly sand trap. 

Web stopped as soon as Jessica was hit.  A weak sob from her broke the gloomy quiet.  “Dad.”  He was instantly at her side.

“Jess, I’m sorry.  I didn’t know you were hit.”  Gingerly, he pulled her off Web and laid her on the ground.  Lepsis and Lyrista ran to his side.  The arrow in her arm passed completely through, grazing the bone as it went.  Lepsis broke the feathers and finished pulling it through the wound.  Lyrista pulled her dagger out and ripped Jessica’s pants at the second puncture site.  John grabbed his ever-present emergency bag. 

“Do you have some of that wonderful purple fern?” Jessica asked weakly.

“I don’t, Jess.  I’m sorry.”

“Here,” Brayon said from behind them, “I have some.  I found this when I traveled to Ider Hoffle to enlist.  I’ve carried the magical leaf with me throughout these many battles.  One never knows when it may be needed.”  He handed a small piece of the precious plant to John.  Breaking it in three pieces, John bound two of them to the entry and exit wounds in his daughter’s arm with some cloth bandages.  He winced when he turned to the leg. 

“I’m sorry Jess, but we’re going to have to dig this one out.”

She nodded.  Lepsis offered her his hands and she gripped them tightly.  “Go ahead,” she whispered. 

Working quickly, John and Lyrista cut and pulled the arrow out at the same angle it had entered.  The entire operation took only seconds, but Jessica screamed, one short agonized cry, then bit her lip so hard it bled.  Placing the rest of the fern over the fresh wound, John tightly bound it.

“We’ll spend the night here,” Lepsis said.  “Then tomorrow we’ll head back to Rendaira.”

“No.”  Jessica was already feeling the soothing pain relief from the fern.  “You said it was important for Dad to go to Jorton Hoffle.  It’s less than a day away, so let’s keep to our schedule.  You take Dad on.  Lyrista and Varnack can stay here with me.”  She turned to her father.  “It’s important for you to be the Protector, Dad.  I’ll be all right.”

Brayon stepped forward.  “I would be honored to stay here and protect the Lady Jessica.”  Many other Guardians also offered to stay. 

Lyrista took tender care of Jessica while John was away.  Varnack tried to cheer her up by telling her some jokes, but she laughed more at his offbeat wit than at the gags themselves.  Trigal Hound humor did not translate well into human thought.

It was late into the night following the ambush when John and Lepsis returned to the campsite.  Neither man said much about the visit.  Jessica knew her father well enough to recognize his ‘ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies’ look.  Lyrista too was becoming adept at understanding John’s more subtle signals.

Jessica waited until the camp bedded down before searching her father out for a heart to heart talk.  Hearing the even, deep breathing of sleep come from Lyrista, who always lay beside her, Jessica rose up and hobbled to where John sat.