The Shadows of Grace (29 page)

Harruq took a swig of wine and glanced north, where in the distance he could make out faint lights from the city of Mordeina.

“What’s it like?” he asked.

“Been there only once,” Tarlak said. “Beautiful place, and far better fortified than Veldaren. No offense, Antonil.”

“Better be careful how you talk around a king,” Haern said, smirking at the wizard.

“I’ll throw him in the stocks later,” Antonil said. “But continue, for I have never seen the city, either.”

“Well, when Ashhur built the city, he surrounded it with a gigantic wall of white stone, five men wide. But evidently that wasn’t enough for our beloved deity, so he built a second wall around the first.”

Tarlak drew a few lines in the dirt to illustrate his point.

“Try to climb over the first wall, maybe even blow a hole in it, and you’ve still got a full second wall to get past,” he said. “And even worse, the gates to the city are cattycornered. Break down one and you’ve got to turn and march a good hundred feet to the second, and of course, the gap between the walls is so thin no battering ram is going to fit.”

“Sounds impressive,” Antonil said. “We will be in need of such defenses.”

“Winged attackers ruin a lot of the fun,” Tarlak said. “But any troops on the ground are doomed. Archers line that inner wall, and they’ve got retractable ladders from one wall to the other in case they need to retreat. Needless to say, no one’s ever successfully laid siege to Mordeina, not even Karak.”

“No matter how big their storehouses,” Aurelia said, “if they try to starve us out it would not take very long, not with thousands of people pouring into the city.”

“Let’s hope they’re too overconfident for that,” Antonil said. “For all our sakes.”

“Enough of this,” Tarlak said. “We worry about dying tomorrow, but tonight! Tonight is for fun!”

He downed the rest of his wine and bowed to the rest.

“I hear music in the distance,” he said. “And there’s bound to be a pretty lass dancing to it.”

“I better go with,” Haern said as he stood. “I’d hate for him to act too big a fool.”

“But that’s what I’m good at,” they heard Tarlak argue as the two vanished into a sea of torches and revelry.

“I best see to my men as well,” Sergan said, hefting his ax onto his shoulder. “And crack some heads that get a bit too much drink in them, if you know what I mean.”

“Go easy on them,” Antonil said, grinning. “I want my soldiers to make a good impression when they enter the city, and I doubt they’ll look too impressive covered with black eyes and broken noses.”

“As you wish,” Sergan said with a bow.

That left just Harruq and Aurelia with the king, who leaned back and chewed on his lip.

“Where’s the paladin?” he asked.

“Lathaar’s out somewhere with Mira,” Harruq said, grabbing a slab of meat from a plate between them. “He’s not much for the whole drinking and celebrating thing, I gather.”

“I see. And the Ash Guild?”

Harruq shrugged and looked to Aurelia.

“I don’t know,” she said. “My guess is they’ve snuck into Mordeina. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re already setting up shop. I pity the thieves they set their sights on.”

Antonil nodded, chewing his lip harder.

“I’ve received notice from the queen,” he said. “She somehow discovered an elf travels with us. She wants to meet you, Aurelia. I don’t know why, but she requested your immediate presence when we enter the city.”

“I will not go alone,” she said, taking Harruq’s hand.

“You won’t,” Antonil assured her. “I will be there, as will Tarlak and your husband. I don’t know if she shares her husband’s hatred of your kind, but if she does, I won’t stand for it. If I must, I will take my people and leave.”

Aurelia glanced about the camp, hearing the songs and seeing the cheer.

“There will not be many that go with you,” she said.

“Even if I go alone, I will still go.” He stood and bowed to her. “My thanks to you both. You’ve saved many lives, and given all of us hope against the chasing darkness. Ashhur watch over you.”

He retired to his tent. Aurelia looped her arms around Harruq and leaned close.

“I’m worried,” she said. “They’ve all had hard months of travel. I don’t want them to suffer more just because of me.”

The halforc kissed her cheek. “Nonsense,” he said. “It’d be because of someone else’s ignorance, not you. And you better believe I’m not staying there without you. Well, not unless the food is really good and they have those places with all the girls where you can…”

She elbowed him, and as he grunted she pushed him to the ground and laughed.

“You’d miss me in a heartbeat and you know it, no matter how good the food or pretty and easy the girls.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Harruq said, grabbing her arm and pulling her atop him. “See what you’ve done to me? Big tough orc, and I can’t stand being away from you for a moment.”

She kissed him, then winked. “You love it.”

Harruq sighed. “I know.”

Aurelia snapped her fingers, and a small fire burst to life on the grass beside them. The two cuddled beside it, each anxious about coming day.

M
ost were packing before the sun had risen, in spite of their hangovers. Mordeina awaited them, filled with food, comfort, companionship and warmth. After months of hardship, it seemed paradise was but a few miles away. When the sun finally rose, they began. Antonil led the way, his crown shining and his armor freshly polished.

An hour later the city came into view. First they saw the walls, gigantic and towering. They could make out soldiers walking across the tops between enormous banners showing a sword breaking against a shield, the symbol of the Baedan family line. Two doors made of wood and iron flung open as they approached. They heard trumpets sound, and it renewed their excitement. The only structure taller than the walls was the castle, it too made of the same white stone. Six towers were evenly spaced within the walls, all waving different flags, and it was their spires they saw as they approached. Each had the symbol and color of previous kings and queens.

“I always wondered why King Vaelor was so jealous of Mordan,” Antonil said to Aurelia as they approached. “Now I understand.”

More trumpets sounded. Soldiers marched from the outer gate, holding their weapons high and cheering them on.

“That’s some welcome,” Harruq said.

“Stay by my side,” Antonil told them. “I don’t want to lose you in the crowd.”

“No worries,” Harruq said. “I tend to stick out.”

As they neared the gates, a high ranking commander stepped forward from the soldiers and saluted.

“King Antonil Copernus,” the man shouted. “Her majesty requests an audience with your most trusted.”

“Follow me,” Antonil said to the Eschaton. He drew his sword and held it before him, and the people of Neldar cheered and cried his name.

“I am he, King of Neldar,” Antonil shouted amid the noise. The commander saw him and saluted once more. Soldiers rushed ahead and surrounded him, ushering him ahead of the rest. Tarlak, Aurelia, and Harruq hurried after, the guards giving them curious looks but allowing them by.

They passed through the gates and immediately turned left, to where the second gate was swung inward. The passage between the two walls was narrow, and Harruq kept looking to the sky to fight his claustrophobia. Eight people could stand side to side within the gap, and at sight of the archers atop either wall, he couldn’t imagine being an attacker against the city.

“Queen Baedan has been looking forward to your arrival for some time,” the commander said as they walked. “Of course, she had hoped for more pleasant circumstances, but we will do what we can to help your people survive.”

They passed through the second set of doors and into the city. Tarlak whistled and nudged Harruq, pointing at the great expanse of white stone houses stretching to either side. A massive road ran straight through the heart of the city to the castle. Along either side of the road, large slabs of rectangular stone formed walls in front of each alley or street. Any army passing through would be funneled through, with only a handful of guards required to block off the gaps. Waiting at the end of the road was the castle, its six towers filled with windows, and in each window was an archer. Antonil shook his head, wondering how many more might have survived the siege of Veldaren if he’d had such defenses. There was no mistaking it; Ashhur had built Mordeina for war.

“We’ve planned several spaces for your people to live,” the commander continued as they approached the castle. The road was empty, with soldiers filling the gaps in the center wall to keep the curious away. “The land between the walls goes for a mile in both directions, and should suffice for a camp for the healthier among you. We also have a few stretches of field on the western side of the city that you may camp upon. Many of our citizens have volunteered their homes as well. Of course, royalty such as yourself is welcome to stay in our castle.”

“This generosity is far beyond anything I could have hoped for,” Antonil said, meaning every word.

“Her majesty has a kind heart,” the commander said. “We will not leave so many to starve, not on our doorstep. We have wagons coming in with wheat and corn from the outlying towns. Our storehouses in the city are plentiful as well. Do not feel yourself a burden. Should these dark days pass, a renewed friendship between our kingdoms would be well worth the price.”

The castle’s doors swung open, a roaring lion molded from black steel on their fronts. Harruq winced at the sight. He remembered Tarlak mentioning once that priests of Karak were far more open in Mordan than they had been in Neldar. He wondered just how much of that was true.

At first the hallway was narrow, with two separate turns to slow attackers, and then suddenly they entered a gigantic chamber, twenty times taller than any man there. Columns decorated with banners ran along either side of the red carpet. At the other side of the room, sitting in her throne atop a raised dais, waited the queen.

“Please, for all that is holy, behave,” Tarlak said to Harruq.

“I’m not an idiot,” Harruq grumbled.

The queen stood. She wore an elegant dress of lavender and a silver crown atop her auburn hair. Her skin had a few wrinkles that seemed to vanish when she smiled, and her eyes sparkled with life.

“Your majesty,” the commander said as he saluted. “I present to you King Antonil Copernus of Neldar, and his servants.”

“Servants?” Harruq muttered. Aurelia jabbed him with her elbow to silence him.

“We are most humbled, your majesty,” Antonil said as he bowed on one knee. “I can only dream of repaying the kindness you have shown us.”

Queen Annabelle dismissed the compliment with a wave of her hand.

“Too long our nations have acted as strangers to one another, more prepared for war than friendship.” She was smiling at Antonil, but her eyes glanced to Aurelia, who kept her head low and her face to the floor.

“Your friend,” she said, gesturing to the elf. “What is her name?”

“Aurelia Tun,” Aurelia answered, shaking her head so that her pointed ears were clearly visible through her hair. “Elf of Dezerea.”

At that Annabelle winced, and Antonil’s heart doubled in pace. Never had he heard Aurelia introduce herself as such. He had no delusions as to why she did so now.

“Dezerea,” the queen said, her smile vanishing from her painted face. “That is a name I have not heard in years. But Tun does not sound like an elvish name. What was it before you crossed the rivers?”

She took Harruq’s hand in hers and met the queen’s gaze.

“Thyne,” she said.

The corner of Annabelle’s mouth quivered as she fought off a second frown.

“Your parents killed a thousand of my husband’s soldiers,” the queen said. “My libraries have books devoted to the sheer power and tactics demonstrated at Bloodbrick Bridge. Tell me, Aurelia Tun, daughter of Kindren and Aullienna Thyne, do you hate me?”

Annabelle carefully approached the elf, taking each step with a gentle pause. Harruq winced, his wife’s grip on his hand excruciating. He could see Tarlak and Antonil waiting for an answer, each one tensed as if someone were about to strike.

“No,” Aurelia said at last. “I have done my best to forgive. I bear you no anger, nor blame.”

Queen Annabelle closed her eyes and shook her head. Then, to their shock, she fell to one knee.

“I was but a child,” she said, “married because of my bloodline to King Marcus Baedan. I held no sway then, but I still feel his shame. Aurelia, elf of Dezerea, will you accept my apology, and the apology of the Mordan humans, for what we have done to your people and your home?”

Aurelia’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t know what to say. Harruq nudged her, and she shook her head as if coming out of a daze.

“I am not royalty,” she said. “Nor am I revered among my own kind. I do not know if I am worthy to accept such an apology, but I will accept it in the spirit it is offered. Please stand, your majesty, you need not kneel to me.”

Queen Annabelle stood, and she beamed at the elf.