The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus (12 page)

Closing the distance swiftly, Caldrefan grabbed the back of Karlaan's neck pulling him closer. Their eyes met from only inches away and he could finally see surprise in the younger man's eyes at the strange treatment. The grip was strong enough that it would have been hard to escape, though it wasn't particularly painful.

"Do not do anything to ruin your future, Karlaan. I promised you a throne one day, but it needs to be done in the right way at the right time. Tamper with my vision of this and you will likely never see the fulfillment of your dreams."

Placing his hands over Caldrefan's wrists, his grip was firm as the boy replied, "Just remember, Caldrefan, most of us aren't immortals. Orlaan is already an old man and deserves to know that it is the son he cast away who ruins him. I can't wait on your plans forever."

"It will be soon enough. Just don't ruin things with impetuous actions and it will happen."

The two men had little more to say and separated to attend to the needs of the day once more.

A man wearing a hooded coat sat in the pew looking penitent. Hands folded, his head was leaned forward; but he had watched the discussion between Caldrefan and the soldiers even so. It had been a move of the commander. Ilius might know battle tactics, but he wasn't the most subtle of the king's advisors, he thought to himself.

Soldiers were rarely good as spies. They preferred to solve problems with the points of their swords. Words were trickier and when men refused to reveal their hearts, it made things even more difficult. Lies and half truths were the things of spies and politicians. Deceptions would be needed if one was in a weaker position looking to whittle down that of strength.

If the Brothers of the Blood were behind the fires, then they were acting from a weaker position than the king.

When the soldiers left, Caldrefan locked eyes a moment with another younger man who quickly rose to join him. It was noted by the man watching the exchange. While he couldn't be certain that it had anything to do with the fires, the man was sure that it was significant.

After they had retreated down the hall, he moved to follow. There were only closed doors in the long hallway when he arrived. No one remained in sight and the man only walked a little over halfway before he gave up. No voices were raised that would draw him to any of the closed doors and those left open revealed nothing as well.

Being careful not to look too suspicious, the man walked back to the sanctuary and used the front doors to leave without seeming to draw any extra attention from the brothers and petitioners in the room. He walked east for a block before turning to the right. After another couple blocks walk through an area with less foot traffic, the man turned right again. If anyone was following him, they were better at being indistinguishable than he was able to find.

Fairly certain that no normal man could have followed him this long without being noticed, Philip pushed back his hood walking far enough to be further west than the temple to the north of him. A nondescript looking cart waited for him. The man in the front seat was dressed more like a farmer or perhaps a dockworker than someone to be noticed. A likely pair, only the tips of Philip's ears might draw anyone's attention.

Elves were virtually unheard of in Malaiy, but then again he was only a half elf. His ears were closer to the shape of a normal human's than his mother's had been, but they weren't as rounded as his father's either. His hair was cut long enough to cover them for the most part, so few people seemed to notice or comment on them normally.

"Do we return home, sir?" the driver questioned as he flicked the reins to start the horses forward. Two brown horses large enough for the job, even if the cart was heavily laden, pulled on their harnesses walking casually down the alley towards the main street hundreds of feet away. While the animals seemed to have little care in the world, the passenger sat mulling over what he had managed to see and hear in the temple of the brotherhood.

"Take a circuitous route back past the markets. We'll pick up some bread and vegetables. Xurie gave me a list for dinner. It will help make sure that we aren't being followed," Philip replied quietly.

His driver kept an eye on the spacing from cart wheels to the alley walls hemming them in tightly. It wasn't the best place to have hidden, but it left little space for an enemy to use for stealth at least.

"Did you come to any conclusions about these Brothers of the Blood, sir?"

"No, Laram, though their leader might seem a bit suspicious, there is nothing that can truly point me to them as being behind the fires and deaths. A young man followed him after Ilius' soldiers alerted Caldrefan. They told him that they were just canvassing the area for someone who might know about the fires. It was enough to make the brother look a bit guarded, but that doesn't make him a criminal."

A man of middle years, Laram was graying already and looked many years older than his master, even though it was Philip who was nearly twice his steward's age. He had known the half elf even before he had married Serafene and followed him from Eirdhen when Philip was still just a merchant. A trusted friend, he could speak of secrets without worrying his master that he would be betrayed or let something important slip to the wrong ears.

"What does your gut say? You were guided here in a rather heavy handed way by the others, I take it."

"With all of their attempts to defame the king, the Brothers of the Blood have painted rather large targets on themselves as discontents. It would be hard to argue against the others believing that they might behind it, but I am not completely certain by any means. This Caldrefan has made quite the name for himself over the years, however, and has been making more of a fuss about the king over the last few years.

"Perhaps I can find out where he came from. If he has been a brother long enough to lead this temple, I would guess that he has been with them for quite awhile.

"Even if he isn't directly responsible for the attacks, he might know the ones who are. Ilius' instincts to ask around at the temple could be correct, even if sending soldiers to make the inquiry so boldly wasn't the smartest way to handle the affair."

"If he has something to hide, the questions might make the brother do something to give himself away at least," Laram commented following the logic easily. He was an intelligent man, which was why Philip had included him. There was no spy network he could go to, even if Lord Denefar had been willing to loan him some men, Philip also preferred doing certain work himself. His eyes and ears wouldn't color the facts like those given to him from another. His judgment would be what he would follow to his good or ill.

"Maybe, but Caldrefan doesn't appear to be as easy to read as some men. I'll have to figure out a way to keep watch on him and maybe that young man he spoke to also."

"You can't spend all of your time playing detective, sir. You do have other responsibilities that will require your personal attention beyond this matter. Can you manage to give up controlling the situation all by yourself?" the last was asked with a bit of humor. Laram knew that Philip preferred a controlled life. He had kept a close eye on his children and tried to keep them safe. Now they were grown and he still worried, but to him that was just the way it should be. Controlling everything might be impossible, but knowing as much as he could helped keep him ahead of most tragedies.

Philip supposed a need for knowledge was one of the traits he had in common with his rather famous father.

"King Orlaan asked me to look into it in my own way; but I agree that I can't be everywhere and do everything. I have a few men that I can trust to do this though. Contrary to your opinion, I do have the ability to let go. I may still want to hold on, but I am realistic."

A short laugh from his friend made Philip shake his head ruefully. That was the problem with old friends; they knew you too well to believe everything that came from one's mouth.

"Just drive," he said with a sigh. While they rode, the man kept his eyes open; but never noticed anyone watching him in turn.

Chapter 7-A Bit of Chemistry

"What are you doing in here?" an older man's voice questioned from behind Karlaan making him turn away from the table with its flasks and beakers. Few knew of Caldrefan's chemistry lab, but the young man was one of those. The man in the red brother's robes was another and Zithas apparently didn't think that Karlaan should be in the master's room while he was gone.

It had only been a few days since Caldrefan had ridden off with a small band of men. Two of them knew magic and had been trained under the master. The other men were guards even if they still wore the red of the brotherhood.

Zithas had been left in charge, and the younger man thought perhaps the new found power was going to his head already.

"Making a potion from one of Caldrefan's books, if you must know," he responded turning back to the flask in front of him. One last ingredient was needed for the mixture to take on the properties he needed, but it was best to mix the last once he had taken it to the right place. A stoppered tube with a green liquid was in the tray for the smaller glassware.

A flame was heating the beaker and a liquid contained inside. It was the second to last part of his work. Only the green tube would be required after the beaker cooled.

"You shouldn't be in here without Master Caldrefan's knowledge, Karlaan," the brother reiterated his point more precisely. He was frowning at the boy's back, until Karlaan finally turned off the heat and looked at the man.

"I have been with Caldrefan for most of my life. He taught me the chemistry of mixing liquids as a boy. I am as comfortable and knowledgeable in this lab as you are praying in a pew.

"I don't need your permission to work in here. You run the temple in Caldrefan's absence, but that doesn't mean you rule over me."

The younger man stood as he slid from his stool. He looked down on the shorter man, who was also thin and nearly twice Karlaan's age. He guessed that Caldrefan had left him in charge because Zithas was almost unassuming and the brothers would follow his direction; but only because the master had ordered it so. Zithas might enjoy the power, but he couldn't possibly hold it for himself. His support was likely nonexistent without Caldrefan's ordering men to follow.

"Caldrefan left me in charge and asked me to watch over you as well, young man. Even this room is under temple direction, which means that I can usher you from this room as well," the smaller man retorted seeming to puff up as he confronted Karlaan.

The younger man wasn't impressed and changed the topic saying, "With your features, I would guess that you were Tseulty originally. Did you join the brotherhood there or did you journey to Malaiy? Maybe you are actually from Desdemona instead?"

Looking wary, Zithas answered truthfully, "I was born in Tseult, but traveled to Alwere as a young man. I found Sordrian and the brothers there. The church changed my life. Now I serve the greater good."

The platitudes were virtually ignored as Karlaan followed up with some disdain, "I thought Tseulty men were generally big and strong. Don't they love combat and the duel ring almost more than anything? You would probably have been a disappointment and I guess that you were bullied as well."

Turning red with embarrassment and anger, it took a moment for Zithas to gather himself to avoid having his voice crack from emotion. "You little brat, Caldrefan takes you in and you walk around like you are king. The problem is you have no power, boy. You are a bastard without a father to name him. Who are you to talk down to me?"

Karlaan moved forward in just a few quick steps grabbing the man by the collar of his robe. A fist knuckled the cloth lifting him onto his tiptoes. The hard fist tucked into Zithas' neck just below his chin. Eyes opened wide in shock. The older man hadn't thought of this turn of events.

"One day you will see who I will be, Zithas. Right now, if nothing else is obvious to you, my strength and size are greater than yours. Caldrefan had me trained to fight and I have even joined a few of your land's battle circles for sport.

"Tseult longs for war, but when was the last time any of your people did more than fight in a circle anyway? Still unlike the men and women fighting there, you wouldn't last a minute in a fight; especially not with me.

"I'll warn you once and once only. You can keep the temple. Order the other brothers around; but if I need you to serve me, you will. Those who join with me will be rewarded; so don't be on the other side or stand against me."

"Caldrefan..." the man started with a squeak. Karlaan wouldn't have been surprised if Zithas had wet himself. The boy had seen through him well. He was a coward and no fighter.

"I do Caldrefan's work. There is a project in motion that he has given to me. While this liquid might be unassuming, it has its place in this plan; so I have made it with that need in mind.

"Now go back to your duties as temporary leader of this temple and stay out of my way unless I call for you," he finished releasing the man with a shove towards the door he had come through earlier.

Zithas scrambled back on wobbly legs. His face had whitened and the words he had hoped to speak would no longer come. Cowed by the powerful, young man, Zithas could do nothing but leave as he had been ordered.