The Dragon Rises: The Triadine Saga, #2

Prologue

The Triadine Saga is a work of fiction; however, it has been translated from the Elvish annals known as the Menta Renjunkai Paklanta. These chronicles were recorded over several centuries, first by the Elves of the Aren in the city of Archaille before The Breaking and then later in the hidden Elven city of Alpenvail. At the end of the Second Age, the writings were recovered from the mountain city, and they were completed in the city of Palladium on the Fireheart Sea by the Elves of the Dresda. Some of the slant is therefore toward the Elves as victims or heroes when in fact they may have played a lesser role than contained within .

Scholars also disagree with the translation of Menta Renjunkai, with opinions varying as to whether it refers to the time just before The Breaking or from a period of time even earlier in history. In this writer's opinion, it refers to both, and its original historical reference was to the time before the rise of humans, when Elves and Dwarves lived in proximity to one another, each serving a different purpose to the benefit of both.

I must apologize in advance for some of the translations in this saga, as many of the words from the original Elvish do not have equivalents in English, and approximations had to be made for the storyline to make sense. In particular distances, time and days of the week have been converted to modern units in many places in order for the reader to make sense of the story.

Your indulgence of these small adjustments is appreciated.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Tim

Chapter 1

Jon was the first to speak once the vision of the man in the polished wall vanished. What was that? he exclaimed, rising from his chair and helping Peter back to his feet .

Peter, Jon, and Beorn were in the single room on top of the black tower in the mysterious keep they discovered when they emerged from the tunnels earlier in the day. When the three of them sat in the carved stone chairs in the top room in the tower, they were immediately able to view a scene that must have been far away—something none of them was prepared to see.

There is strong magic at work here, Beorn said quietly, standing now next to Peter and Jon. I would advise against sitting in those chairs again until we understand exactly what just happened, the dwarf warned his friends.

Agreed, said Peter, as he reached out and touched the burn marks on the back of his seat—exactly where he had been sitting only a moment before. The multiple layers of runes present on the chair were completely burned off in the center. Beorn, the young man said looking now at the dwarf, how did you know to pull me to the floor before that bolt of lightning came through the window and burned my chair?

I don't know, the dwarf replied, but I had a bad feeling. The hairs on my neck stood up and my skin started to tingle. I sometimes get that feeling when strong magic is used nearby. First, that man in the other room was threatening you, then I had the feeling that strong magic was in use, so it just seemed right to pull you down to safety. I did not know that the vision would be cut off when we left the chairs, but I think now that's exactly what happened.

What just happened to the three young men was hard for them to comprehend. It would be bad news when they were finally able to relay this to someone who understood what was happening. The man in the vision was arguably once the most powerful wizard alive and without question was the most dangerous. The three young men had inadvertently activated the observation room in The Watcher's Keep, a magical room built over a thousand years ago for the express purpose of making sure this evil wizard never rose to power again.

Once activated, the mirrorstone window allowed for viewing in both directions. It also let certain types of magic pass through the viewport. The wizard knew this, and since the boys were not warded in any way from their side of the portal, he was able to strike a near fatal blow. Had it succeeded, he might have changed the destiny of the world.

The three companions arrived at the walled compound protecting this mysterious tower after chasing Goblins into a hole in the earth near the Sikyu Mountains far in the north. Peter was half-human, the son of the human King Leondis Tarbane and an Elven Princess who died in childbirth—though he knew none of his own family history. Along with his twin sister Alexandra, the two were the Children of The Prophecy and had a destiny to fulfill that neither understood, but on which the future of the world would depend.

The dwarf was named Beorn. He was the son of Bandefin of the Gemformer Clan, the deceased unofficial leader of the Dwarves living in the Sikyu Mountains. They had once lived in the same mountains where the man in the vision lived now, far to the south. Beorn was on his way to try to persuade his people to join in the coming struggle against the Dark Wizard when he was captured by Goblins.

The third man in the room was Jon, a young private in the army of the king who had befriended Peter when they were in their initial training at the garrison outside of the capital. Jon knew Peter as Piers Lakeman, the name he used when he was conscripted to serve in the army. Peter had trained as a Messenger Corpsman and had been assigned to the same unit as Jon when they were sent searching for Goblins in the northern plains.

The combination of Elf, Dwarf, and human sitting in the three stone chairs in the tower caused the magical mirrorstone of the Dwarves to be activated, and the vision the three men were immersed in was that of the Dark Wizard himself. Khollaran Markenos was potentially the most dangerous practicer of magic still living in the world. He had grown extremely powerful in the First Age, and only through the creation of a mighty talisman known as the Triadine, in a combined effort of humans, Elves, Dwarves, and the Nordae, was he defeated in a great battle known as The Breaking of the World.

Though he was defeated, Khollaran was not killed. He was exiled into the abandoned Dwarf caverns deep in the Southern Rilehorn Mountains. The Watchers were to keep him under observation for all time to make sure he never again was able to rise to any sort of position of power. The magic of the Triadine kept him locked inside the mountain. The major races had long ago fallen into distrust of one another, and as a result, the Dwarves were in self-imposed exile, the Elves of the Aren were living in isolation, and the humans were in denial that any other races even existed in the world.

The Watchers had not been seated in the chairs in the keep for more than five hundred years. During their absence, Khollaran rebuilt much of his strength. The Prophecy required the races to reunite, rejoin the components of the Triadine, and wield it once more to put an end to the threat. Alternative branches of prophecy also told of Khollaran's rise to power and his total domination over everything. The world was on the brink of a great battle. The outcome of that battle relied on these sixteen-year-old twins.

Beorn, Peter asked. How is it that you were a captive of the Goblins when we came upon you in the ruins?

I think we should leave this tower before we discuss anything else, the Dwarf said looking questioningly at the polished stone viewing port, which now only dimly reflected the images of the three in the room. We don't know if that wizard on the other side of the stone can still hear us or not.

Wizard? asked Jon. What do you mean, wizard? Certainly there are no such things as wizards!

Just as there are no such things as Dwarves or Goblins? Peter chided his friend.

Come, the Dwarf said. Let's get out of this room and at least try to understand what just happened.

As well as what we are going to do next! Peter added.

The three left the room and Peter thought to lock the door behind them with the keys he found earlier in an office in the compound. On the ground floor of the keep, there was a sitting room of sorts. It was still within the large tower building but far beneath the rune-filled room containing the observation area.

The men sat comfortably on the remnants of the furniture in the room. The wood was well preserved within the tower that was completely sealed off from the elements. Most of the other buildings in the compound had suffered from neglect over the long years it had been abandoned, and so this seemed the best place for the three to sit and come up with a course of action.

Sharing travel rations from his pack, Peter realized he was nearly out of his meager provisions. That would be a problem for another time. They discovered fresh water running through a raised stone dais on the far side of the room, as well as a privy in a small side room. There were bunks here —though the straw left in the remnants of the sleeping pallets was very thin—and storage for personal items, the lockers were empty.

So what happened up there? Jon asked after the three sat quietly for some time. I think whatever came through that window, or whatever that was, would have killed you, Piers, if Beorn had not pulled you out of that chair.

I agree, Peter replied. And I suspect it would not have stopped with me. If you remember what that man said, he said we were not protected, not warded, and that was foolish.

Wards are magical spells that exist only in fairy tales, Piers, Jon replied.

Like Goblins, Dwarves, and wizards? Peter questioned his friend. Jon just stared back at him.

Whatever that was, Beorn replied, the magic was very strong, and I sensed a great evil from the wizard on the other side of the viewing stone.

You keep calling it a viewing stone, Peter replied. What do you know about that polished wall?

I believe it is mirrorstone, he replied. Something once fashioned by my people long ago. This would be a very unusual stone, however, since it obviously allowed for not just a vision of another place, but for magic to pass through as well.

I had the distinct impression, Peter added, that I would have been able to step through the stone right into that other place.

You might be right, Piers, Beorn replied. The magic was very powerful indeed.

Let's assume for a minute that everything from every fairytale I've ever heard is now coming to life, Jon said somewhat flustered. Now what do we do, and who was that man?

I believe I know, Beorn replied. But it is something not spoken of lightly, and the telling will take a little time.

We seem to have the time, Peter replied, if you are up to the telling.

Khollaran was still reeling from the backlash of the magic he sent against the three in the Watcher's Keep. Though they were not warded in any way he could tell, they still managed to close the viewing window and avoid the brunt of the attack the wizard sent against them. They must have had a wizard with them that Khollaran was not able to see. This had to be some sort of a test. A test of the wizard's power, and Khollaran had revealed too much. He was getting sloppy, and this needed to stop.

The dragon was on his way to extinguish the threat in the tower, and Khollaran managed to stumble back to his quarters where he would get some much-needed rest. The closing of the mirrorstone viewport in the midst of his magical attack on the Watchers resulted in all of that energy coming back at the wizard and from nearly point blank range. He barely had time to put up his own wards, and even then, the destructive power was nearly enough to overwhelm the wizard. He released a combination of magic that included wizard's fire, intending to turn everything in the tower's viewing room to ash.

I will have to rely on the dragon for now, he sighed to himself.

Chapter 2

The sun rose slowly over Lake Estonan as the waters calmed and recovered from the intense and unnatural storm that destroyed Captain Regis' small ship. The freak storm had sent dozens of men to their deaths in the icy waters of the lake and stranded Darius and Alexandra on a floating piece of wreckage .

Darius was bleeding from his shoulder where a flying splinter of wood struck him like an arrow fired from a long bow. Alex was afraid to remove the shard as it was currently stemming most of the blood from the wound. Darius was in so much pain, and the shard was embedded so deeply, she knew she had to do something.

Are you in much pain? she asked the Elf, though she already knew the answer.

Darius forced a laugh. Not so much, he managed to say. Though I think I would rather be drinking with some pretty maid in a tavern somewhere—no offense.

The storm that tore their small sailing vessel apart was magically intensified by the Dark Wizard Khollaran as he began to master the power of the Earlach Stone he had stolen from the Elves. The Stone was the centerpiece of the mighty Triadine talisman used to defeat the wizard in The Breaking of the World. It allowed the wielder control over some very powerful elements of earth magic. Khollaran was currently using it to alter weather. It was during one of these practice sessions where he intensified an existing storm and inadvertently destroyed Alexandra's small ship. He did not know one of his most dangerous enemies was on board that vessel, and his luck nearly resulted in victory before the war even began.

I'm going to try some healing magic, Alex announced.

What do you know about healing magic? Darius hissed skeptically from between clenched teeth.

I've been studying with the healers in Kalystra, Alex replied, and the king's own physician said that I show a strong natural ability.

Kalystra was the hidden city of the Elves at the eastern end of Lake Estonan.

Have you done any real healing? he asked roughly. Or just what passes for practice sessions among the healers?

Sit back, she replied, placing her hand on his chest and forcing him into a position where she could get some leverage. She pulled on the shard sticking out of his shoulder, and it moved a little. Blood started pumping out around the large splinter. She pushed hard on the edge of the wound with the palm of her hand and started chanting.

There were two other sailors on the floating raft that was once part of the small vessel's hull, though neither was in any shape to help Alexandra. Several other large pieces of debris were nearby, and all had men sitting or lying on or across them. The captain occupied a large piece of debris alone and was silent—having spent all his energy in the storm trying to keep his little ship together.

With her free hand, Alex formed the runes in the air she was shown would stop a wound from bleeding. She started to sing some of the Elven words of healing and continued to press her other hand on her bodyguard's wound.

Oh! Darius exclaimed, as he felt the energy enter his body. Alex pulled back immediately, concern showing in her eyes.

Are you all right? She asked.

What was that? he replied, still looking somewhat shocked.

It's a rune to stop excessive blood flow.

I think it might have temporarily stopped my heart! the Hunter said, staring at the young woman sitting over him.

Nonsense, Alex said with more confidence than she felt. She once again drew the rune and started to sing the healing words. When the rune formed in the air in front of her, she nearly stopped her singing. This was the first time she had actually seen a rune materialize from her attempts at Elven magic, and the euphoria nearly overwhelmed her.

Taking the sign as her cue that it was time to do what she planned, she grasped the wooden splinter by its thick base, and bracing her other hand on Darius' chest, she pulled the shard completely free.

Argh! Darius called out, reaching up to grab his injured shoulder.

Careful, she warned, it's still going to bleed and be very tender. She had already prepared a compress from a piece of torn sailcloth that was clinging to the raft. She pressed this over the wound where there was still significant blood loss.

Darius was a seasoned warrior, if not one who had recently been involved in anything resembling a fight. He knew how to deal with a serious wound. He pressed the cloth tightly to his shoulder while Alex continued to draw various runes and sing the songs of healing.

The runes grew in intensity, hanging in the air before the young woman, as she kept up her singing. She drew runes to ease pain, stop excessive bleeding, clean debris from a wound, reinforce the injured person's immune system, and indeed nearly every rune the healers had taught her. All of them formed solidly in the air in front of her, and as she continued to sing the healing songs, they passed into the body of the former Elven Hunter one by one.

After several more minutes of this, Darius removed the cloth from his shoulder to find the wound was almost completely closed! Alex was still singing with her eyes shut, her body weaving back and forth from the expended energy. The Elf shook her and she nearly collapsed, having given up a huge amount of her own strength into the healing magic.

You need to learn to control how much you give to your patient, Darius said softly as he cradled the now exhausted Alexandra in his arms. My, my, but aren't you a surprising young woman.

Other wounded men in the water and on some of the makeshift rafts were getting what attention they could from their fellow sailors. Some of them did not live through their injuries. Only nine sailors survived the destruction of the little ship, while another thirty-seven perished.

Several small fishing boats spotted the debris floating in the icy waters of the lake and were now hauling the men out and ferrying them to shore. Perry Cove was near by, and for the lucky sailors who avoided drowning or otherwise being killed in this supernatural disaster, they would have quite the story to tell in the taverns and brothels up and down the lake.

The two men who shared the small raft with Darius and Alexandra would have an even more remarkable story to tell. They would tell anyone who listened of the young man traveling in the rear cabin on their journey, who turned out to really be a beautiful young woman, and who brought the tall man traveling with her back from the brink of death with her healing magic.

Chapter 3

A n' I say that we ain't gonna take them three up to the meet. Hardon was trying to take charge of the men, but they were split when it came to whom they were going to follow. Randi ain't been 'round for months now, and I say we been on a fool’s errand all this time trying to disrupt the king's supply wagons an' such .

The mercenary turned outlaw had been trying to persuade the men to follow him all morning. Under his leadership, the men attempted to rob a wagon owned by the Lady Olivia Haren. Hardon had been a mercenary guard employed by the lady until his dismissal earlier in the week. The wagon had a custom-built storage compartment the lady had said contained a valuable gift from the king to one of his newly appointed barons. That, however, was only a ruse. The compartment was empty, and when the outlaws took the wagon and broke open the cabinet, they found nothing. This led to them taking the lady captive as well as the captain of her mercenary guard.

In addition to these prisoners, the outlaws managed to capture Brandon, the bastard son of King Leondis. Though Clift, the mercenary captain, was not worth anything in ransom, Lorn—one of the more reasonable men in the band—had persuaded Hardon not to kill him but to bring him along to a meeting with the outlaw leader Randi.

Lady Olivia was one of the Maidens of the Choosing, a lady of high birth sent to the capital city of Solenta to be among those chosen by the king as his bride this spring. The king's wife had died in childbirth sixteen years earlier, and his advisors finally persuaded him to take a wife. Olivia was among the leading candidates in the opinion of nearly everyone at court, and so she was a prize worth ransoming in Hardon's mind.

Lady Olivia was, by all accounts, one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom. She had long, flowing, silky, black hair, brown eyes that drew you deep inside them, flawless features, and a natural beauty that needed no face paint or other finery to capture a man's complete attention. This was not lost on the outlaws, though Olivia was dressed plainly and her hair was pulled back into a single braid behind her head. She was stunning, and more than one of the outlaws thought of having his way with her.

She was also very practical and grew up without a mother in a castle without a Royal Court. Her life had been spent on horseback, hunting with the soldiers, fishing, and prowling around the hills and shoreline that made up Lands End. She knew how to handle men of all types and never felt uncomfortable around them in any circumstances.

She created this deception of delivering a present from the king to one of his new barons in order to escape Solenta in secret and travel to see her dying father—the Duke of Lands End.

Brandon, the bastard son of the king and not heir to anything, was caught up in this because he secretly followed the lady out of the city. He shadowed her wagon for several days, his curiosity over what she was doing his justification to simply have a little adventure. Another man was also following the wagon, a deadly man dressed all in black. After Brandon met up with him on the road and ended up without his horse and unconscious in the woods, he felt a need to warn the lady.

Having joined in her little charade, he volunteered to temporarily become part of Captain Clift's mercenary unit. After the wagon was taken, he was captured in an ill-fated attempt to rescue the lady from the outlaws. Now all three were bound and slept propped up against a log by a warming fire, which was a good thing since none was dressed for the cold weather this late in the season. Thankfully, there was no snow during the night.

I've told you before, Captain Clift said from across the fire, that the only real option left to you is to let us go. If you keep us, the King's men are certainly going to find you, and you will suffer the king's justice. The lady will already be missed, and it's only a matter of time before you are swinging from the gallows.

Clift preached this same message all night to anyone who would listen—even just a little—and he was getting to some of the men.

I think the captain has a point, one of the outlaws said in reply. You all know that Randi never told us to kidnap no one. We gonna be in big trouble when he finds out, and he's gonna release 'em anyway.

I agree. Lorn added his voice to this side of the argument. Lord Randolf is not going to condone the kidnapping and ransoming of these people. We need to let them go on their way. If there was something of value in the wagon, we could have justified stealing it; however, we cannot justify kidnapping.

Hardon drew his sword, and instantly most of the men around the fire did the same. The group was divided as to whom they should be threatening with their swords, but no one wanted to be without a weapon in hand should it come to fighting. Lorn was the exception, standing quietly by Lady Olivia and simply drinking his coffee.

Our orders are to meet with Randi in two days, and it will take us that long to get to the meeting place, maybe even a little longer, he stated calmly. Though we lost the draft horses and will not be able to get the lady back on her way in the wagon, we have enough of the mercenary horses to put each of them on a horse and set them free. Captain Clift is a man of his word, and he says they will ride north and continue to Northcastle without sending anyone after us. I believe him.

An' you be an ol' fool, Lorn! Hardon snapped. We be gettin' nothin' from these raids, and ol' Randi can go to the devil for all I cares.

Hardon was set on ransoming these three or perhaps on simply killing Clift and ransoming Brandon and Lady Olivia. Olivia suffered a blow to the head when the wagon overturned the day before, and she remained quiet until now. When she spoke, the men were startled, and some immediately lowered their swords remembering there was a real lady present.

I wish to have a say in the outcome of this discussion, she said calmly, sitting up awkwardly against the log at her back. I believe you deserve a ransom as well, she continued, however, I would call it a reward and not a ransom. Brandon and Clift both looked shocked at her pronouncement.

Ha! Hardon exclaimed. You jamooks see what I mean? Even the whore thinks that we should ransom her to the king.

At the word whore, Brandon struggled to rise. I told you I would kill the next man to call the lady a whore, and I meant it! he shouted.

Easy, son. Captain Clift leaned over to the young man. Let the lady talk.

Thank you, Brandon, for defending my honor, Olivia said, looking regal even tied up with a bloody bandage around her head. I do believe that you should be rewarded for returning me. Not, however, by the king but rather by my father, the Duke of Lands End. He will pay handsomely for my return, as well as for the return of my two friends here. No questions asked.

The men had not considered this option, as Lady Olivia was tied to the king, not to her father, Duke Haren. Everyone focused on the fact that the duke was old, but he was also quite rich. Northcastle in Lands End used to be the capital of the kingdom before old King Adon moved that to Solenta, and it was still a very rich city.

I like the sounds of that very much! Hardon agreed. We will go north to Lands End, not meet up with Randi or risk bein' hanged by the king, and get a reward as well!

Lorn was still not going to agree with this, until he looked down with respect at the lady, whose composure and confidence were turning more of the men to her side. He did not want to leave her alone with Hardon and some of the less savory men in the group. Several had already expressed their desire to simply rape the lady and leave her along the side of the road. There was no telling what might happen on the ride north.

I can agree with that, Lorn finally said, though we will need to send someone to Randi to let him know what we are doing.

You go then, Hardon stated, since you ain't in favor of the whole thing anyway.

No, Lorn replied. I will accompany the lady and look out for her safe return to her father. I know the duke, and that will be helpful when it comes to collecting a reward as well. I can simply walk into the castle at Lands End and speak with Duke Haren—I suspect you cannot. We will send Drake to speak with Randi. He rode with him for several months before coming to us, and I'm sure would like to get back with Randi again as well.

The young man from Eagles Reach, Drake, was in fact very happy to rejoin his former lord, a man dispossessed of his lands and whose family was killed by agents of the king. Randi was a natural leader—a man other men gave their loyalty to easily.

I will go, he offered, and I'll be sure to let Randi know that the safety of the lady, and the bastard, will be guaranteed. He left out the safety of Captain Clift, as most believed he would not survive another night with the outlaws.

The safety of Captain Clift must also be guaranteed, Olivia stated. That's the deal. All three of us will be delivered to my father and he will pay handsomely, or no deal.

She had them and she knew it. Greed would win out in the end. She would get home to her father—which was her ultimate goal—and save Brandon and Clift in the process. This man Hardon was not to be trusted, but Lorn seemed to be a reasonable man. Things were not as expected, but they were not as bad as they could be.

Agreed! Hardon answered laughing. Drake, you ride on to meet Randi and tell him what we be doin'. The rest of you get ready to go, and load them three on horses but keep 'em tied. Each one will have their horse on a lead.

Lorn stood protectively over the lady for a few more moments, as the men broke up and made ready to go. Lady Olivia, he finally said, helping her to her feet and removing the rope from around her ankles. I promise I will see you safely home. I served with your father many years ago, and though my lot in life has changed, my morals have not.

Thank you, Lorn, the lady replied, accepting the man's pledge. I will see to it that my father understands the role you played here today.

Chapter 4

Karoel had been a prisoner in the restored building in the ruins at High Pass for the last six days. They fed him, changed his slop bucket, and allowed him to clean himself with a bucket of lukewarm water and a rag. They also kept him locked in the windowless room in the old building without any contact with the rest of the men in the building. He used exercise and meditation to keep from going crazy, and he listened at the crack of the door whenever possible .

He discovered the man coming to meet the men already here was their leader, but he never heard them mention a name. Some feared him but most simply respected him and his leadership. Karoel was still convinced that this was either the Lord Bannis—the king's spymaster—or one of his henchmen. In either case, it would be bad for Karoel to be turned over to the torturer. He would never give up his friends, the members of the Guardians, or the twins and their quest. He also knew Bannis did not leave many alive after a private session, and Karoel had no doubt he would die at the hands of the man.

Through the use of a seer and a traitor among the Guardians, the king discovered Peter and Alexandra were his natural children, and the Children of The Prophecy. His advisors, principally Bannis, convinced him that they needed to be killed or they would usurp his crown. The king agreed to this only after much persuasion, but since that time, both soldiers and assassins had hunted the children. So far, they were able to avoid capture, but neither was safe, as far as Karoel was concerned, as long as they were loose in the world.

The woodsman was a large man, strong, healthy, and able to fight with most weapons—though he preferred a woodsman's axe to a sword. He taught the twins woods lore, how to hunt, forage, and take care of themselves in the wild, all the while secretly guarding them from his nearby cabin in the woods. He also told them stories of the past, of Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, wizards, dragons, and The Breaking of the World. These stories were banned by the Church as blasphemy, but Karoel needed the twins to know of their heritage and not let them hide behind false doctrine.

The twins were secretly taken away from the king when their mother died in childbirth and were raised by a foster family. Bairden and Molensa Oldsted treated the children as their own. The fact they were not the twin's parents was accidentally leaked to the children when they were very young, but they accepted their guardians with open hearts.

Karoel recently discovered Bairden was found dead outside of Karoel's burned-out cabin along with another of the Guardians, a Julean Monk named Brother Cadresean. Cadresean had taught the children at the abbey in Alnen and had been instrumental in making sure they had a proper education.

When the King's Elite destroyed Karoel's cabin, ransacked the Oldsteds’ home and turned them and Brother Cadresean over to Lord Bannis, their fate was sealed. Molensa's body had not yet turned up, but Karoel was blamed for the deaths of Bairden and Cadresean. A Royal Warrant was issued for his capture and return—dead or alive. Bannis would see he died after trying to get him to give up his friends and the twins.

Increased activity in the room outside of Karoel's prison cell led the woodsman to believe the leader had arrived. Tables and chairs were being pushed and dragged around the floor, and there was shouting and general heightened activity. Soon the sounds of greeting were clear, and a number of men had obviously entered the building. After some additional time passed, along with a general increase in activity, the door to Karoel's cell opened. Daylight flooded in.

The big man shaded his eyes with his hand and remained standing near the rear of his small room. Indistinct shapes blocked the door, and a familiar voice barked, Get him out of there immediately!

Men stepped in, grabbed Karoel by the arms, and led him from the dark room into the light. He was then seated before a small table. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the brightness as a man sat opposite him and ordered food and wine brought to the table. As he focused on the man, his senses continued to be confused. The man looked familiar, he sounded familiar, and he was not at all whom Karoel expected.

Randolf? The woodsman managed to say at last. What are you doing here?

The man across from him smiled and looked concerned at the same time. My men, he started, these men here misunderstood my orders when I said if they came across you in your travels that you were to be held until my arrival. I'm afraid your rough treatment these past few days is all my fault, old friend.

Randolf was Lord Halford Randolf, once the Duke of Eagles Reach, and a long time friend of the Guardians.

What in the world are the two of you doing here? Karoel asked Randi, as his manservant Woolen delivered steaming plates of food and a pitcher of wine to the table for the two men.

As I said, Randi replied, skewering a piece of meat from the platter and placing it on Karoel's plate, these are my men, and I am here to lead them.

The last I knew, the woodsman said, as he dug into the meal in front of him, you and Woolen were hiding out in Harmon Englot's hunting cabin in the mountains above Hilldale.

We were, the smiling ex-Lord said, until Woolen here got bored and decided we needed to get back to harassing the king.

Woolen smiled. Everyone knew Randi would not sit still and wait.

And these men—Karoel waved his fork generally around the room—They are all your men?

These are my men, yes, Randi replied, though not all of my men. I have several different bands roaming the countryside, harassing the king's supply trains or otherwise disrupting his activities in the kingdom. This is the largest group, and I've come back to lead them personally. We will continue where we left off when we lost a large contingent of men to the king's recruiters. Most of those are now serving in the army, which is not such a bad thing for men who could have just as easily been hanged. There may be some among them who are still loyal to me as well, and we will take advantage of that when the time comes.

Karoel ignored the talk of the men in the room and continued to enjoy his meal and reminisce with his old friend as the afternoon faded to evening.

What of the wizard Rendil? Randi asked finally.

He disappeared, I'm afraid, Karoel replied, filling their mugs with another round of wine. He and I parted company shortly after leaving Harmon's place, and he was to go visit with another of his order then meet me back at Kalystra. There has been no sign of him or word from him since. He can be gone for long periods of time, but he usually doesn't simply vanish. This time he has just disappeared.

Do you think he was captured? Randi asked, concern showing on his face.

I doubt that, the woodsman replied. He has many tricks at his disposal to keep from being caught. No, I suspect he had something urgent to do, and he will rejoin us when he can.

Us? Randi replied. You think I'm part of your little group now?

Why, you always were old friend, Karoel answered with a grin. You always were.

The men in the room relaxed now that Randi and Karoel were speaking plainly and in friendship. They were even more relaxed when Karoel explained he was not mistreated by the men, only held in the small, windowless room for a few days. Randi was not happy to hear this, but the woodsman laughed it off and said he'd stayed in worse inns in the past.

So where do you go next? Randi asked. And what of the twins?

Karoel looked around the room before answering. I am going to see to them now, he replied, though the last I knew, both were safe.

He did not want to reveal too much as he did not know any of the other men in the room or their loyalties. Randi understood and did not press the matter.

After several more mugs of wine, which Randi explained was liberated from one of the king's supply wagons headed for the garrison at Collinsport, Karoel and Randi settled in by the fire with a couple of pipes from Randi's collection. The tabac grew wild in an area between the Knife's Edge and Lake Estonan, and Randi had connections there who harvested and dried it especially for him. It was the one small luxury he kept up after losing his estate.

The sound of a single horse being ridden hard came to the men, and several of those closer to the door donned overcoats against the cold and stepped outside. Muffled conversation filtered through, then the door opened, and an exhausted rider entered, his eyes searching the room. He spotted Randi, stepped toward the men seated by the fireplace, and dropped to one knee.

Lord Randolf, the young man said, bowing his head.

Just Randi now, Drake, Randi replied, please rise.

Yes, My Lord, the young rider said, though he did not rise to his feet.

What is so urgent, Drake? Randi asked. Both Randi and Karoel were giving the young man their full attention.

It's the Lady Olivia, My Lord, he began, and the bastard Brandon. They have been kidnapped and are being held ransom, My Lord.

Kidnapped? Randi questioned. By whom?

Why, by us, My Lord, Drake replied. I mean, by Hardon and his men.

I never authorized any kidnappings! Randi barked. The last thing we need is to turn those few lords who are supporting us against us by kidnapping their loved ones! Who told Hardon he could do this?

No one, My Lord, Drake answered. We were going to simply steal a valuable gift from the king to Baron Kreager at Eagles Reach—

Kreager! Randi interrupted. Why, that man is no baron. He is the blackhearted scum who sold us out to the king and now lives in MY estate!

Kreager had sold the name and location of the midwife Ornwen to Bannis' men. She had spirited the twins away from the king when Queen Rozlynn died in childbirth. She left the capital and lived in hiding with her sister, Woolen's wife. Under torture, she ultimately gave up the name of the family where the twins were taken before she died. Randi's estates were the price Bannis paid for Kreager's information.

Yes, My Lord, Drake continued. And when we heard that the Lady Olivia was delivering a valuable gift to him from the king, we thought it would be justice to steal it. As it turned out, the lady was only trying to get back to her dying father, the Duke of Lands End, and there was no gift.

The lady was traveling to Lands End? Randi asked confused. That is nowhere near Eagles Reach.

Yes, My Lord, the young man continued. But she tricked everyone by going first toward Dover and then turned off on an old road across the plains, so she could sneak away to see her father. She did not have permission to leave Solenta, and so she created a scheme to fool the king, and—

Yes, yes, Randi interrupted again. I get it. So Hardon led a raid on the Lady Olivia's wagon, did not get anything of value, and decided to hold the Lady ransom because she was a Maiden of the Choosing. Is that it?

That's it, My Lord, he replied. And then we ended up with Brandon the king's bastard, as well as the mercenary captain who led the men guarding the wagon.

Which mercenary captain? Randi asked.

Captain Clift, My Lord.

Well, well. Randi mused, taking a long pull of his pipe. Clift is as fine a mercenary captain as there is. I'm quite surprised you were able to take a wagon under his protection.

We had a number of men on his detail, My Lord, Drake replied, and we killed most of the rest before they even knew what was happening.

What? Randi was astonished. You killed the mercenary guards? And I suppose it was Hardon who planned that as well. Where was Lorn in all of this? We don't kill the mercenaries, they will join us against the king when the time is right.

Lorn lost control to Hardon, My Lord, Drake replied. Most of the men follow him now. He promised them gold and riches and said that we would no longer just turn our spoils over to you. He also said we would not limit ourselves to just the king's supply wagons and such.

Randi rose and started pacing the room. His hand went reflexively to his