To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) (20 page)

Her lips curved up into a smile that soon blossomed into a grin. “I am honored by the appointment and like Bernard, am eager to begin.”

Unlike Sandra, Samuel was frowning, no doubt concerned over the announcement. He had recently spoken of his success at both finding ten Condemneds and recruiting four Potentials, and might be wondering why she was appointed Conductor and not him. Now that the four departments and their Conductors reporting to Sherree have been made clear, Daniel felt it was time to talk about the ones who would be reporting to Leah.

“Accomplished Cresh,” Daniel began and watched as the former Teki went from staring at Sandra to fixing his gaze on the man who appointed her. “I am appointing you Conductor of the Department of Internal Security and Information Gathering. It is the responsibility of your department to uncover the schemes and plots of our enemies and opponents. In addition to developing a broader network of scouts, human and nonhuman, you are authorized to launch lightning raids against any immediate and present dangers to the realm upon discovery.”

Sam’s eyes widened in shock and he glanced over at Lassiter, who said, “This thermal is yours, go ahead and soar.”

“I am honored to take on the responsibility of Conductor,” the former Teki announced proudly and with a sudden grin that nearly matched the one on Sandra’s face.

Daniel had major changes in mind and knew these people were the ones to help him carry them out.

“Accomplished Togan, you are the Conductor of the Department of Design and Development. One of your first responsibilities is to create areas within Shantear for each department of the Atlantan Guild and their sleeping quarters. As Jerremy DeSuan once made known to me, there is enough room in Shantear to make a city, and that is what you will be creating. Fifty Accomplisheds will be assigned here at this holding, fifty at my southern estate, and thirty at the naval facility. Those numbers will likely vary a bit depending on changes in circumstance, but all other Aakacarns will be stationed at Shantear. We will be expanding the Benhannon Guard, whose main base is the Benhannon Estate and the Chosen’s Sentinels, whose main base is the Benhannon Northland Holding, and they will need the space.” Daniel continued to unfold his plans for the guild.

“I welcome the opportunity to serve as Conductor and completing task ahead. What other responsibilities belong to Design and Development?” Franklin replied. He clearly recognized his department would be doing more than the one project.

“You will be creating whatever you think will benefit the guild and are to develop new tools and ways to improve efficiency. I want your department to think up more uses for the Crescendo Powered Amulets to be used by both Aakacarns and non-Aakacarns. You and your teams are to create better weapons because we are at war with the Serpent Guild whether the world recognizes the fact or not,” Daniel emphasized the last sentence as a reminder to everyone in the room.

“It will be as you say, Maestro. We will need your help when it comes to any modifications of spells,” Franklin replied.

“I am the guild’s resident Aakasear and expect to work closely with each department to compose or alter any spells that will help get the chores done,” Daniel was quick to reply.

As his father suggested, this was setting the priorities and delegating other people to arrange the chores accordingly, but that did not mean Daniel had nothing to do. He expected to be deeply involved with many of the guild activities and likely would create new weapons and inventive ways of doing things better. His parents were both creative and innovative individuals and he intended to continue listening to their ideas.

“Accomplished Lassiter, you are the Conductor of the Department of Defense. Your division is responsible for maintaining the defensive and offensive capabilities of the Atlantan Guild. You will be collaborating with Chas and Marcus in forming and expediting plans of action. The information required for you to make those plans can be obtained by your own resources, but will also be made available to you by the Department of Internal Security and Information Gathering,” Daniel made his second to the last appointment.

“I will execute the duties as Conductor of the Defense Department faithfully and to the best of my ability,” Lassiter replied formerly. This was his thermal and it was his turn to soar.

“I have complete confidence in you,” Daniel said, and then fixed his gaze on Daria, whose face held a tight smile of anticipation, and who likely, at this point, figured out why she had been asked to be in this meeting. “Accomplished Copa, you are the Conductor of the Department of Communications. As such you are to create and maintain a network of arrays that will allow your division to relay information quickly from one mind to the next. Each Aakacarn member of the guild is to give a communication amulet to your department and you can replicate those devices as necessary. I want us to have the capability of contacting your department and sending thoughts to any individual member of the guild or all of them at once if necessary. You are free to work with Design and Development to create the physical arrays,” Daniel finished the appointments.

The new Conductors began breaking into groups according to which four reported directly to Sherree and which to Leah. “Samuel,” Daniel called to the former Teki.

Conductor Cresh broke away from Lassiter, Copa, Togan, and Leah. “Maestro, how may I serve you?” he asked.

“I want to meet the four men you recruited,” Daniel replied. “Invite them here to the dining area for a snack and you can introduce me to them.”

Sam smiled. “I told them you would probably want to meet,” he said, and then took on a formal tone. “It will be as you say, Maestro, I will go now and bring them to you.” He walked briskly from the room

A warm hand came to rest upon his shoulder, causing Daniel to turn around and stare into a pair of emerald-green eyes. “I will be conducting a brief meeting of my own with the Conductors you assigned to me. We will be in your office,” Sherree said and then added, “Jerremy will be creating an office for me at Shantear.”

“He created mine here, so I image he will do a good job for you,” Daniel replied. He knew she had been talking to Jerremy, but saw no reason to mention it. “I will be having an informal meeting in the dining area with Sam and the four Aakacarns he discovered.”

Sherree nodded, glanced behind at the Conductors talking among themselves, and then kissed him quickly on the lips before joining them. Jared, Marcus and Chas went with her to the office along with four Conductors. Daniel exited, leaving Leah the use of the conference room, seeing as she seemed to have much to discuss with Jeremiah, Franklin, and Daria.

Daniel walked across the common room, greeted the thirty or so occupants along the way, and went into the dining area, which was empty. Marge was elsewhere but Linni came from the kitchen as if she sensed his presence, which she probably did. “Sir Daniel, can I get you something to eat?’ she asked.

“Accomplished Cresh and four Potentials will be arriving shortly. I would like to drink some of that mixed berry punch you concocted and the others will make their choices known when they get here.”

“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” she replied and then went into the kitchen.

Samuel arrived shortly thereafter with the men. “Maestro, this is Buck Duadams, Sorel Benrider, Laurence Laterren, and Ned Bartimus. Potentials, I have the honor of introducing to you, Sir Daniel Benhannon, Royal Knight of the Realm of Ducaun, Lord of the Land, Chosen Vessel of the Creator, Maestro of the Atlantan Guild, a Seven-bolt Accomplished.”

Daniel glanced at the former Teki, who evidently still retained a flare for the dramatic, and then addressed the men. “Please, have a seat at the table and we can get to know a little about one another,” he invited.

“We are sure pleased to meet you,” Sorel replied, and then sat down after Buck took a seat opposite Daniel. Ned and Laurence followed his example while Sam slipped into the chair beside Daniel.

“We came from Mount Arend,” Buck added. He seemed to be the natural leader of this group, going by how they waited for him to move before taking action.

“Conductor Cresh mentioned you four in the meeting we had a short while ago. You are a mountaineer, Sorel is a famer, Ned is a bartender, and Laurence is a barber. What made you all come here?” Daniel asked; mostly to get the conversation going.

Ned and Laurence gave their histories and experiences. The barber may eventually choose the Health Department, except he would be healing teeth rather than pulling them. What department Ned would choose Daniel had no notion, but something Buck just said presented two possibilities. “I’ve been searching for my daughter ever since,” he finished his tale. Sam or Sandra might want him as a seeker or information gatherer.

“I am glad you all followed up on the urge to enter my service and I am pleased to accept each of you. I suspect tomorrow someone from the Department of Education will induct you into the Atlantan Guild as Talenteds and your educations in becoming masters of your potentials will begin..,” Daniel began to say when the sound of shattering glass on the granite floor caught his attention.

Linni stood in the middle of the room, eyes wide as if she was staring at a ghost, with a broken glass on the floor, and red punch forming a small puddle at her feet. Buck stood up, blinking rapidly as if he too was seeing a spirit. “Lois?” The words came out soft, barely audible, the name of his dead wife.

“Poppa,” Linni replied just as soft, as if speaking louder would make the specter in front of her go away.

Buck sprang to his feet and within three strides was standing in front of the chef. “Linni, Linni Duadams, my Linni!”

She leaped into his arms and he lifted her off the ground. “I thought you were dead. How did you come to be here?” they both asked of each other as he lowered her to the floor.

“A bear killed Bez and then went after Mister. and Mrs. Coppler. I thought it killed you too. I ran and ran until a Pentrosan raider found me. Zacceus took me home and he and his wife Moriah raised me as their own,” Linni explained and then told of her husband and two children, and all the events leading up to the present.

Daniel listened while Buck related what brought him to be here and could only marvel over how the swirling of events drew these people to him and back into each other’s lives. Their reunion cheered him even though he could not rightly take credit for something happening beyond his control. The informal meeting ended on a happy note.

Territorial Deputy Sheriff Zackery Cloven turned to the left on the forest path and could see his destination as he cleared the tree line. Carla Sumatra stood hanging up the clothes of three young children on a line in the yard of her A-frame house. The second floor window of the wooden structure was open and a breeze pushed at the green curtains, causing them to flap inward. Everything made of glass had shattered back during the Aakacarn battle at Shantear and her window had been no exception. Whether rich or poor, all over the world, glass and fine crystal were now costly with the demand far exceeding the supply. Artisans worked day and night to fill the orders.

Carla’s dark wavy hair flowed half way down a pale yellow dress, which hung down to a pair of ankles that were visible above buckskin shoes. A bow and quiver lay at her feet. Two little girls and a smaller boy were playing in a sandbox over to the left. All seemed to be perfectly normal. None of them turned to look at the arrival of a rider wearing a lavender uniform with a silver badge pinned to his shirt. Which was strange since Carla was the one who sent the pigeon into Lyson City requesting assistance. The note read, “Help! Please send Deputy Cloven right away.”

“I know it is you, Zackery, or there would be an arrow aimed at one of your eyeballs,” she called out while hanging a tiny dress on the line. 

Zack reined, Trooper, his warhorse to a stop, dismounted, and walked the remaining strides to the confident woman. “Carla, where is Mason?” he asked, curious as to why her husband was nowhere in sight.

“The snatchers got him,” Carla replied and then turned to face him. She, like all citizens of northern Taracopa had light skin, as did he. Red filled the whites of her brown eyes and he knew she had been weeping. One of her cousins who lived west of the Aczen River had been snatched so she had a reason for the conclusion she drew.

The vanishings began more than a year ago and have been plaguing most of the kingdom. The disappearances were the reason Van Kestral joined Van Joppa in a revolt against the king, according to word among law enforcement officials. The lord’s son went missing awhile back and he wrongly blamed Van Efery. However, up to now, none of the snatchings occurred in this territory, and the fact made Zack wonder. “What makes you think he was snatched?”

“He set out to the east days ago to do some hunting and never came back. He’s been your friend since cavalry days and you know he isn’t the type to run off, so it must be the snatchers who got him.”

Zack took off his dark green hat and fanned himself with the wide brim. The mid-day sun shined brightly and the only shade was inside the house or back under the trees. Winter never touched Taracopa the way it did the kingdoms of the north. He had yet to see snow and did not regret the lack, but could recognize a clue when he heard one. “You said east, has Mason been hunting across the border in Aczencopa?”

Carla glanced at her children. “You know the lake over there draws elk and other big game, it being a major watering hole, and one of those bucks can feed us for a good long time. Waiting for one of them to get a drink is a lot easier than hunting through the woods on this side of the border.”

“And you are getting tired of eating squirrel,” Buck replied, understanding fully and completely sympathizing with her situation. “Even so, Mason takes a big risk in crossing the border. If he gets into any trouble at all with the locals, we can do nothing for him unless he escapes back across the border.”

“You think he was snatched by an Aczen patrol,” Carla said and hope widened her eyes.

“I think a patrol is more likely than the snatchers,” Zack replied, knowing at least with the Aczens, Mason had a chance of surviving to eventually come home. “I’ll ride to the border and see what there is to see, but I can’t cross.” The nearest Aczen military base was hundreds of spans away and so a patrol was unlikely, but possible.

Carla smiled. “That is why my request to Sheriff Keveen was to send you. I knew you would look for my Mason no matter what. I wanted a quick response and figured the words I chose would be the best way to get you here fast. If I wrote to Bo Keveen saying, Mason has been snatched, he might not have taken me seriously or acted promptly.”

“The bloody smudge at the bottom of the note was a nice touch,” Zack replied, which brought a momentary smirk to her face. This person knew how to get things done and made no apologies. He did not expect one. Time was not waiting on him and he had a job to do. “I best be on my way.”

Carla nodded her head and glanced at the children, who were now watching the adults. “They think their poppa is still hunting something good to eat.”

“As I said, I’ll see what there is to see,” he replied, making no promise he might not be able to keep, and then walked back to Trooper and swung up in the saddle.

He entered the woods to the east, riding between cedars and the occasional sycamore tree. Squirrels scampered in the branches above while birds chirped and flitted from their perches. Countless leafs obscured the sky, providing a pleasant shade for most of the ride. A fly buzzed by his ear and flew into an intricate spider web spun between two bushes on the right. The insect struggled hard but could not break away from the sticky trap. Zack pressed on another three quarters of a span, all the way to the border, and spotted no sign of Mason. The critters in this neck of the woods were strangely silent, causing his senses to sharpen. The dense forest was home to many trees that grew without respect for human boundaries and also provided many places to hide.

Old Sentinel, the granddaddy and largest of the cedars, stood majestically before him, and silently declared, West is Taracopa and East is Aczencopa. A twig snapped and out from behind one of the lesser trees stepped a man wearing a scarlet uniform with twin gold bars on the shoulders of his jacket. His sword and knife remained in their sheath and scabbard as if the man was certain there would be no need to draw them.

“Captain, you are on the wrong side of the border,” Zack informed him while clutching his short sword.

“On the contrary, Deputy, it is you and every Taracopian on this side of the Aczen River who is on the wrong side of the border,” the officer replied, and waved his hand.

At least fifty men in scarlet uniforms, armed with swords and crossbows, suddenly stepped from behind the surrounding trees. Zack could hardly believe the audacity of this officer. “I am Territorial Deputy Sheriff Zackery Cloven and will give you this fair warning. King Van Efery will vigorously disagree with your claim and the garrison at Fort Biscomp will not take this violation of our sovereign soil lightly,” he informed in a steady voice, even though his nerves were far from steady. “I am looking for a missing citizen. If you have him, then turn the man over to me, return to your side of the border, and your cooperation will keep this incident from escalating.”

The officer waved his hand again and a soldier came from behind a tree on the left, hauling Mason into view by the arm. A swollen black eye and scraped knuckles showed the former cavalryman had not given up lightly. His homespun clothing was torn and covered with dirt and straw. “Zack, I wasn’t near the border when they caught me. These men were already in Taracopa when I got here,” he stated.

“I am Captain Riitan of the Seventh Legion and must inform you, Deputy Sheriff Cloven, the Aczencopan Legions are on the move even as we speak. King Bolton has commanded us to move the border.” The officer neither confirmed nor denied Zack’s accusation, which did not matter much compared to what had just been said.

One man armed with a short sword and a club could not hope to defend the realm against a force this size. Zack eyed the men surrounding him and then focused on the officer. “Lyson City will lock up behind the walls, your legion will break their teeth trying to take it, and Mayor Van Lyson, Sheriff Keveen, and my fellow deputies will not surrender easily.”

“Neither will the men of the region,” Mason added, puffing out his chest.

Zack decided to continue with what was quickly becoming a vain attempt to end this madness. “Lyson City can withstand a siege long enough for the cavalry from Fort Biscomp to arrive. You and these men will shortly pay the price for this incursion.” It was a bluff worth making.

Riitan shrugged his shoulders. “The vast majority of your much vaunted legions are far to the south, fighting the forces of Van Joppa and Van Kestral. Fifty men are at your fort and have by now fallen to the forces General Kalleth, my senior officer, sent in earlier. We are taking all the land east of the Aczen River, all the way to the border of Ducaun. That kingdom and its spell-casting knight have invaded Lobenia and are now claiming a big chunk of it as their own. Since your army is hundreds of spans to the south, fighting a civil war, you are unable to contain the threat of Ducaunan expansionism. Our king refuses to allow the ineffectiveness of your monarch to keep us from responding to the threat to the north,” he declared, along with a weak justification for his own monarch’s expansionism.

Good scouting by the enemy totally ruined the bluff and explained how the Captain learned a deputy had been riding toward him. Zack knew the man was correct, Fort Biscomp was operating with a minimal staff, and the vast majority of its fighting force is battling the rebels. The border with Ducaun lies about eighty spans to the north and the river about one hundred ninety spans to the west and flowed south hundreds of spans. These people were in the process of cutting a huge pie slice out of Taracopa and King Van Efery’s legions were so far out of position they could not possibly counter this new threat without losing ground to the rebels. Zack took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. He dared not show fear to these men.

“Release that man,” Captain Riitan ordered, and the soldier quickly obeyed.

Zack was confused. Was the officer going to take the deal after all?

Mason staggered over to Trooper and Zack gave him a hand up behind the saddle. The captain stepped closer. “Our forces will be settling in, your forts will become homes to our garrisons, Aczencopan civilians will be moved into your cities and towns, and you Taras will be forced to the other side of the river. All of the horse breeding ranches will be ours. Fight and die if you wish, either way this territory is once again a possession of Aczencopa.”

“Why are you allowing me to take him home?” Zack questioned the move while trying to ignore the bravado. His unspoken question was, “why are you allowing me to ride away?”

Riitan began laughing and it took several moments for him to contain his mirth enough to speak. “I am giving your citizen here the chance to collect his family and go. I suggest you do the same. My recommendation is for you Taras to keep going until you are on the other side of the Aczen River. I give my word that anyone who is heading west will not be harmed unless they choose to engage my men in battle.” His eyes hardened, indicating he was dead serious about what he was about to say. “You can go to Lyson City, but know it will not be a place of refuge for long, and I might not be so lenient with you a second time.”

“You are in for..,” Mason began with bravado in his tone.

“Thank you Captain, we will be going now,” Zack interrupt before his friend could say something they would both regret.

He shook the reins and Trooper trotted away from the soldiers and their crossbows that were still aimed at him and Mason. “I can’t believe you gave up so easily,” his friend chided after they traveled a safe distance from the invaders.

“Our only achievement would have been to die right on the spot. Mason, what Riitan said is true. This territory has no defense and we are vulnerable to invasion. My duty is to take you and your family into Lyson City and report what we just learned.”

“I lied about not crossing the border,” Mason admitted. “I took down a nice buck that would have fed my family well. Unfortunately, a patrol caught me two days ago, took my bow and arrows, and gave the meat to their cook.”

“Did they take you to their camp in the woods?” Zack needed to gather as much information as possible to figure out how much of the Captain’s story was true.

“No, they took me to a huge log fort, one that looked to be freshly made. I tried to escape; they roughed me up a bit, and then made me sleep in the stables. There must have been a thousand men and horses. A whole bunch of them rode out this morning. Riitan is their commanding officer and I suppose he was telling the truth.”

Zack thought about Rya and Zed, his wife and five year old son were in Lyson City. He intended to go there and sound the alert. People from the neighboring towns, ranches, and farms needed to be given the choice of fleeing west or seeking refuge in the walled city. They had no time to bring in extra stores for a long siege and the defense consisted of only a sheriff and one hundred deputies armed with clubs and short swords. Folks like Mason and Carla would be excellent archers, but the arrows would eventually run out, and the Aczencopan forces could scale the walls or wait and starve out the occupants. Without the Taracopian Royal Cavalry there was no hope of fending off an invasion. Lyson City would become a deathtrap; anyone who stayed would be like the fly that buzzed him earlier, waiting for a bad end in a sticky web. If what was happening here was occurring all across the border, the kingdom was in big trouble and Zack did not take long to make up his mind. “Corporal Sumatra,” he addressed his friend as he did seven years ago.

“I’m right here Sergeant Cloven,” Mason replied.