The Exodus Sagas: Book II - Of Dragons And Crowns (68 page)

Kendari strode with confidence into the hall and faced the men, well over a dozen all armed, pulling his trophy behind him. “I care not for God or your kingdom, however, I have here a queen that may be of value. May I?”

The shocked looks of the men, the lord of the city, and eve
n the priest next to the knights
put a smile on the Nadderi’s face th
at to him, was worth thousands in
gold coin already. They stared at his pointed ears, the swirling black marks that he was cursed with, and the rope and woman he had in tow. None moved as he stepped in past their blades as if they were not there and approached the center of the room.

“Who are you, elf?” Cristoff looked to him, then the ragged tearing woman he had bound. He thought to order
an arrest
,
but firs
t she ran to the lord, allowed by her captor, and embraced him.

“Who I am is of little importance, but if you must know…Kendari of Stillwood. I found this lady about to be killed or worse in her attempt to escape Harlaheim. After
ruining her persuers convictions, I felt it best she go to a safe place of her choosing. I will expect reward consummate of the prize brought, of course.”
Kendari sat in one of the chairs meant for the military man that stood next to it, but he cared not.

“Rosana?” Cristoff stared into her eyes.

“Yes.” h
er choking response drenched in tears and sorrow barely issued.

All men took knee save for Cristoff who was holding her up in her exhaustion and Kendari who remained seated. “God save the Queen!” was yelled in unison by the other ten men in armor who had been preparing for war.

He could hardly believe under the fading bruises, dirt and smattered appearance, and chopped hair of brown curls
,
that this was indeed the woman he had known so many years past, loved more than anything long ago, yet it undoubtedly was
his queen
. H
er voice, her eyes, it was the q
ueen they had thought dead, here in his arms. Cristoff could not speak. His heart quickened and no words came through his throat despite the coming war and the multitude of questions he had. Time stood still.

“My lord, should we wait and hail the Crossguard Legion, present the true queen of the kingdom before the Cardinal, we could end this. All we need to do is hold out here a few days until they---“ Father Garrett was cut off.

“No.” Rosana spoke up through her tears. “The Cardinal returns to take the kingdom and declare Harlaheim a Holy State of the Church, he has signed documents to the fact. He will not stop here
, he will not listen
. He will march directly to the capital to usurp Richmond and his knights and lords. I know this, for I signed for it along with many others.”

Gasps and startled looks trounced the throneroom, even Cristoff held her back from his embrace in astonishment and outrage. Kendari laughed at all of it, wondering when someone would realize that he was surely not here on goodwill.

“Why? Why would you do such a thing my Queen?” Cristoff felt betrayed and his sorrow aged him at that very moment.

“There was no other way. Florin and Richmond have ties to Johnas Valhera and his criminals in Chazzrynn. They have the mercenary armies of Willborne paid off. They
even ally themselves with Shalokahn elves of the Sassari family. The p
eople suffer, the corruption is
endless, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Even the bishop had his dreams of control and power, and the people suffer more and more as churches close and God is forgotten and not wanted. Savanno and I planned to leave, we had refuge in Shanador arranged by the Cardinal himself and other kings there. We were waiting for the spy of the Cardinal to kill Prince Johnas Valhera so that in the wake of confusion, we could escape. The spy, Balric D’vrelle has gone missing, and then all of this went so horribly wrong.”
s
he placed her head on Cristoff’s armored shoulder and wept, wept for her dead husband, for the baby in her belly, and for the tragic situation that was all but hopeful.

“So then we flee and return when it is all over. We wait until the Cardinal has settled things. Surely this Florin will be exposed and when the war is over we will be protected.” Garrett spoke simply and plainly as if the answer w
a
s obvious.

“No.” Cristoff spoke just as plain. “We will remain hiding a queen, living in fear of when assassins will come in the night. We will hope and maybe assist in this coup, yet how long until the church appoints a king of their choosing or Richmond vows change. One day, today or years from now, the daggers will be at the door and we will live with that day in wait in our minds. I have faith in God, but not the cardinal and not the crooked politics and words that will hold our lives in the balance.
”

“The what does his lordship suggest?” Karai held his composure and attention.

“
We will abandon Saint Erinsburg.”

“Abandon? And go where my lord?” Capitan Broushelle spoke in demanding tones, not able to understand how his great lord would ever give up on anything.

“I heard the voice of God, most recently, and it told me to go west. I have heard it many times in my waking thoughts since that day
on the mountain
and ignored it. They will eliminate the queen if we stay, and my days and the days of our people and anyone who knows of what we know
, are numbered as well. The seasonal food storage is half full. Empty the vaults, inform the people of Saint Erinsburg. We make for the w
est and for a new beginning.” r
esolved beyond resolve, the lord of the city gave his orders.

“This will require a quick effort to evacuate before the army lays siege. If the army spots us, all is for naught you realize.
They will slaughter us in the hills, the people will slow us.” Sir Leonard looked down, not wanting to be realistic and negative, yet truth had to be told.

“
I will ride out and delay with peaceful negotiations to the false queen while you move the people to the safety and cover of the northern hills.” Father Garrett sheathed his blade and went for his steed.

“This is all so very inspiring, but I am afraid I must be on my way.” Kendari stared at the queen, then to the door leading back down to the underground. His keen eyes noticed the shadows move most unnatural beside the door he had kicked in.
Red shadows with black forms crept along unseen walls.
He knew no others would have noticed, and knew that the temptress Nareene wished words with him soon for she was entering here from whatever hell she called home. “I will need some coin
for my troubles as you all tuck tail here from what surely would have been an enjoyable battle.”

“He is a murderer and heartless killer Cristoff, give him a quick death or nothing.” Rosana demanded.

“That may be true my queen,
and he looks rather sickly,
yet if it wer
e not for him bringing you here
we may have all been dead in but
a few hours when Florin arrived
.
Kendari of Stillwood, I need all the gold for my people to buy food on our way through Shanador, so that leaves me little to give you.” Cristoff thought it right to reward something, anything, yet he
would need it all for the trek to survive
.

“Not my concern really, I do not care for one person in your city nor their survival.”

“Then an exchange and an oath, the way of the lords of old.”

“Entertain me
.” Kendari was waiting for whatever false words and empty vows that another human would try and placate him with as in years and centuries past.

“You have a longsword or two there I see. I have mine here that was blessed by holy priests with divine energies that were meant for slaying the wicked and the dead. It is sacred to me and my family, yet I will exchange it for yours.” Cristoff knew his blade was invaluable, yet his honor would not allow him to short the rescuer or ca
ptor that brought Rosana to him alive and risked himself, regardless of cause.

“And the oath, should I accept your offer of trade, weak as it is?” Kendari thought that a blade against the wicked, a holy sword, might be nice for his meetings with Nareene as long as it did not hurt him to hold it, for he knew that his marks and curses were nothing short of wicked as well.

“My oath is just this and nothing more. I seek to follow some blessed friends to the far west, to the ruins of Mooncrest
and the mines of lost Kakisteele
.
They have inspired me more than decades of my
noble
life has here in Harlaheim, and I want what they have, hope.
Should you come there at any time, should we survive and it actually exists, you will always be welcome in whatever halls I have to offer.” Cristoff could think of nothing else to give, for at this point, he had nothing to truly barter with.

“Agreed, on one term.” Kendari thought with a bit of malevolence amidst all this mush of honor and welcomes and nobility.

“And that is?”

“I wish to stay in your castle for as long as I l
ike starting at this moment, alone.” h
is grin, his
glimpse of flashing shadows and mist that no one else noticed, and his purpose were hidden
among those that knew him not
.

“You realize it may be aflame or overrun within this next night or so with an army led by a woman known as Florin?” Cristoff drew his ancestral blade with the feathered cross of Alden in gold as the pommel. He watched as Kendari drew his pyramid pommeled longblade and reached it out to the Lord of Saint Erinsburg.

“I surely hope so. Indeed, I would love to have a few words with this, Florin.
I have a few messages to send to her employer.
” Kendari knew that a woman, the only woman knight of Harlaheim, was an agent of Johna
s for the White Spider
. He assumed it would be her that appeared as the queen, and that they would try in murderous fashion, to silence anyone inside before an actual war began. Kendari smiled at the thought of foiling another little coup of Johnas, and raising the bounty a bit higher by letting someone relegate the
horrid
details to the rest of the criminals he employed.

“Very well, strange, but agreed. God save you, Kendar
i of Stillwood.” b
lades exchanged, Cristoff took Rosana’s arm and walked with her to a place they could be alone. Rosana looked at Kendari as she walked past, focusing on his intentions rather than the lord and former courtier of her heart assisting her and the people of the city make an escape.

“Farewel
l, and God save you as well.” t
he words barely came out, disgusting as they were to him.

“You and I are going to have a little talk about your apparent c
hivalric behavior, my slave.” t
he whispers came from the shadows in the throne room he found himself alone in now. Kendari watched as the militants, the priests, and the advisors left with the lord and queen.
He watched stewards take the tapestries and fineries, knights give orders to empty and load various rooms.

“Nareene, it is all for the greater blood and my enjoyment. Be calm and patient, you will see.” Kendari watched as the lithe, nearly naked and exquisite winged form of a beautiful demoness formed from the mist and shadows in a stench of sulphur and smoke.
She sto
o
d in the corner of the room, hands holding curved serrated swords of flame and hellish steel as her anger
radiated from her pale unearthly visage.

“Really? Saving queens, accepting holy relics, failing to kill and spread blood,
resting
here in a castle? I have half a mind to think you are
growing tired of the killing you swore to me would never end. Maybe you need a painful reminder of your place and that red brand on your chest t
hat says your soul is owned.” h
er fanged teeth dripped blood as her crimson and black eyes bore into him.

“When Florin and her spiders sneak in, you will see some blood. Fear not temptress, I may leave one or two for you. I just need to
remind Johnas that he is not all powerful
. I love to
dream of his agony at another failure
, that is all.” Kendari
sheathed the blad
e of Cristoff Bradswellen the Third
that was now his
and paced around the great
rooms, anxious as his mistress for some death.
He was just as anxious to see how holy this blade was, and what it would do to this demoness’ flesh if he plunged it into her.

Exodus II:XVI

Base of the Holy Mountain, Bailey, Willborne

Gwenneth could hear the heavy stomp of boots and cavalry from behind her. She turned to look as the first glow of dawn approached from the west, and there it was
,
half a mile behind her and Azenairk. The flags and banners of three hundred soldiers of Bailey to the south with another army twice that in size approaching from the west. The standard
s
of Willborne flew high, a blue crossed blade pattern through a curled dragon on a red background. She felt her body tiring already as she and Zen followed as best they could in their flight from Keervin Keep in Bailey.