Kingdom's Call (8 page)

“How do you know this to be true?” Gavin asked of Sir Rolson.

“I have a servant whose son was coerced into joining the followers. My servant is concerned for the boy since he seems increasingly interested in only the teachings of this stranger,” Rolson said. “My servant claims that the influence of these heretics is growing, not diminishing, and he wants his son back. I came to you because I knew you would consider the matter seriously. The death of the stranger seems to have lulled many of the knights into complacency, including—”

Gavin held up his hand to stop Rolson from speaking the name. He did not tolerate even the slightest disrespect. He thought for a moment. “I will call for Sir Jayden, and together we will take this to Lord Kifus.”

Jayden was eager and more than willing to join Gavin and Rolson to petition Kifus. They met in the great hall and walked to Kifus's residence. He joined them in his greeting room.

Gavin wasted no time. “Lord Kifus, we need to talk to you about—”

“—the secret meetings of the followers?” Kifus interrupted.

In an instant Gavin understood that Kifus's apparent lack
of interest was nothing more than a ploy to soothe the emotions of the men and the people. There was no hint of complacency in him now.

“I have been watching the followers and their attempt at solidarity since the death of the imposter. It is foolishness, and the time has come for us to end it,” Kifus said. “Gavin, tomorrow at dusk assemble twenty knights, and quietly make your way to the large poultry shop just across the south bridge. Do you know of it?”

“I do.”

“Warn them and disband them. Use whatever force is necessary, but do so with good judgment.”

Gavin nodded.

“For King and Code,” Kifus said.

“For King and Code,” repeated the three knights.

Upon their return to the great hall, Gavin and Jayden were intercepted by a fellow knight.

“Gentlemen, there is a disturbance at the city square, and I think we should see about it,” he said.

Sir Bremrick and a number of other knights joined them as they rode to the city's center. At the edge of the square a crowd was gathering to watch a young man in a sword fight with one of the Noble Knights, Sir Oran. It was an odd scene, for never before had a common citizen of Chessington dared fight one of the chosen knights.

Gavin and the rest of the knights dismounted and approached the altercation, but it did not dissuade the young man from his duel. At first glance it appeared as though the
fight would end quickly, for the Noble Knight's attack was relentless. But the young man's sword matched each cut and slice with the skill of an expert.

“I will cut out your insolent tongue, peasant!” the knight said.

“Try as you will, sir, there will be a hundred more to take my place,” the young man said defiantly.

The size of the crowd was growing, and Gavin felt a need to get control of the situation.

Jayden whispered into Gavin's ear, “That is Severin, Bremrick's former servant. He is but a peasant.”

Gavin glanced toward Bremrick and saw his face redden in anger. He wondered at the skill he'd already seen in the young man.

“What is the meaning of this?” Gavin asked during a pause in the fight.

“This man speaks lies and blasphemies against our King and our Code,” Oran said, somewhat winded by the duel.

“My words are upheld by the power of the Prince. The only deception among us is the hypocrisy of the Noble Knights!”

At that, Bremrick cursed and charged upon Severin. He did not fight with finesse, but with sheer brute force. He powered his sword with two hands as he wildly cut at the defense of his former servant. The young man shockingly stood his ground and endured the tremendous blows of his master with the courage of a true nobleman. In Bremrick's recklessness, Gavin saw numerous opportunities for Severin to execute a deadly thrust, but he did not take advantage of them. The
fight moved about the edge of the square between trees and shop tables. Bremrick's apparent frustration and inability to defeat this peasant was actually becoming an embarrassment to the knights. Some of the people began to cheer for the young man.

At one point, Gavin stepped forward between Bremrick and the peasant.

“Sir Oran claims that you speak against the King and the Code. Are you a traitor to both?” Gavin asked.

The man drew a deep breath. “I am not!” He turned his back on Bremrick and Gavin and jumped on top of a nearby table. He held his sword up high. “Listen, people of Chessington,” he shouted for all to hear. “Many years ago, our King chose a boy to bring about His purpose in this kingdom. Sir Leinad was sold into slavery under the hand of Fairos of Nyland. Our people endured the hardship of his rule until the King called Sir Leinad to deliver them. By the sword of the King, Leinad brought our people out of bondage and into the safety of the Red Canyon. Here many of the people were deceived and despised the King's work and Sir Leinad, for their hearts were weak in the Code. But the King was faithful to His promise and brought them to the beautiful Chessington Valley.

“Once again they were deceived by those who did not abide within the truth of the Code and were carried off into captivity by Lord Kergon and the Kessons. But our great and mighty King did not abandon them, and He brought them out of the land of the Kessons and back to the Chessington Valley to prepare the way of the Chosen One. Today the words of
Sir Leinad that foretold of the King's promise have quickly been forgotten. We have once again fallen under the deception of those who do not understand the true meaning of the Code, for they have both betrayed the King … and murdered His Son!”

Severin pointed his sword toward the Noble Knights, and Gavin felt as though his heart had been pierced by the words of this peasant. The fury of the Noble Knights was unstoppable, and they rushed upon the man with swords drawn. Gavin stood back and felt vindicated as he watched a dozen swords pierce the man at once. But there was no anguish on the young man's face, just a disturbing peaceful countenance.

“The King reigns … and His Son!” he whispered, before falling from the table to the ground dead.

The disorder that followed was more than Gavin or any of the knights could stop. To avoid further incident, they retreated to their mounts and left the square. Gavin feared that the influence of the imposter would soon overwhelm them if they did not act fast.

Such skill and boldness from a peasant!
Gavin thought.
And the city is full of peasants. How far will this treachery reach?
He set his course for the home of Lord Kifus.

 A KNIGHT'S CRUSADE

“They may be peasants, but they do not fight as such,” Gavin said after telling Kifus about the incident in the square. “They even call themselves Knights of the Prince.”

Kifus appeared concerned and angry. “They are not knights. They are followers of a fool! They will no doubt be more wary of us since we have raised our swords against them, but now they also have a martyr to rally them. We must waste no time in crushing them!”

Gavin leaned forward in his chair. The zeal he felt to rid the city of these traitors was powerful. Their opposition to the Noble Knights, the King, and the Code appalled him, and each action he took toward eliminating the Followers confirmed this conviction in his mind.

“Issue an edict against these Followers, and grant me the
authority to search out and eliminate them by whatever means necessary,” Gavin said.

Kifus seemed taken with Gavin's aggressive attitude. “So be it! Do not stop until there is no place in all of Chessington for the traitors to hide.”

Gavin leaned back in his chair and watched Kifus write a short declaration granting him new powers. Kifus put his seal on the paper and handed it to Gavin.

“Sir Jayden will assist you,” Kifus said and dismissed him.

Gavin decided that his raid on the shop near the river would not be a simple warning, for he knew that would be a waste of time. The prison cells of the palace had ample room for the rogue Followers. He selected twenty knights, and Jayden enlisted Bremrick, which did not please Gavin. Bremrick was difficult to control, but considering the recent developments, Gavin decided it was not such a bad choice after all.

At dusk they assembled in the great hall before mounting and riding toward the south bridge. Gavin halted them shy of the bridge, where they secured their steeds before traveling the remaining distance on foot. The sun was now set, and they were able to move through the city streets less noticeably. The smell from burning stoves mixed with the cool air of the approaching night. Gavin heard the ripple of the river's water beneath the bridge.

“There is a large barn behind the shop,” Gavin said in a hushed tone. “That is where they gather. Six of you will make your way to the rear of the barn, and the rest of us will enter the front. We will converge together.”

Gavin looked into the faces of his men. They were all brave, experienced knights who had committed their lives to defending Chessington. Since their first encounter with the stranger many months ago, they had remained patient and endured humiliation that Noble Knights of the past had never dealt with. Gavin saw the wound of this humiliation in their eyes.

“Tonight we reclaim our honor as Noble Knights,” Gavin said. “I want to take them as prisoners, but if they resist, kill them. Our time of mercy is over!”

He led them across the bridge, where six knights separated and maneuvered down an alley to the rear of the barn. Gavin felt the tension in his muscles. He was not used to sneaking up on an enemy. He preferred a straight assault, but that was not an option considering the situation they were facing. He could hear the voices of men and the clashing of swords in training behind the large doors of the barn. It only heightened his apprehension.

Once he had given the six knights time to position themselves, Gavin quietly drew his sword and gripped the handle firmly. The others followed suit and poised themselves for the attack.

Gavin motioned for two knights to open the large doors before them. The doors creaked as they parted, and the sound of clashing swords and accompanying voices hushed to silence. The yellow light from the barn spilled out into the yard and reflected off the gleaming armor of the Noble Knights. Six knights entered through the rear. Gavin quickly counted ten armed Followers standing in the barn and another
six standing off to the side with swords still in their scabbards. He had expected many more. A moment of inaction escalated the existing tension.

“You are in violation of Lord Kifus's edict. Drop your swords!” Gavin commanded.

The six men on the side drew their swords, the catalyst that initiated an explosion of sword fighting. Bremrick was the first to attack from the rear, and within a moment the barn and the outer yard were filled with flashing swords, each one bearing the mark of the King.

Gavin brought his sword to bear on what looked like the leader. He did not underestimate the skill of his opponent, and with good reason. Though clearly inexperienced, his opponent's moves were masterful. A slice swished close to Gavin's chest, and he countered with a moulinet that brought his sword through a powerful full-circle attack upon the man. To Gavin's surprise, the man was able to recover from his slice and meet the sword with the flat of his blade. Gavin stepped back and glanced at the other fights. The calm of the city night had been broken by the clash of swords and the grunts of desperate men. He saw one of his knights inflict a deadly thrust on his opponent, and the man fell to the straw floor of the barn. The Noble Knights were overwhelming the Followers, and the man facing Gavin lowered his sword as he too saw the inevitable.