Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (27 page)

            
“One of us should remain awake and on guard through the night,” Karel ordered.
“I’ll take first watch. Bernard can have the second one.” After conjuring some more beds,
which pretty well filled Zoran’s room, they retired for the night.

            
Next morning, as the men began dressing in the black silk suits that Rayna and
Lida had provided for them, they chatted about the night. “Well, someone tried to break
in on my watch,” Karel pointed out. “Didn’t get past the Alarm spell, though.”

            
“Same on my watch,” Bernard added. “Failed miserably to gain entrance.”

            
“Someone tried to Charm me into opening the door,” Emil said in a matter-of-fact
tone. “The idiot.”

            
The men found it a struggle to get into their suits. There were so many buttons
and attachments that they spent an hour getting into them. “Pack up everything else,
Shrink them, and stow them in our pockets. We may have to make an emergency
escape,” Zoran advised and also relayed that in a message to the women, including his
sisters.

            
Now they had to wait on the women, who took even longer to get ready. At last,
Rayna sent word to Zoran. “Okay, we move out. Have you all gotten your defensive
spells cast on yourselves?” They had. “We will pick up the others and head to the Formal
Breakfast in the Great Hall. Keep your eyes open; we could be attacked nearly
anywhere.” Cautiously, he opened his door. Seeing an empty hall, the four men slipped
out and went down the hall to Rayna’s room and knocked.

            
“Wow! Zdenka! You look fabulous!” Zoran was shocked to see how Zdenka now
looked wearing her large silk dress. Rayna had done up her hair and given her a green
emerald necklace to wear.

            
“See what I can do, little brother,” Rayna proudly teased him. Zdenka blushed
and took his hand.

            
Lida had also helped Jarka and Renata look equally at their best. Bernard
swooped immediately to Jarka’s side, swearing that he would be her escort. Jarka loved
every minute of this. Such a dress she had never worn nor dreamed existed. Renata was
mostly bored with all this human fuss. However, she loved the emerald that she had
been given to wear around her neck.

            
They formed into a group, with Emil and Karel walking in front of Zoran and
Zdenka. Lida and Rayna followed; Renata followed them, with Bernard and Jarka
bringing up the rear, a position Jarka normally desired. It was a long walk to the Great
Hall, down one flight of stairs, only to enter another long hall. On the party walked.

            
Suddenly, Zoran’s inner sense kicked in. “Danger!” he whispered. Lida and Rayna
also sensed it as well. A man wearing all black became visible as he rushed towards
Zoran. He had been invisible, waiting for him to pass by. Unfortunately for the assassin,
Emil was in his way. Without breaking his stride, Emil gave the rushing assassin a left
punch in his head. The assassin’s head was crushed almost beyond recognition and his
body smashed hard into the granite stone wall of the hall. The party marched on without
saying a word.

            
Shortly, Rayna whispered, “How did he do that? The assassin’s head was crushed!
Emil must be super-strong!”

            
“Archmage,” Zoran whispered, finding a clever way to hide Emil’s dragon
strength.

            
“Wow!” his sister exclaimed.

            
At long last they arrived at the main doors to the Great Hall. There was a line
waiting to be announced and enter. Zoran could already see the Baron sitting with
Archmage Milos at the front table. A number of other barons from other planets who
were allies of his had already been announced and had entered, sitting at the tables
closest to the Baron’s table. As the next party prepared to enter, the Door Speaker
announced in a loud voice, “Baron Milan Matous of Gladno, Baroness Marjeta, and
Duke Leo.” He also announced several more of their children He tried to see them, but
there were too many in line ahead of them.

            
A bit later, the Door Speaker announced, “Baron Viktor Pavel of Valtr, Baroness
Ivana, and Duke Stefan.” Two other siblings were also announced.

            
Several other Barons were introduced, and at last Zoran and his friends reached
the entrance and waited on the Door Speaker. After a moment, Zoran realized the Door
Speaker was under orders not to announce him. He cast a simple magnify spell and
announced himself, “Duke Zoran Vladislov, Duchess Rayna, Duchess Lida, and party.”
Every eye in the room suddenly stared at the small group as they entered. He saw at
once that those who were opposed to the Baron were being forced to sit at tables on
either side of the room, far from the Baron. Uncle Milan flashed him a hand signal, and
Zoran led them over to their table.
 

            
While the Door Speaker continued to announce other arriving barons, Zoran
formally introduced his uncle and family to his friends. Leo insisted on sitting beside
Lida, however. Uncle Milan explained, “We will be safe here at the tables. Every baron of
the Federation of Planets will be here shortly. He would not dare try anything at this
Last Breakfast for Baroness Katerina. We are safe for a little while. We can talk later.”

            
As soon as the last baron and his family entered, the Baron rose and spoke loudly.
“Welcome my fellow Barons, Baronesses, Dukes, and Duchesses to my time of grief and
morning during the Last Breakfast for my lovely Baroness Katerina, who we all loved
and admired. Enjoy the finest food available on Adapazan. At one p.m., we will meet
here in my Great Hall for Katerina’s Ceremony of Passing. Thank you all for honoring
the memory of a wonderful Duska, baroness, and wife.”

            
His words were all lies. Zoran fumed; not one ounce of truth did he utter. He
loathed his wife, especially after her fall had scrambled her mental facilities. He made no
mention that she had decided to end her own life.

            
The table talk was light and friendly. Uncle Milan was fifty-one, a little
overweight, with well-trimmed brown hair, more like a business man than a fighter. His
uncle was impressed with his friends. “Three Archmages, my Zoran, the company you
now keep. Impressive. Have your Archmages accepted employment with any Royal
House yet?”

            
Zoran answered for them, “We are all still in training a bit longer, but yes they
have chosen a Royal House, though just yet, which House must remain a secret.” He
winked playfully at his uncle.

            
“Well, I must admit, Zdenka, I have never met a prettier Archmage!” Uncle Milan
complimented her.

            
Aunt Marjeta commented, “Well, Zoran, you had us all so worried about you. I
had visions of you starving to death out there somewhere in the wilds. It really is so good
to see that you are even fitter than the last time I saw you, which was, now let me see,
well, it’s been at least two years now.” She chatted on.

            
Bernard whispered to Jarka, sitting beside him, “What are you doing?”

            
“Committing the faces of all the barons to memory. This is a chance in a lifetime,
you know. We get to see all of them in one place. Can you imagine a room full of
Duskas? The most powerful beings in all the Federation!” She continued to look around
at the many faces, some old, and others young. Some of their children were still teens or
younger. Jarka had never mentioned that she had a photographic memory. She would be
able to recall every face here anytime that she desired.

            
As the barons finished up, many rose to leave; some would stroll the castle, others
would gather in side rooms to chat. As he was about to get up, Uncle Milan requested,
“Zoran, remain seated a while longer.” When the table next to theirs freed up, Baron
Viktor Pavel and his family slowly moved over to join them. Zoran guessed that the two
barons had arranged to meet and was right.

            
Baron Viktor whispered, “Zoran, Lida, Rayna, please join us.” They moved down
the table a little ways. Barons Viktor and Milan sat with their sons; Stefan and Leo at
their sides, across from Zoran, Lida, and Rayna. Baron Viktor was in his early fifties, a
muscled man with a black goatee and moustache. His eyes were piercing and black. He
asked, “How did it go with your father?”

            
“He’s disowned me. Already one assassin has tried to kill me on my way to
breakfast,” Zoran answered truthfully.

            
“Ah, then he will undoubtedly be announcing at the Ceremony his contrived
marriage of Lida to that slob of a Duke, Strom Clav. The question before us is what do
we do about it?”

            
“I will stand up and totally refuse to do his bidding!” Lida lividly answered him.
Leo tried to calm her, holding her hand across the table.

            
“Won’t he first have to announce that Lida will be his heir?” Zoran asked.

            
“Ah, yes, you are right. I was putting the cart before the horse. Yes, he will declare
formally that she is his heir and then the contrived marriage,” Baron Viktor restated it.
“If she then rebuffs the marriage, he will have no alternative but to arrange for Lida’s
untimely death. Once an heir is announced, it cannot be altered without just cause
presented to the entire High Council.”

            
“Right, Leo wants to marry her soon and at the very least take her back to Gladno
with us today,” Baron Milan stated.

            
“That will bring his assassins to Gladno,” Baron Viktor pointed out.

            
“I’m aware of that. If he does, I may well go to the High Council seeking
retribution,” Baron Milan replied.

            
“The question becomes: should we take Rayna with us? She and Stefan have
decided to marry as well,” Baron Viktor asked.

            
“I can’t speak for you, Baron Viktor. Surely in time assassins will descend upon
your House as well as mine. I should think that if you desire to have Rayna as your
daughter-in-law, you should act before the Baron does.”

            
“We are packed and ready to go whenever you say,” Lida whispered, hoping to
encourage them further.

            
“Please dad, let us take Rayna with us. Lord knows what the Baron will do to her
when Lida goes against him too,” Duke Stefan pleaded with his father.

            
“Okay, son. Rayna, we will take you back to Valtr with us when we go,” Baron
Viktor replied.

            
“Zoran, you’ve been strangely silent,” Uncle Milan pointed out.

            
“Barons, uncles, words cannot express how grateful I am for your kindness in
looking after the safety and survival of my dear sisters. I know only too well what
retribution may come your way. Before I left last year, assassins tried to kill me three
times. That’s why I fled when I did. It is a tremendous risk that you are assuming.”

            
“Well, it also has to do with politics, son. Our Houses have been warring against
Baron Kazimir and his predecessors for at least a century now. Here we are handed a
total shift in power. In a few years, Adapazan may be on our side, a gigantic and
unexpected shift in power among the Federation of Planets. We have more at stake than
the two pairs of love-birds. Just so you understand our motives, duke,” Baron Viktor
explained.

            
Zoran grinned. Politics had everything to do with their decision; he knew that
well. “I promise you both, that if you can somehow keep my sisters safe and sound for
another month or so, I will be shaking up the entire Federation and its balance of power.
More, I cannot say now. You will know beyond the
slightest
doubt when that time has
come. Trust me; this will be the
biggest
event in centuries. Just keep my sisters safe
until it happens, and I will back you all the way.”

            
Both barons grinned. They liked this renegade son of their enemy, their nephew.
“We will do our best. First, we have to safely get them off this planet,” Uncle Viktor
replied.

            
“If trouble comes, I will create a diversion to allow you to Shadow Walk safely out
of here,” Zoran promised, though at the moment he had no idea just what that diversion
would be.