Golden Threads - Thread Slivers Part 15

"If you two children are finished complimenting each other, what say we get on with what we came here to do."

"Yes, father," they said together and then laughed. Ditani looked at them and laughed too.

Ticca looked on the farmland and the road. "Ditani, you said Magus Vestul's house was in the city. We might as well just ride down there and take the road in."

Lebuin thought about it and frowned slightly; Ticca noticed and asked him with a look what he was worried about. "Well, you certainly know more about tactics than I ever will, but that would be an obvious approach. So wouldn't it be less conspicuous to ride in from, say, the opposite side?"

Ditani nodded in agreement and Ticca smiled. "You are doing well, except for one problem; three Daggers or a Dagger and two disguised patrons, fled Llino. It might be reasonable to a.s.sume we three came from someplace else, and by coming in from the opposite side and we'd give that impression even more. However, we are going to go straight to Magus Vestul's house to essentially claim it. There won't be much hiding once we have done that. So why hide now? If they are here, they'll know we are here, regardless of which way we come in."

"You have a point. If we are to settle Ditani's claim we'll have to identify him and ourselves as proper witnesses."

Ditani thought about it. "We don't necessarily have to announce our presence. Vestul was often gone for cycles or years at a time."

Ticca thought about it. "Well, how long do we need to stay in the house? I thought our basic plan was to spend some time here cataloging and getting things in order. After all, they were only hunting Lebuin in Llino, and aside from you, there is no real indication he was coming here."

"Yes, except we have since learned that something larger than just Lebuin's quest for knowledge is going on. We haven't really talked about it much, but those were not ordinary Knives that attacked as we left."

"Ticca, Ditani has a point. We haven't explored those Knives that took all your exceptional skill to hold off. Is that ordinary for Knives?"

Ticca shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I really don't know who they were, but if I had to guess I would say they were Nhia-Samri. I haven't said that because it makes no sense at all. How could Magus Cune hire the Nhia-Samri to hunt you? Also, if they were Nhia-Samri, why haven't they been on our tail the whole way? They are skilled and would have had no trouble picking up our trail."

"I suggest we move back a bit and talk this over. There are some questions we need to work our way through."

They moved back into the woods and found a good camping location. After camp had been set up they sat down around the fire.

Ticca started. "This all started with Magus Cune placing a bet in your favor with a villain. That villain then sent a Knife to kill you to win his bet. We saved your life; I am involved by mere chance. But the resources employed are excessive for any bet, no matter how large. Seriously, hiring Nhia-Samri to observe the Dolphin to track and kill you? That would be a king's ransom in gold."

He and Ditani thought that over. Ticca continued, "Ditani is involved because he came with Magus Vestul to meet with Duke. Now, those two are serious power players and whatever game they are involved in could explain the Nhia-Samri. So what if the first attack was the bet, but the second and third attacks were directed at Ditani, because of his involvement with Magus Vestul and Duke?"

"But why not track us down these past few weeks?"

"That is odd; unless in pulling the disguise they mistook us for Daggers being sent by Ditani out of town. Later they may have discovered that it was Ditani fleeing, but then they got into it with Duke, which delayed them long enough that they actually lost our trail."

"If that is the case, they would be waiting here for us to get whatever they think I have."

"Ditani, you have everything Magus Vestul had, I have his pouch and boots, and Lebuin is carrying his pack. Nothing was left. So if they are after what Vestul was taking to Duke, it must be those papers, which we cannot figure out without consulting Vestul's library."

Ditani nodded. They all thought about it for a bit. "Honestly, Ticca, this is just a random game. Either they are at war with Duke and not here, or they are waiting for us. If they are here it will be to capture us, and something they believe we carry, regardless of if we have it."

"We need to find a way to determine if they are here, without getting caught. I doubt we'll get so lucky as having an ancient gate seal them off from us again."

"Lebuin, I have an idea. If they are here they will want to capture all three of us. They'll be covert. I know I can spot them. What if I ride into town by myself? I will speak to the mayor as a representative of Ditani and gain access to the house. I can then go there, get something silly and ride back out of town. We'll meet deep in the forest. If they are there they'll have to a.s.sume I got what we needed and so follow me. I'll make myself d.a.m.ned hard to follow, giving me time to spot them. If I do see them, I'll take them someplace and lose them before finding you two."

Ditani nodded. "So long as you don't try to get into the tower it will be perfectly safe. There is an office off the main entry that has a safe. I can give you the keys as proof and instructions for specific papers there. It is my safe and office, so I know what is there. To the mayor it will be proof as much as to anyone else."

Nodding, Lebuin said, "I can connect us by an incantation so I can see what is going on around you, know which direction you are in relation to me, and also give you a pull to guide you to us. We only need work out some signals so that I know when to give you a slight nudge. This way you don't have to know where we will be at all, and we can come to your aid if needed regardless of where you are."

Ticca looked at him. "Have your powers returned at that level?"

He nodded. "Yes, this would be no problem for me. I still have a number of weeks before I dare touch water, but I have enough control of air for something like this."

Ticca smiled that evil grin of hers. "I like this plan. Let's do it. We'll need a couple of letters from you, Ditani."

Lebuin pulled out his pack and retrieved the travel writing desk with its papers and ink. Handing the portable desk to Ditani, he started to concentrate on the necessary incantations he would need to connect and watch Ticca.

A few marks later, Ticca was riding off towards the road as he and Ditani packed up camp and set out deeper into the forest. Lebuin double-checked to make sure he could see Ticca and everything around her. She stopped at the edge of the road and made the hand signal; he gave her a gentle tug back towards them. She smiled and kicked her horse onto the road heading for town.

Chapter 12.

Fate is circular DOHMA SMILED AS HE ENTERED the palace foyer. He had been feeling better and better about the events of the previous days. Sure, the city is sealed tight as a drum, and an ancient terror or hero has seized control of the city. Daggers are now considered officers of the throne, all eighty personal guards that survived the first day by hiding are being tried as traitors. The pretenders' families are all accounted for, and in the royal prisons, the three pretenders were simultaneously and gruesomely executed in public, witnessing each other's deaths over a full day. And every n.o.ble in the city is under house arrest or in the prison because of attempts at bribery or escape. For some reason the townspeople were enjoying all these events. They have been extremely cooperative and even giddy at the changes and orders. I feel better about serving here than I have ever felt. I am proud to be an instrument of true justice.

He stopped for a moment to watch fifty workmen removing the paneling that had been put up in front of the actual palace foyer walls. Behind the ornate plaster with its overly-gaudy embossed golden inlay were walls of towering marble, with an intricate pattern that looked familiar. Once a larger section fell, it became clear that the pattern was an old seal like the one on the covenant. They spent hundreds of years slowly hiding our history and past. How could so many generations remain so corrupt? It's hard to believe, but the evidence is mounting that each generation of usurpers was actually more ruthless and more corrupt than the previous one. Pirates; this was a nation run by pirates. They robbed on the seas, calling it 'patrol tariffs', but really, the navy was manned with mostly cutthroat pirates. It is no wonder, then, that so many nations tried at times to break our hold on the merchant lanes. According to the records, the responses were far more brutal than anyone here knew. I hope we can establish a more peaceful relationship with our neighbors. I suppose the excessively gruesome and lengthy executions will provide some good faith in that direction.

Duke had ordered every wall of the palace to be hammered on, and if any wall cracked it was to be broken down, to reveal the true palace that was hidden underneath. It was a strange order at first so Dohma followed the workmen around as they pounded on the walls. The majority of the palace had been plastered or tiled over, which explained why it was all brash. Behind the facades were wondrous friezes showing the history of the ancient city. There were some interesting pictures, to be sure. The building of the city was depicted, with representations of the G.o.ds watching over the construction. What was amazing was that there were representations of buildings which floated over the sections of the city walls; which were hanging down from these buildings, being moved into place as complete sections, instead of being built up one stone at a time, as buildings were built now. Also, there was one mural that looked down on the finished city from a great height, showing mult.i.tudes of people moving about the city. Where the central market was now was a field, with smooth rounded buildings which stood off the ground on legs that ended in immense wheels, as if they were meant to move, except there was nowhere for them to go. In almost every picture of the city could be found the representation of a large wolf, which had to be Duke. Even more interesting was that in a number of pictures the landscapes were covered with snow. No one has ever mentioned that it used to snow here. I wonder what happened that could cause it to become so much hotter that it never snows, and when it happened.

Whole generations of princes of the Empire where represented in detail. The faithful regents' line was also represented in one grand hall. It was obvious from examining the art that the princes he had known were not of either line, which is why they tried to hide it.

Dohma continued into the throne room, which now held no thrones but a large bench-table on the floor in front of the dais. Duke's ma.s.sive chair sat behind and at the center of the table. There were three seats to his left and two to the right, for the yet-to-be-named new regents. In the center of the room, a circular table had been brought in and on it were books and maps of the city. Twenty highly educated and respected merchant scribes and sixteen clerks were meticulously tracing the city records and carefully cross-checking each item. Seven royal scribes who had been promoted from Duke's staff sat at a second table, which was filled with the notes and records being created by the research at the center table. The royal scribes were also consulting the ancient records and carefully preparing to write an accurate history from whatever point was determined to be the beginning of the false histories. All of the n.o.ble lines were being cross-checked, and family trees were being rebuilt, refuted, or confirmed.

Duke was looking over some books at the center table and spotted him coming in. He walked over to Dohma. "Captain, I must say your family is amazing! Your sister is a most able accountant; I am surprised she was only a junior a.s.sistant in the financial offices. How she can keep years of accounting records in her head at once is a mystery I care not to learn for fear it would make me boring at the tavern."

Dohma laughed, and his sister, who was currently only partially visible over a pile of books, looked up, recognizing the laugh. She too smiled and ran over to give him a hug, and then returned to her work. Duke had found her during the bureaucratic purge. After working with her for only half a day he had appointed her in charge of the treasury and financial records and then simply walked out of the room. Dohma wasn't surprised to hear that she stepped up and took charge without a single protest, as he knew from the guard reports how efficient and respected she was.

Duke smiled. "Ah, the joys of the bean counters! The Lords and Ladies be blessed that we have them so I don't have to do it myself. Do you realize that those penny-pinching little c.o.c.kroaches kept a complete set of records of every bribe, graft, and embezzlement, going back generations? For the descendants of people smart enough to usurp power without suspicion they were oddly stupid."

Dohma looked at Duke, confused. "Excellency, I don't understand half of what you say. Was there something you needed of me?"

Duke laughed. "Sorry Captain, short version: we have accurate records where truly smart thieves would have left none. They thought they had outsmarted the world, and so became stupid bureaucrats. We will likely be able to sort everything out in time. Your sister is a great help; thank you for recommending her as someone in the financial office I could trust." Duke motioned to the other side of the table where Dohma's brother was busy with the scribes and clerks resolving n.o.ble lines, coordinating communications with the officers on the docks, and keeping the merchants informed with estimates for when their goods could move again. "Also your brother, who was the head steward, is doing well coordinating all the extra activities. I am deeply grateful to you and your family. Your family is making this whole job a lot easier."

Dohma bowed. "The honor is to serve your Excellency."

When he looked back up Duke was giving him a peculiar look. A crashing sound of masonry falling drew his attention. Both Duke and Dohma looked to where a pillar that connected the dais to the wall was giving way under the workmen's hammers. "Ah, at last! Come, Captain, this is what I called you for." Duke stood and walked to the back side of the dais, where the wall section, which had been hidden behind the pillar, was now revealed. There was a recessed, high-arched doorway with a large steel door which had a bolting mechanism with a wheel and two grips so it could be turned easily with two hands. The workmen cleared the doorway itself quickly and Duke made a motion at it. "Captain, if you would please."

Dohma stepped up to the hidden door and grabbed the handles to open it; however, a very strange tingling feeling in his hands caused him to let go and jump back, looking at his palms. He bounced off of Duke, who had moved up very close behind him. His hands looked fine. He looked at Duke, who encouragingly said, "Just some built up static, Captain, nothing to worry about. Please open it up." Stepping back up to the door, he took a breath and grabbed the handles again, ignoring the odd tingle. He expected the mechanism to be frozen with age but it turned easily. There was a sound of many bolts being pulled back as he twisted the wheel by the handles. He pulled, and the door swung open silently.

Looking back at Duke, he saw that the wolf was still standing close and had been crouched slightly, as if getting ready to spring into action against some foe. Duke relaxed, sat down and just stared at him, thinking. Dohma stood there waiting. After a time Duke looked at the door. "Well, that cinches it."

Confused, Dohma looked at Duke questioningly. "What, your Excellency?"

Duke motioned to the darkened room beyond. "Captain, lead on please."

"Should I get a lantern?"

"Not necessary, just step in; we need to talk in private."

Dohma took a step into the dark room. He could make out a fine, polished stone floor and the beginning of a case by the light pouring in from the throne room. As he stepped inside, the room brightened as a series of panels along the top of the walls lining the entire s.p.a.ce slowly lit up, like the sun rising. The box panels looked like they were shallow wood planter boxes which obviously contained something that poured out a bright white light up onto the white ceiling, providing excellent lighting without shadows. The room was larger than he had guessed, being a long rectangle that went away from the throne room. The room was forty feet by nearly a hundred-and-a-half in length. The door was in the center of the shorter wall. The walls were lined with shelves of books and artifacts, and down the center of the room were more shelves, as in a library. At the far end Dohma fancied he saw huge chests.

Duke stepped into the room, which was more than s.p.a.cious enough for him, and the door closed behind him on its own. Off to the right was what could only be described as a lounge area. There were a dozen comfortable chairs, low tables, and foot stools, arranged as in a smoking room. There was also a wine cabinet, a tobac humidor with a gla.s.s front, and a small bar with dozens of bottles of varying shapes and sizes, all containing liquids. There was even a small sink with a faucet sat next to that with racks of drinking gla.s.ses.

"Dohma, it is time you were truthful with me."

Dohma spun and stared at Duke. "Your Excellency, I have never told you a lie! I am your servant and would never conceal anything important to the state from you."

Duke looked at him. "Well, that is about the answer I would expect from a Prince's Regent."

Dohma felt the blood rush from his head and he was dizzy for a moment. Duke just sat and watched him. Upon regaining his composure Dohma said, "Excellency, I am just a guardsman, nothing more. I was not part of the usurpers' family. I am from a humble family of servants."

Duke shook his head. "Only a regent, an heir to the throne, or I could open this room. That is why they sealed it up from view. They probably tried to break in through the walls and ground, but discovered that this palace is not made of stone but something they had no chance of breaking. The door was always kept behind a tapestry, so most didn't even know this archive was here. I suspected something like this, but without the true archive, or other artifacts that have been stolen or sold off, I couldn't confirm my suspicions until this door was exposed. By opening it you have proven your bloodline. I know you are not me, so are you a regent or an heir?"

Dohma pointed at the closest chair. "Your Excellency, I need to sit."

"By all means, relax. I see an excellent spirit there in that first rack - in the blackish bottle with the wines. Pour yourself a small gla.s.s and sit down."

Dohma was too confused to think. He took the smallest gla.s.s he saw and poured himself an ounce of the fine-smelling liquor. I definitely need a drink. Holding the drink, Dohma practically collapsed into a chair. Looking around, he absently took a drink of the amber liquor. Fire blazed in his mouth; it moved with speed out through all his limbs and into his head. He felt power such as he had never thought possible. He felt as if he could fight a hundred men and not be tired. He felt his muscles relax and their energy suddenly restored.

His thoughts became crystal clear. He had been drawn to join the guard because his brother had joined the staff and his sister had taken up with the scribes. He had known his place from an early age, and had gravitated to the covenant and studied it deeply. He had been drawn to learn the laws of the land - some he hated instinctively, but others he knew to be right and just. His other guardsmen had followed him readily enough. He saw he was a natural leader and tactician. He could easily be a regent. He knew for certain he was not an heir, as that ancient line would be bolder and stronger than he. He wasn't sure how he knew this.

He looked at the empty gla.s.s and then at Duke, who had been watching him closely. "What was that?"

"That was a several hundred year-old sharre."

Dohma looked at his hand as if it was a traitor. "Excellency, that was a priceless treasure I just squandered."

Duke shook his head. "No, that was a needed medicinal hit to the head of the Prince's Regent to put him in working order. Just one of the many perks of your new position."

"How can this be? My family are just simple servants!"

Duke tilted his head slightly. "Well, I didn't expect to have to explain this... But, you see, a boy and a girl, when they are between about thirteen and sixteen, meet someplace private and they..."

"Excellency please, that is not what I meant!"

Duke laughed. "But that is what happened. Obviously some young scamp of the regents' line had a tumble or three with a servant girl, at just the right time to save the line. If it had been the other way; a servant boy having a tumble with an already recognized regent's daughter, the result of that tumble would have been welcomed into the family immediately, of course, and then promptly killed off with the rest. Since then your family has served the kingdom as best as it could. Your family probably remained close and did much to help keep all those fine records we are finding out there. Although your ancestors didn't know it, the behaviors, loyalty, skills, and talents are kind of built-in. You are almost everything you were born to be. Only now you will complete yourself, as will your brother and sister. I have found the missing regents, and glad I am that your bloodline is not lost. I suspected you because of your actions before and during the transition of power, and also I liked you, which usually takes a few years and a couple of fights."

Dohma shook his head. "I don't want to rule."

"That is good, because you will find you don't rule so much as guide. Kingdoms have a life, and they need to be guided, but really they tend to work just fine without much interference. Lord Dohma, how old were you?"

"I'm thirty-five, why? Wait, why did you say 'were'?"

Duke looked worried. "Do you have children?"

"No, I am not yet married. I have dedicated my life to the guard." Then Dohma realized what Duke was worried about. "Excellency, my brother married young and has a wonderful son. My sister is twenty-six, with two children, a son and a daughter of her own born before she turned twenty. We are, however, all that remains of our family line, as many uncles and aunts were killed young, in the war."

Duke shook his head. "Well at least there is something to work with here. No one can breed many kids anymore. Your sister is lucky to have had two children. You must make sure the little lads spread some wild seeds as soon as they hit p.u.b.erty. Permit the girls to marry at sixteen to their heartthrob; trust their instincts for a husband. Remember the law that your line produces no b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Marry them to the ones they get pregnant if you must for propriety, but adopt and embrace all b.a.s.t.a.r.d relations. With careful work we can insure the safe continuation of the line."

Dohma felt an old feeling of excitement and energy, like the days when he first joined the guard. Except this energy was still growing in him; somehow he felt younger. He stood and looked at himself. He felt different. "What has happened?"

Duke smiled. "The truth, a little mental adjustment, realization of an internal need; oh, and by the way you're now about twenty-three. But don't tell anyone, you can easily hide the backshift once at this age range. So you have about seven years to woo some damsel into your bed and make some brats of your own."

"Twenty-three! Why does that only give me seven years, what happens when I turn thirty?"

"It is too long of a story for now. It isn't by design or malicious intent, and the G.o.ds try to compensate. I know you noticed older people never have children. The truth is men over thirty and women over twenty-five are sterile. The doctors will tell you it is just how nature works, and they are right, but for the wrong reasons. The G.o.ds have purposefully and truthfully - as far as they tell it - directed possible blame at themselves with some of their teachings. The reality is that magic is dangerous for all creatures from our original lands, but is life-giving to the elves, dwarves, G.o.ds, and creatures of magic. The ambient levels had to be balanced very carefully: just high enough to allow the creatures and peoples of magic to live, and just low enough to allow the creatures and peoples of our lands to live. But even at the safer lower levels magic still has some side effects; one specifically is that it sterilizes humans. We really didn't have much of a choice, and the G.o.ds try to make sure people live without much of the diseases of old age, giving everyone a good chance to at least know their great-grandchildren.

The end result is that from p.u.b.erty men have about fifteen years of fertility; women only have about ten because they generate all their eggs up front. Kind of poetic justice for being too prudent, I think. So you must marry a woman who is as young as possible - eighteen or so would be great. It won't be difficult once you are formally announced and installed as a Prince's Regent. Every remaining n.o.ble will be tossing their daughters at you like candy. Trust your instincts there, too. When you meet the right one you will know."

I can't believe I am having this conversation. If magic is detrimental to humans and others need it to live I can see why this is kept quiet. "How did you restore my youth?"

"Me? Oh no, it wasn't me, it was the sharre; that bottle was old when they bought it, so add on the five hundred years it was locked in here, combined with this room's design to preserve everything and voila - roughly six or seven hundred year-old sharre at least. I wouldn't suggest squandering it to a drinking binge; the results might not be as good as you think. I suggest keeping it a family secret, and then one gla.s.s only in the direst of situations. I would guess each swig of that is worth at least twenty thousand crowns."

Dohma felt a little dizzy realizing he had just consumed something so valuable. Then he looked at Duke, who wore a real smirk. "Seriously, getting too old without making the proper number of kids is a dire situation?"

"Hey, I am improvising here. We are just d.a.m.ned lucky you are who you are - and yes, I still think this was an appropriate use. Are you going to start questioning the word of a lord of the realm?"

Captain Dohma stood up in front of Duke. "If I feel I must."

"Good answer. Now that we have confirmed that sharre is as old as I suspected please pour another gla.s.s of it and pour it down my throat."

"Excellency, is that wise?"

"You've stepped up to the new role pretty fast, Lord Dohma."

Am I questioning Duke? Looking within, he knew he was right. Those feelings he had always had, which helped him make the right decisions, were now even stronger. I am a Regent and I have responsibilities. I will not allow timidity to prevent me from protecting the realm. He looked squarely at Duke. "You showed me who I am. I serve willingly and gladly. You didn't answer my question."

Duke smiled. "Very good. I must admit that the whole bloodline thing is a bit stronger than I suspected. But this is good for everyone. As to my request, and it is a request now, for a shot of that treasure. There are Nhia-Samri agents in the city; they laid a trap for me, robbing me of one of my greatest senses, that of smell. We have garments from one of their officers and I need to track him down. They know all of this and are probably taking actions to cover their tracks. That sharre will give me back my full sense of smell in moments instead of the few days more I would have to wait otherwise. Which means..."

"That we might be able to ferret them out of their hole," he said, finishing Duke's sentence while pouring another gla.s.s. "The Nhia-Samri are accomplices in the usurpers' actions and have committed an act of war with the kingdom by killing the last heir." Walking to Duke carrying the small gla.s.s he held it up to Duke's open mouth. "Excellency, may you make them pay double for their crimes." Dohma poured the amber liquid into Duke's mouth and stood back.

Duke swallowed and stood up, shivering. Duke's whole body started to glimmer and he shook his head and sneezed. When Duke looked at him, his eyes were glowing like twin lanterns; then the light faded and the glimmering stopped. Duke sniffed the air and smiled. "It has been a very long time since I had sharre that old. Boy does it carry a hit."

"Did I glow like that?"

"Of course, but not as much. My physiology causes it to be a bit more dramatic for me. However, yes, you did, and that is when I realized how old it really was. Originally I only expected it to be a few hundred years old, and let me tell you, even at that age it packs a punch. Now, would you mind letting me out of here? You really don't want to see how I have to open this door."

Unsure if Duke was joking, he decided it was indeed time to leave. He needed to talk to his family, find a new Captain for the guard, and start thinking bigger. Looking at the books as he moved to the door, he knew it was time to learn. "What are all these books?"

Duke looked at them. "Records, histories, secrets. You will find them all very interesting reading. First, however, you need to concentrate on that section over there, and this section here," he said, pointing at two different areas.

Opening the door, Dohma asked, "Why, what are those two sections?"

"The first section contains the instructions for controlling the city. Congratulations! You get to read the owner's manual. It is really boring stuff, mostly about required maintenance. You will find a few interesting things there though, please pay attention to it all. That second section is untouched n.o.ble family trees that were kept accurate, at least until the regents were killed off. We will be able to determine the precise timeline by comparing those to the other records we already have. I bet your sister will be more interested in that than you. You must learn who your n.o.bles are and establish a functional and trustworthy bureaucracy. n.o.bles with much honor to lose and enough money to be immune from bribery make great heads of offices."

With the door open, Duke walked out and stopped, and lifting his head high he breathed in deeply. "No, that can't be!" he said, then he barked and ran. Can the Nhia-Samri already be here? Dohma ran after him, calling for more guards. Duke cut through the room, jumping over a couple of surprised clerks and through some doors that lead to the servants' hall. He slid on the smooth floor and bounced off the far wall, using it to change his direction so he could turn down the hall. Dohma somehow managed to stay not far behind the giant wolf. At the end of the hall were a pair of doors that led to the kitchen. Duke stopped short of them, sitting down and sliding on his haunches through the doors and into the kitchen. Thankfully, they were not locked. Dohma, breathing hard, came up behind.