The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus (15 page)

"We have to climb that?" Xerese asked in alarm as her eyes widened at the thought of scaling the hundreds of feet of rock.

A man's voice replied before Annalicia could speak. "There are carriages waiting on the dock to carry us to the inner city."

The young women turned to note the other wizards standing on deck to their left. A dark haired man with the tan skin of the typical man from Malaiy glanced at them before frowning at the lower city. Reynolvan was the leader of the group of wizards. His black beard maybe added to the look of his age, but he was just into his thirties. Still he was a decade older than the women and acted like as much of an authority figure as he could. It only went so far in the face of two ladies of the royal house.

Xerese didn't react to the man's attitude as much as she did the good news. "Thank the gods, but how do the carriages make the climb? The cliffs look to be a couple hundred feet high at the lowest point surrounding the harbor."

Again it was Annalicia who pointed to the cliff ahead of them. A ribbon of color stood out from the dark stone of the wall. It fluctuated with movement, but from afar it was hard to make out the people and wagons making up the traffic going up and down the cliff to Hala proper.

"They have to follow the gentle incline to the top. I read that the city walls have a few openings for traffic in their outer wall. It is like King Orlaan's castle but on a larger scale from what I understand."

Reynolvan nodded. "The northerners have been at war for almost two centuries, though it has died down a bit of late. Words of assurance that we would be safe were sent along with the challenge for the tournament."

A snort from Ivanor preceded his disapproving response, "If they have to promise such a thing, I don't know why our guild agreed to this tournament. To promise that we would be safe would imply that we aren't in fact."

While the other wizards didn't speak their thoughts, Annalicia guessed that some of them were thinking it also. The long trip on the ship had let slip various complaints from the men, but she was less inclined to agree. Having a chance to see this part of the world actually had her excited. Not every city was Yalan obviously, but they were letting their home cloud their minds and snarl their opinions in disdain.

Pulling Xerese with her, Annalicia didn't wait for the men around her to lead. "Come on, Xerese, let's go. We can explore the true city once we get up there.

"Think of it. Yalan has cliffs in places too, but none are nearly as tall as this. The view from the top must be magnificent."

Her guardsmen were quick to follow, but Ryan and Welden were respectful of Annalicia's wish to go first. The wizard wasn't exactly helpless anyway, but they weren't so easy going as to fall behind by more than a couple steps. Xerese had two more guards and they followed without complaint while Reynolvan was left with his mouth hanging open wanting to caution the girls to wait.

Hurrying down the four foot wide board with its flimsy side rails, Annalicia found a small contingent of men awaiting them with four carriages and a few wagons in case of too much luggage, she supposed. The leader of the group had a tabard of red and blue over his winter clothing which appeared heavier than typical Malaiyan garments worn at court or by Orlaan's heralds.

"Greetings to our Malaiyan guests!" the man proclaimed with a smile. His entourage had set smiles on their faces, but Anna could tell the look of men sent to carry bags. Polite smiles appeared the best that they could muster in the cold. "The message returned accepting the king's invitation stated that they were sending a couple royal visitors as well. Would you beautiful ladies be them?"

Ryan moved beside her answering, "Lady Annalicia de Malef Eremia and Lady Xerese de Malef Serkash, nieces of King Orlaan accompany our chosen wizards."

Letting her guardsman announce her wasn't Anna's favorite thing of being a royal, but it was expected in such situations. The wizard part of her wondered why she couldn't just answer for herself. With that out of the way, she spoke to the man, "I am also competing as one of our wizards. Arrangements for an inn were made, I believe."

The man nodded, but added, "Rooms have been seen to in one of the most prominent of Hala's inns. Ambassadors and royalty stay at the Two Circles Inn regularly, but if you ladies wish, the king has kept a suite reserved at the castle for you also."

"I am sure one of your most prominent inns will do, unless we would be insulting his highness by declining," Annalicia replied sounding very formal to her ears. She was a young royal, but had been raised in proper etiquette since she was a child. Xerese, even though farther down the royal line in number, was similarly schooled but let her cousin speak for them.

Giving a chuckle as if her answer was amusing, the greeter answered, "No, the offer was more because we were afraid any less would offend you. With rooms being at a premium in the city because of all the visitors for the tournament, it would only be possibly a help to someone looking for a place to stay; but since the Two Circles is a little more expensive than the average guest can afford, I would guess giving up your rooms would help few looking for a place to stay. Even so, if you change your mind, the offer stands."

His responses weren't typical of those used to handling ambassadors or royal guests, at least for Malaiy. Annalicia moved towards the waiting carriages and asked, "We have introduced ourselves. Who might you be? Do you work for King Alain?"

Again the man laughed as he strode just ahead of her in order to open the door for the women. "Well, in a way. With the tournament demanding so much attention from his usual staff, others were brought in and trained to work with the wizards coming to Hala. I would guess that I haven't made as good an impression as I should have. Unfortunately, I am not sure the exact words to use greeting both a lady and a wizard.

"I am Geynith, my lady. I guess my title would be assistant greeter or liaison."

"You did well enough, Geynith" Annalicia said with a sympathetic smile. She pointed with her free hand as her left still interlocked with her cousin. "Geynith, is that the only route up to the main city?"

Assuming a slight look of surprise at the change in topic, the man looked over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the ladies before him. "It is the only route for carriages, wagons and horses; but there is a path that winds a little tighter. It is also more direct, but only those willing to walk the route use it."

Annalicia wanted to ask to walk the route, but Xerese's hand tightened on hers. It was an unspoken response and likely not even truly thought out by her cousin. At the man's questioning look, she smiled and shook her head, "Perhaps another time. I suppose we should ride there first to see just how far away it is."

"It is also too cold with the wind from the sea twisting towards us now," Xerese noted to her cousin though she was sheltered inside of the wizard's air shield.

The wind had shifted and the air wizard had noted the conflicting patterns caused by the sea and highlands above them. Being called a weather wizard in some circles, it was a fascinating phenomenon for someone used to the winds and weather of Yalan.

Riding the carriage up the incline wasn't as interesting for the wizard. Xerese wanted warmth more than a chance to watch their progress. Lights glowed inside of the closed up rolling room. Windows were closed to the cold and Annalicia could feel the magic in the lights as well as more that helped keep the inside of the carriage warm despite the cold weather.

If it was a show to impress their visitors, Southwall had done well enough. Only wizards could truly comprehend the inventiveness and ingenuity of magic that could last without constant attention from other wizards. She wondered if they had to recharge the magic regularly or if this was some sustainable spell that Annalicia had never heard of before.

With wizards being among their visitors, it would be a lasting impression indeed.

Her time inside the closed cabin of the carriage seemed interminably long. They had waited only a short time for extra luggage to be brought down and placed. Since there were extra wagons, they didn't wait as long as they could have, so the ladies with Reynolvan and Ivanor riding inside opposite them drove off for the city above. Annalicia felt bad for the guardsmen riding outside the cabin, but the four men wouldn't allow the ladies to be separated from them, while the two wizards were equally protective of the women.

When the angle of the carriage finally leveled out, Annalicia felt like she had been pressed against the back cushion for hours. Not long afterwards, a knock on the door surprised them as the carriage stopped. It was too soon to have reached the walls of Hala. Geynith stood outside the door as Annalicia used her magic to hold the cold at bay while opening the window.

Geynith gestured behind him drawing the girl's eyes to a view of the sea stretching out as far as she could see.

"My lady, I wasn't sure if you wished to see the view from the top of the cliffs before entering the city. Unless you go to the walls or the upper towers of the Grimnal, you won't be able to see this view inside the city."

Xerese frowned at Anna's back, but it was too late. The door opened as the petite blonde haired wizard stepped down onto snow covered stone. Though covered, it wasn't too slick, she thought as her eyes remained on the view in front of her. Begrudgingly her cousin followed as Annalicia's new air shield followed her.

Stepping close enough to look down, other traffic moved past them further inland. Geynith had obviously chosen a spot out of the main path to the city gates. Such thoughts were in the back of her mind as Annalicia looked at the lower city.

The broken ice in the harbor was echoed by more white sheets floating beyond the stone break. Looking gray under the clouds above, the North Sea and harbor had a beauty that was very different from anything she had seen in Malaiy. Her home was warmer and brighter, but there was still a magnificence to this world as well.

Her eyes pulled away and Anna looked at the white walls of Hala to the north. They were tall with towers standing up along the line and beyond the outer wall also. The taller inner wall was still not as tall as the black stone of the king's castle.

Geynith noted her gaze and said, "Castle Grimnal is the heart of Hala. Its black stone has never been pierced by an enemy. The white walls were never broken, though the stories say High King Merrick lost his city and empire to his queen and the immortal lord even so."

"Gerid Aramathea, I believe he was called," Annalicia responded looking away from the castle to the sea again. "My grandfather knew him once."

Taken aback, Geynith stammered, "Your grandfather knew him? He has been lost for centuries."

She shrugged. It wasn't considered lady like, but the temporary liaison didn't know that. Annalicia responded, "My grandfather is quite old, so I tend to believe him."

Only twenty-two, the wizard looked too young to have such an ancient grandfather, but Geynith didn't question the lady of Malaiy again. He knew that wasn't his place and eccentricity wasn't unknown among the lords and ladies of Southwall as much as anywhere else.

Though the strength of the view didn't wear off quickly, they returned to the carriage and the ride into the city continued.

Too much of the sights of Hala were lost in the ride thanks to the closed windows of the carriage. It was difficult to maintain the balance of wind over the window that would keep the warmth inside while pushing the cold away. Even for a talented wind wizard, it was challenging; but the other concern of showing her power was that they were now inside a city looking to defeat her in the tournament. Perhaps a little exaggerated in her mind, Annalicia didn't know how many wizards would see her magic in use and she didn't want to start revealing any secrets to her competitors before she needed to do so.

They stopped at the outer wall and had to show papers, though Geynith was there to facilitate the matter. Even so, they had to exit the carriages long enough to verify their number and identities.

It reminded her of the earlier conversation held by Reynolvan and Ivanor. The need for heightened security made her wonder just how safe the city actually was, but then again she could see the heavy flow of traffic trying to enter the city and supposed they were simply being cautious. If they didn't watch out for the safety of the competitors brought from all over the world, how much worse would be said?

Standing before the outer walls, Anna had to look up at them towering over her and felt impressed. Such massive walls would have been intimidating enough for an enemy facing them, but she could feel magic in the defense as well. Wizards had been treating the white walls with magic for centuries most likely making them stronger with each new generation and use of power. It was no wonder that they had remained unbroken in spite of the wars which had beset the city over the last millennia.

Riding through the streets towards the inner city and their inn, Annalicia's curiosity eventually got the best of her and the wizard opened the right window as she used her spell hold the heat inside for Xerese. Her curiosity had defeated her need to maintain secrets, but she easily convinced herself that this spell wasn't something that she was likely to use in battle anyway.

Buildings ranging from single story dwellings up to four stories could be seen. From the carriage it was hard to tell one from the other unless she bent her head low enough to look up. Since she was a lady, Annalicia resisted doing that, however, and hoped that she would have time while they were there to see more of Hala without the limitations of the carriage window.