In Defence of the Crown (The Aielund Saga Book 2) Read online

  “There is change coming to Aielund,” Keenan breathed, his voice sounding weaker than before. “It has been revealed to me by Blessed Kylaris that dire events are transpiring beyond our sight even now. It is time for Solas Aingeal to walk the world once more. Sir William, you are a devout man of boundless courage - I am compelled to offer this blade to you for a time, that you might wield it in the name of God and the King.”

  “If God wills it to be so, then I will take up your charge,” the knight intoned. “The honour of bearing this holy weapon is immense, and I will endeavour to be equal to the challenge.” The archieros passed the blade to Sir William’s outstretched hands, hilt first, without further ceremony.

  Aiden caught a long look at the sword as it was handed over, and saw its finely crafted hilt, encrusted with pearls and gold, with a crosspiece fashioned into the likeness of angel wings. Shifting his vision slightly, he could see the immense aura of power the blade possessed and realised just what an honour it must have been for the knight to receive this weapon.

  “There is a great deal of work for me to do, so I must leave you all now,” Keenan declared, standing up. “I have one last order of business. Nellise Sannemann, I see you sitting there, clad in armour and wielding powerful weaponry. Ashwyn has informed me of your choice to pursue a militant path of service, and considering the events of today, I am grateful you have chosen to do so.”

  “Thank you, Your Holiness,” Nellise replied, practically glowing with pride.

  “However, that path is not the one the Resolute Heralds walk, and so it brings me no pleasure to expel you from that holy chapter.” Aiden was stunned by this statement, but no more than Nellise - she gaped at the high priest, her moment of vindication destroyed with a few choice words.

  “The Resolute Heralds exist to prove our worth to the people, free of military or political influences, and despite earlier signs in your career that you would make a fine Herald, it is clear that your recent experiences have set you on another path. This action is not taken from malice, but for the good of the Church as a whole. Follow your heart, Nellise, and you may find what you seek, but until then, you do not act in service of the Church.”

  “This sounds like a punishment,” Aiden complained. “Do you even realise that none of us would be alive if not for her faith and dedication?”

  “There are more issues at stake here than faith, Aiden,” Keenan explained, leaning heavily on his staff. “With time, you will all come to understand the nature of this decision. But I regret I must bid you all farewell for now. Go in peace.”

  Despite the logic of his argument, Aiden couldn’t help but feel this was a slap in the face to Nellise, and judging by the broken-hearted look on her delicate features, he could tell she felt the same way.

  Chapter Ten

  Silence descended upon Aiden and his companions. With both hands Nellise clutched onto the helmet in her lap, showing other no expression of emotion. Eventually, she slowly stood up and walked towards the exit, and the others gradually followed.

  “Aiden, tell her not to give up, talk to her,” Sir William begged of him as the young man stood to leave.

  “I don’t think anything I say is going to help out this time,” Aiden replied sombrely. “Are you going to be alright here?”

  “Of course,” the knight assured him with a tight smile. “The priests shall mend my broken bones, but I’m afraid I may be off my feet for the rest of the day.”

  “Get some rest, and I’ll stop by later to see how you’re doing.”

  “Indeed. Oh, and Aiden? Thank you for not killing Corvyn. I know the situation probably demanded it, but you found a smarter way to deal with the problem. I am in your debt, sir.”

  “Don’t thank me, thank Pacian,” Aiden confided. “He’s usually more than willing to, ‘eliminate threats’, given the chance.”

  “Is that so?” Sir William asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “All in the name of justice, of course,” Aiden added hastily. “He’s a big proponent of justice. Anyway, that priest is looking at me impatiently, so I had better let him get on with his job.”

  “As you wish,” Sir William nodded, leaning his head back on the bench to await healing. Aiden gave the priest a quick nod, and then strode out of the cathedral to catch up with the others, who were gathered out on the front steps.

  The University compound was returning to normal, despite the piles of broken stone scattered around the base of the scarred student’s tower. City watchmen had barricaded the area and workmen were busily cleaning up the debris. Aiden spotted Maggie approaching the cathedral from across the compound as he re-joined his companions.

  “That took a little longer than I thought it would,” the raelani druid remarked with exasperation. “I suppose you’re all ‘churched up’ and ready to go then?”

  “Actually, there was an incident,” Aiden told her delicately.

  “A horde of dead priests rose from their tombs and required re-killing,” Valennia explained boldly. “The men of this ‘church’ were reluctant to get their hands dirty, and so it fell to us to carry out the deed. It was glorious.”

  “Does this sort of thing happen often?” Maggie asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

  “Of course not,” Nellise scoffed. “And frankly, I don’t think we should be discussing it in the open like this. I’ll return to the inn, to gather my thoughts and to eat,” she added, turning to walk out of the University gates without pausing for a reply.

  “I feel the urge to get blind drunk, so I’m gonna go too,” Pacian declared.

  “Hey, don’t go too far,” Aiden advised, “Nel could probably use some support right now.”

  “I’m always there for her Aiden,” Pacian replied tiredly, “but after what I’ve just seen, I really don’t want to be conscious right now.”

  “No argument here,” Aiden replied ruefully. “I think I’ll join you.” As a group, they started to follow in Nellise’s footsteps when it suddenly occurred to Aiden they were missing someone.

  “Sayana,” he breathed, silently cursing himself for having forgotten her predicament. They had been in the cathedral for at least an hour, giving the wizards of the University plenty of time to interrogate her.

  “Do you need some backup?” Maggie asked him. “I’m used to dealing with obstinate bureaucrats.”

  “No I should be okay, go on ahead with the others,” he suggested, thinking about his approach. “Why don’t you offer Nel some advice? She’s just experienced a crisis of faith.”

  “What am I supposed to say?” Maggie asked, throwing her arms out wide.

  “Some generic wisdom might be appropriate,” Aiden offered weakly, to which Maggie sighed doubtfully, and then turned to head after the others. A thought occurred to Aiden, and he caught Valennia’s attention before she decided to follow suit. “Actually, I think this situation calls for a lack of subtlety. Val, come with me.” The akoran woman looked surprised at this, but a faint smile could be detected on her full lips as she fell into step beside Aiden.

  “Are you planning to break Sayana out of their grasp with a daring raid?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Do you want me to free our companion while you distract them with your fancy words?”

  “Um… maybe,” Aiden mused. “Let’s just try talking first. Can you try to look intimidating?”

  “I do not need to try, Aiden,” Valennia replied, somewhat hurt by his comment.

  “Sorry, I should have known that by now,” Aiden deadpanned. He found her casual attitude to combat somewhat disturbing, but he couldn’t really judge the woman, given her upbringing within a nation which ascribes high honour to such boldness.

  They walked through the tower’s front entrance and into the central chamber, watching students and faculty member’s saunter past on their way to or from classes, or experiments, or whatever else they did in this fascinating place. Aiden’s dilemma now was to try and locate where they had taken Sayana. Fortunate
ly, Valennia took the initiative, proving that Aiden certainly picked the right person to accompany him.

  “You, tiny man!” she barked at one of the smaller students, walking straight up to him. She towered several inches over the startled young wizard, who nearly dropped his books in surprise. “Did you see a small woman with long red hair being taken away by your masters?”

  “I…no, no I didn’t,” the student stammered. Valennia glared at him for a few moments longer before turning to another, more senior-looking man watching from a few yards away.

  “And what of you?”

  “Excuse me?” the wizard replied, his attention apparently having been elsewhere.

  “I seek a red-headed woman, in the company of at least one of your masters,” Valennia reiterated. “In which direction was she taken? Speak!”

  “You can’t walk around making demands like that!” the wizard replied in outrage. “I have half a mind to order your expulsion from the building.”

  “This one knows something,” Val confided to Aiden before moving in closer to the increasingly distressed wizard. “You would be unwise to challenge me, puny man. However, if you tell me what I wish to know, I will save you the -”. As Valennia spoke, Aiden noticed the wizard forming specific signs in the air with his fingers, and watched his lips whisper out arcane syllables.

  Before Aiden could warn her, a ripple passed through the air, engulfing the akoran warrior and stopping her speech midway. She staggered, trying to keep her balance, and then shook her head vigorously to ward off whatever the wizard had tried upon her. Clearly the incantation had not gone as expected, for Valennia recovered in moments and then immediately charged in, grabbing the startled man by the front of his blue robe and staring at him, eye to eye.

  “Next time you try to enchant me, wizard, you had better not fail,” she growled into his face. From Aiden’s position, he could see movement in the shadows approaching the scene. The metal construct that stood guard at the entrance of the tower strode with purpose towards her, each step ringing on the floor like a suit of armour. It reached out with one shining arm and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her away from the wizard with one powerful motion.

  “Ah, so the metal man has some steel after all,” Valennia murmured to herself, apparently ready to fight the golem when the sound of a staff being slammed onto the ground echoed around the chamber, and a powerful voice called “Stop!” The Arch-Chancellor, Zachariah, stood near the stairs as the scene continued to unfold. At his command, the construct released Valennia and walked back over to its post near the front door.

  “I’m sorry that had to happen,” Aiden said to the powerful wizard as the crowd of onlookers began to dissipate. The mage that Valennia had grabbed recovered his dignity and scurried off.

  “I should bar both of you from ever walking on University grounds again, and believe me when I say it woman, I have the power to make it happen,” Zach warned her. “Your friend is being questioned on the second floor by Deans Webber and Foster, in the antechamber off to the right. If I hear about any further disruptions I will back up my words with deeds.”

  Feeling a little self-conscious, Aiden said nothing as the old man descended the stairwell until he was out of sight, and then glanced sideways at the Akoran woman.

  “Try not to stir up any more trouble while we’re here,” he advised.

  “I will remain silent until needed, if that is your wish,” she said. “You cannot deny the effectiveness of my methods though, Aiden,” she added with a look of satisfaction.

  Taking the stairs to the second floor, the two companions emerged into the library they’d seen on their previous visit to the tower. It was not nearly as large as Aiden had first thought, and the presence of a dozen young men and women scouring the shelves for tomes of knowledge added a crowded feeling to the room.

  They walked through the twisting maze of bookshelves upon plush carpets, and the very nature of the room instilled in them a need for silence as they searched for the antechamber Zach had mentioned.

  Aiden noticed a dark wooden door on the curving stone wall just ahead, crafted as if to recede into the background and escape notice. A stout handle was evident on the door, which he tried without success to open. His attempt however, had gained the attention of whomever was on the other side of the door, for a few moments later it opened and a very cranky-looking wizard peered out at them.

  “Oh, it’s you,” Desmond grumbled, his words distorted by the pipe in his mouth. “Rest assured, your companion is unharmed and -”. Valennia interrupted the old mage by shoving the door open and walking casually inside. Following her in, Aiden saw Sayana sitting at a chair in the centre of a small room, with Dean Webber looking on with interest.

  A table in front of her was littered with scrolls and books, some of which had been burned to a cinder. The chamber itself seemed to be more of a workshop or office than anything else, and a large bench upon which rested several curious objects dominated the far wall.

  “Mister Wainwright, we’ve been expecting you,” Webber greeted him with a smug grin. “Your lovely young friend here is most intriguing.”

  “Are you okay Sy?” Aiden asked, ignoring the cheerful wizard for the moment. Despite appearing somewhat harried, she seemed unharmed.

  “I am well, though I do not care to be treated like some sort of oddity,” she answered, directing her complaint at the wizards offhandedly. “Does your arrival mean I can leave now?”

  “In due course, my dear,” Webber assured her. “You must understand - this is the first chance we’ve had to examine a sorcerer up close, with the added benefit of not being utterly destroyed in the process. You are quite remarkable my dear, and your co-operation will advance the understanding of wild magicks for the University.”

  “A priest I recently spoke to mentioned a dangerous sorcerer who, long ago, required the aid of the Church to deal with,” Aiden remarked, reluctant to indulge them but having a genuine concern about this topic.

  “Ah yes, we’re all familiar with him around here,” Desmond supplied, puffs of smoke emanating from his pipe. “Dreadful chap. From what I’ve read, he was quite mad and unleashed terrible destruction upon the realm before he was finally beaten by Sir Marcus Elward.”

  “Rest assured, we do not believe Sayana is anything like that,” Dean Webber was quick to point out. “Records show that wild magic typically manifests in similar ways amongst those that have been known to possess it, and understanding more about such things now will aid in any future encounters.”

  “I suppose we can indulge them a little longer,” Aiden relented, receiving a dagger-filled glare from Sayana for his troubles. “Just be aware that this young woman is a heroine from the Battle of Culdeny, and you would do well to show her some measure of respect.”

  “Of course, it shouldn’t be too much longer,” Webber assured her. Desmond turned to an old book and flipped through the pages, stopping now and then to examine a few lines of ancient writing.

  “Aiden, I am hungry and bored,” Valennia stated. “If you no longer wish to break your friend out of here, I will take my leave.”

  “Yes, go and have a meal,” Aiden advised, conscious of the eyes of both wizards glaring at the back of his head. “Try not to get into a fight on your way out.”

  “I will try, Aiden,” she complained before stepping outside the door and walking away.

  “Planning on a break-out were you?” Desmond smirked.

  “Well, as a last resort perhaps,” Aiden replied sheepishly.

  “I’m flattered,” Sayana remarked dryly, “but I’ve seen enough from these two men in the last hour that I can honestly tell you it would have been a bad idea.”

  “I never said it was a good one,” Aiden conceded.

  “You know Harold, I think I’ve found a correlation here,” Desmond mused, still focused on the book.

  “Hm?” Dean Webber murmured absently, lost in his own thoughts.

  “The records of all these sorcere
rs go back over two hundred years,” Desmond explained. “Since we’ve had no such occurrences for some time, sorcery hasn’t been a primary subject of study with the University.”

  “Understandably so,” Harold agreed. “What is your point?”

  “After examining these records, it seems clear to me they were elves, every single one of them,” Desmond explained. “There isn’t really a detailed description of each individual, but certain characteristics are quite prominent - the pointed ears, the tall, lean musculature, and the almond-shaped eyes. I fear the record-keepers of the day were quite lax in their duties.”

  “Are you suggesting that all sorcerers are elvish?” Harold mused.

  “The ones that were running roughshod over the Kingdom in years past, yes,” Desmond confirmed between puffs. “Although, our young friend here doesn’t seem to fit any of those descriptions.” The old wizard stepped forward and, on what must have been a wild guess, pushed aside Sayana’s unruly mop of red hair to reveal one of her slightly pointed ears. She reflexively brushed the hand away, having been caught off guard by the gesture, but both mages had seen the shape of her ear and Desmond looked to his counterpart in triumph.

  “Remarkable,” Harold murmured to himself. “I wonder if being a half-breed will have an influence on her power.”

  “Those earlier tests demonstrated she isn’t drawing power from her surroundings,” Desmond added. “I think the diluted blood may well be part of that reason. Fascinating.”

  “How is that fascinating?” Sayana asked dangerously.

  “Your ancestors – professionally speaking of course – were unable to control the vast amounts of power at their disposal,” Desmond explained, “and inflicted considerable damage to everything around them. If you are only half-elven, this might not prove to be the case.”

  “That means we don’t perceive you as a threat, in case you were wondering,” Dean Webber added condescendingly. “Tell me, which of your parents was elvish?”

  “My mother,” Sayana replied quietly. “I remember little about her, but I do recall that she had tattoos similar to the markings I bear.”