Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (65 page)

            
“Terrific, all of the bases are covered, Zoran. We present to the High Council that
the legal new baron of Dorumova is Jan Vavrin. His Regent can be Damek, with Kamila
acting as Duska, when needed,” Baron Viktor replied, greatly relieved.

            
“By golly, this will work! Will Jan accept becoming the baron? Will he allow
Damek to be his Regent? Will Kamila volunteer to act as his Duska when needed?” asked
Baron Milan.

            
“I don’t know, but I sure don’t see why not. Should we present this to them now?”
he asked.

            
A few minutes later, Zdenka brought all three children into the dining room to
meet with the barons. She cleverly stayed, most curious to hear what transpired. Zoran
did the talking. “Jan, we’ve been studying the Federation of Planet’s Rule Book to try to
find out who the next baron of Castle Dorumova and its Circle of Ascension should
legally be. It’s you, son. You are the next qualified heir of Baron Kazimir.”

            
“But Damek is so much older. Why isn’t it his?” Jan asked, confused.

            
“Because he is not Duska and you are. The baron must be a Duska or have a
Duska wife. Damek’s Duska wife died, so he can no longer be its baron. Are you willing
to become the next baron of Castle Dorumova?”

            
“Me a baron? Have my own castle? You bet, wow! Wait until I tell mom! We can
live in a castle!” Jan was exuberant. What child of ten would not be?

            
“Now you won’t actually get to be the baron until you have your eighteenth
birthday. Meantime, you must learn to read and write and learn your magic spells and
how to be a baron,” Zoran explained. “In the meantime, you need to have someone who
actually does run the Castle for you. That person is called a Regent. I cannot be your
Regent because I already am a baron here. However, Damek can be your Regent. He
knows how to deal with the army and has lived in the castle and how to run it. Would
that be a good choice for your Regent?”

            
“Sure, he’d be perfect, only I wish you could be it, Zoran.”

            
“I know, but I can’t and he can. Now then, there is the Circle of Ascension there
that must be considered. You know that it has to be very well protected. It is what gives
the barons their powers. For that, you need a Duska to help you. If it is all right with
you, how about having Kamila be your Duska helper with the Circle?”

            
“Sure, she’s really nice.”

            
“Kamila, are you willing to take on this extra responsibility, ensuring the safety of
his Circle of Ascension?”

            
“Wow! Super, but I don’t know much about it, excepting we had that Ceremony
with it.”

            
“Not a problem. I’ll get you trained up on it fast. Really, there are only a few
things that you must know how to do — protection spells, which any Duska can learn
quickly. I’m sure that you can manage it. Thank you, Kamila.” She beamed, for she was
now going to become an important person at this fabulous castle!

            
“But I’m left out,” complained Zuza.

            
“I know, sis. How about you get trained to help out Kamila when she needs it?
You can be her backup Duska. How about that?” Zoran improvised. This totally
appeased Zuza; that she had a part to play was all that she wanted. She sat tall in her
chair now.

            
“Okay, then it is back to studies with you all,” Zoran said. Grinning ear to ear,
Zdenka lead them back downstairs.

            
“Okay, let’s clear this with Damek next. If he agrees, then we must fill out our
formal request and send notices to all of the other barons. It is vital that our request gets
to them before Eckhard figures out some way to take control, vis a vi his daughter,”
Milan explained. Hence, the three Shadow Walked over to Castle Dorumova.

            
“Hi Zoran. Oh, hello barons. I have a little lunch prepared,” Damek greeted them
as they materialized in the study.

            
While they dined, Zoran explained the rules and their solution. “Wow, Jan can
legally become the next real baron here? That’s great. We get to keep it in our family,”
Damek seemed greatly relieved that these men were not going to try to convince him to
continue as baron.

            
Zoran then explained the need for a Regent and a Duska to monitor the Circle.
When he found out that Jan wanted him to be his Regent and that Kamila would deal
with the Circle business, Damek was very pleased. “Now that
is
something that I can do.
For once, I am given something I can manage on my own! Thank god for that! Yes, I
would love to be his Regent.”

            
“Good, good. The whole thing must be approved by the Spring High Council, but
it seems that we are totally legal at every step. It ought to be approved. If you will excuse
us, we must get this drawn up properly and submitted before Eckhard comes up with
some devilish plan of his own,” Milan replied. He and Viktor made a hasty exit.

            
Alone for the first time, Zoran said, “Well, brother, you inherit our father’s mess.
You have a golden opportunity to begin to set things right here.”

            
“Yes, there has been far too much bloodshed on Adapazan. Let’s not have any
more wars, not for a very long time. My Generals are completely behind me. Say, I don’t
know where any of the baron’s secret chambers are located, much less his treasury. I
have to pay these people soon. Ideas?”

            
Zoran spent the next week going over every inch of the Castle. First, he dispelled
every spell that Kazimir had cast upon the rooms. Together, they pitched the possessions
of Kazimir, such as his clothes — cleaning house, Damek said. All of the secret chambers
Zoran managed to locate, though more than once, he had to consult the ancient volumes
of the original baron. Once Kazimir’s protective spells had been dispelled, he recast new
ones, and gave Damek the key word that allowed him access without dispelling said
spells.

            
His week actually turned into several weeks work. He’d forgotten just how large
the castle complex actually was! By February, Castle Dorumova was now completely in
the hands of Damek. The Archmage tower there was another matter entirely.

            
In February, the combined Archmages and Mages finally gained entrance, having
at last cracked Archmage Milos’ protective spells. They spent the whole month carefully
identifying and dispelling all of his protections that he’d place on the various rooms and
contents. Once it was safe, they then cleaned house here as well.

            
Zdenka carefully examined all of the books and scrolls to see if any were useful to
have at her tower. To everyone’s amazement, Archmage Oldrich’s collection greatly
exceeded what Milos had. Only two volumes did she confiscate for their use. Once they
finished at the end of February, Zdenka cast a protection spell on the main entrance.
When a new Archmage could be found for Baron Jan, the tower would be given to him
or her.

            
The 15
^th
of March was now only two weeks away. Much hinged upon this High
Council. The balance of power shift was nearly complete.

Chapter 29 The Spring High Council Meets

Per Baron Milan’s request, Zoran took his party to the High Council around three in the
afternoon the day before the meeting. He wanted to hold a private meeting with him.
This time, the event was on the desert planet of Anwyn, home of one of Zoran’s enemies,
Baron Carwyn Alun and Baroness Elain. Besides Zdenka, Zoran took Karel, Bernard,
Jarka, and General Janos, who added three Security guards as well. Back home, Emil
took charge of their defenses, while Renata continued teaching the students their magic
lessons.

            
Anwyn was an arid planet, that is the largest land mass, several thousand miles
long and a thousand wide, was dry. Sandy deserts and scrappy, arid hills predominated.
That is not to say the continent was without water. While many oases dotted the desert,
two huge rivers, running north to south, roughly divided the continent in thirds. One
river was Y-shaped, called Aeronwy or wy-river. In the north at the Y lay the capital city
of Aeron, where Baron Carwyn’s castle was located. The port city of Rhian lay at the
mouth of this great river. The other river was called Ysbail. It was shaped like an
enormous Z, hence it was the Z-river. At the two bends lay the other two large cities of
Tarren in the north and Seren in the south.

            
Zoran carefully Shadow Walked his party to the wy-river and then zeroed in on
Aeron and the sprawling castle and fortifications there. Because it was early March, the
weather was not yet unbearably hot; rather the temperatures were in the low eighties
during the nearly always sunny days. As they drew close, date and fig trees could be seen
along with a large number of palm trees rising like stark sticks above the bleak, barren,
brownish sands. Their landing point was a large brown stone platform, centrally located
within the secure walls of the fortification, some distance from the sprawling castle
complex. The castle itself was only two stories high, but was quite large. Land they had
aplenty here. Besides there was no reason to erect taller buildings for the land here was
quite flat.

            
As they arrived, the dry air was quite noticeable compared to the snow which still
covered the high country of Brn. Baron Carwyn and Baroness Elain were there to
welcome them, along with their three teenagers. He was tall and thin, perhaps thirty-five, with short brown hair and moustache. Carwyn was handsome. He wore native
dress, a white robe and sandals. His wife was perhaps a year younger, with very long,
straight brown hair and a pale oval face. Everyone’s skin was a light tan from constant
exposure to the hot sun.

            
“Welcome to our home and Anwyn. This is the Castle Aeron. My wife, Baroness
Elain, my eldest son and heir, Cadfael.” He was fifteen and a splitting image of his
father, though smaller. He carried a wicked scimitar at his side. “My charming
daughters, Beanwenn and Ceri.” Both dressed like their mother and wore their brown
hair long as well. All the women wore court ball gowns similar to those that Zdenka and
Jarka wore, not the latest in fashion, rather the ones that billowed out only five feet.
Zdenka was thankful that she remembered that Elain had not worn the latest fashion
dresses on Terra. Hence, she and Jarka, while they brought those confining dresses and
heels, chose to wear the more practical gowns.

            
After exchanging pleasantries, Baron Carwyn said, “Baron Zoran, my condolences
on the death of your father. I would very much like to speak privately with you before
the High Council opens tomorrow. Baroness Elain wishes you to dine with us and the
other early arrivals at five. Perhaps we can get together for a word after dinner?”

            
“Thanks. Yes, we’ve never really had an opportunity to chat, one on one. I know
that my Uncle wishes to speak to me as well. Shall I contact you when I am free?” he
replied politely.

            
Carwyn agreed. “Come, let us show you to your rooms and then perhaps you
would like a tour of our fortress?”

            
“Thanks. Sure, I’d love to see your place. Already I can see that Anwyn is vastly
different than our mountainous Brn,” Zoran replied rather formally. The Baron led the
way, escorting them into the extremely large castle complex. Their suite of rooms was on
the second floor. From the signs on the doors that they passed, all of his enemies and
many of those that were Neutrals were given suites on the first floor. Theirs was between
the suites occupied by the Matous and by the Pavels. Once settled, they got their tour.
Zoran noted that the Archmage tower was the tallest building in the complex and even
the city, rising a full five stories, round as expected. He wondered just why wizard towers
were cylindrical in shape.

            
Baron Milan and his party were already present, and he chose to meet with Zoran
just as soon as his nephew returned from the tour. “It is as I expected. Baron Eckhard is
also submitting a claim for your father’s castle and Circle. The High Council will allow
him to make his formal presentation first, and then we make ours. His claim can only be
his youngest son, Burkhard, who is now eighteen and of age to become a baron. He is
betrothed to Baron Bogdan’s youngest daughter, Cede. If they marry, it will further unite
those planets, the Clav’s and Hadwig’s. Adolf, Eckhard’s heir is already married to
Bogdan’s daugher, Greta.”