Dawn of Man (Thanos Book 1) (5 page)

“I didn’t have to go through all that!” Ahnon shouted as he covered his face with his hands.

“No, the council keeps going till they feel your mind is about to break. That explains why you look so young,” Theobald informed him.

“About to let your mind break?”

Theobald nodded. “Your mind is not broken. Your heart maybe, but not your mind.”

Ahnon suddenly looked up at him. “How much did they infuse in me?” he asked.

Letting out a sigh, Theobald sat on a small dresser. “Each sacrifice gives around fifty years,” he answered.

All emotion left Ahnon’s face. “You mean those dung eaters put around six hundred years of life in me?”

“About.”

“Why are we told less than half that?” Ahnon asked.

“Because that’s what most can handle,” Theobald replied. “Either you impressed them or really irritated them. They want to get as much in you as they can, so they can keep using us on our task then continue training other sho-ka,” he added.

“I’m only a servant to one,” Ahnon mumbled then remembered what the Grand Mage told him before the infusion: “I hope you get your freedom one day, Ahnon. I really think you deserve a little happiness in this world.”

Sighing, “I don’t know if I should thank you or kill you,” Ahnon said to the memory.

Theobald held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just the messenger,” he said. Ahnon just shook his head, not in the mood to explain. “Ahnon, this is not a sentence of punishment. You can have a life here with your sire,” Theobald said with a smile.

Dropping his eyes to the floor, “Are you happy with your duty?” Ahnon asked in a subdued voice.

Theobald slapped his thighs, laughing. “Yes I am. I’ve known Vilarius since the day he was born and see him like I think a father sees a son. I would die for him like a father would, so what is the difference?” he asked.

Astonished at the reply Ahnon looked up at him. “It can’t be that simple,” he said.

“Why not? I’ve been with Vilarius for almost two hundred years, and I count them as the best years of my life.” Seeing Ahnon thinking about what he said, Theobald continued. “Sure, there are bad sires, but isn’t that the fault of the sho-ka? We are with them from birth every day of their life, and we can teach them right and wrong,” he said, and Ahnon jerked his head up.

“’Sho-ka are a wall, not the house,’” Ahnon spat. It was the verse sho-ka were taught from the first day of training. “We are not to influence, only to protect.”

Theobald laughed. “Ahnon, it’s possible, but why? If you live by that code, you have nothing in life. I’m not saying you change your sire; just be a friend.”

“What has the magi council of Gratu said about your interaction with Vilarius?” Ahnon asked.

Theobald grinned. “They hate it,” he stated. “I taught him his first magic spells, not the Grand Mage of Gratu. I was the first to teach him hand-to-hand, sword fighting, games, how to read common, horseback riding, to hunt, and so much more. We are great friends.” Ahnon stared at him in disbelief. “I’m not the only one that does this, Ahnon. Most sho-ka live this way with their sire. The ones that don’t are the ones they teach us about at the academy. Their sires are cold and distant. I believe it’s because the person that has been with them from birth never shows them that they are a friend.”

Looking off into space, Ahnon thought about what Theobald said then looked at his scarred face. “It might not be so bad then,” Ahnon said with a rare little smile of hope on his face.

Relief flooded over Theobald. “It’s not; I promise,” he said. “If you allow it, you will have a friend and a family here,” he added.

“Maybe a friend, but I doubt family. I don’t have a family,” Ahnon said, standing up and walking over to Theobald. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked.

“Just repaying my debt,” Theobald told him. “Tanka, the sho-ka for Vilarius’ father, told me what a sho-ka can be.”

Ahnon walked over to the window and looked at the courtyard far below. He exhaled like the weight of the world was taken off his shoulders. “Them I’m indebted to you, uncle.”

“Then you can do the service of telling the next sho-ka what I’ve told you,” Theobald said, getting off the dresser. The wood groaned with relief as he stood up. “Ahnon, why did you wait so long to take a sire? Very few humans, even with royal blood and wizard blood, live as long as you have. You took a chance that I think was very foolish.”

Not turning around, Ahnon said, “I knew who my sire was going to be. It wasn’t a risk. You were over two hundred, and we both have an uncle that was three hundred and two before he became a sho-ka. If I’m not mistaken, he’s still alive.”

“Aros is so old he can remember dirt getting invented,” Theobald said, laughing, making Ahnon smile. “He is the exception, not the rule. Anyway, I’m glad you chose your sire so you can perform your duty and see it’s not that bad,” Theobald declared.

“Thank you again, friend,” Ahnon said, meaning it. “I remember you coming to see me off from the academy, and it did mean a lot to me. Not even Mother or Father came,” he said, looking out the window. “I’ve been back to see the others of our line graduate. I hope they felt what I did when you were there, uncle.”

Theobald put his hand on Ahnon’s shoulder. “That is what gave me so much hope for you. I’ve tried to keep track of you moving through the world, but you are one hard man to follow. I have prayed to all the Gods that you wouldn’t get caught up in just being a protector and not show your sire a human side.”

“I will do my best,” Ahnon promised. “Are you going to continue to serve after your sire?” he asked.

Without thinking about it, Theobald replied, “Yes. I’m going to serve this line as long as I can. I won’t outlive my sire by much if at all, but if I do, I will stay with this house.”

They talked into the evening then met in the hall for dinner. After supper, Vilarius and Theobald walked to the top of the castle walls overlooking the bay. “Is he going to follow the old ways?” the king asked.

“No, sire,” Theobald answered. “He will try to live like most sho-ka do: as part of our sire’s life and not around it.”

Letting out a breath of relief, Vilarius said, “I’m glad. We’ve heard many good things about him, and my son can use him, but I can’t imagine life if you would’ve just been a protector and not a friend and member of my family.” He turned and faced Theobald. “You are my best friend, best advisor, and one of the few people I trust with everything,” he confessed.

Theobald filled with pride. “As you are to me, sire. The years I’ve spent here were the best in my life. Vilarius, you’re a good man, a great king, and the best friend a man could hope for,” Theobald said in one of the rare times using the king’s birth name.

The king hugged his sho-ka friend then looked around, letting him go. “My troops are going to talk about two big warriors hugging each other on the wall,” he said, looking back across the bay.

“I doubt that, sire,” Theobald laughed.

Vilarius turned around. “Ahnon doesn’t laugh much, does he?” the king asked.

A grave look fell over Theobald’s face. “No, sire, I asked him. He remembers laughing before he was taken to the academy. Since then, he told me he has laughed twice. Once when he got his familiar, Talon, and the last before his infusion.”

Worry crossed Vilarius’ face, “He laughed at his infusion? He must have a few loose saddle straps in his head,” the king said.

“No, sire. One of the council told him the life of a sho-ka and the infusion was an honor. Ahnon failed to see his point.”

“I still don’t see what’s funny,” Vilarius said. “With what you’ve told me and I’ve gathered over the years, infusing someone is the most painful thing known.”

“I’ll never doubt that,” Theobald said as a shudder ran up his spine.

“I just want my son to have a sho-ka that sees him as family and not an object,” Vilarius said, turning away and walking the battlements.

Walking beside Vilarius, “Ahnon will, sire,” Theobald assured him. “It might take a little time. If you remember, we didn’t really bond till you were seven,” Theobald reminded him.

The king stopped and started laughing. “How could I forget? I sneak out of the castle to run away, and some thieves try to steal from me. You saved me and then asked where we were headed,” the king bellowed out laughing. “I just knew you were bringing me back to the castle,” he said, wiping the tears off his face.

“That is not my job as sho-ka and more importantly as a friend,” Theobald pointed out.

“Boy, was my father perturbed when we came back six weeks later,” Vilarius said, still laughing.

“He wasn’t that mad, sire,” Theobald confessed.

“Oh, I know now. You sent messages to him telling him we were safe, but he was still mad,” the king said.

Theobald chuckled at the king. “Where do you think we got the money for our travels, sire?” he asked.

Suddenly, Vilarius stopped laughing, “You mean my father sent us money so I could run away?” he asked in astonishment.

“Yes, sire. Tanka arranged drop-offs for me to keep us supplied with money,” Theobald admitted.

“You old dog!” Vilarius shouted and started laughing then looked up at Theobald. “You ever wonder what would’ve happened if we would’ve just kept roaming the world?” the king asked with a dreamy expression.

“I have, sire, but then you wouldn’t have met you lovely wife Eira and about to have a son,” Theobald pointed out.

Vilarius raised his eyebrows. “That’s true,” he said. “Next time, we’ll have to take them.”

“Next time?” Theobald said with a blank, unemotional face.

“Oh, admit it; you had a blast,” the king told him.

“Never said I didn’t, but if we were to sneak out now, I would have to beat off the courtiers and bureaucrats to keep us safe and from dragging us back,” Theobald informed him.

“Okay, we’ll take some of the army with us,” Vilarius offered.

“Your generals are most of the bureaucrats,” Theobald pointed out.

“We can leave them then,” the king said.

Theobald smiled. “Count me in. When do we leave?” he asked, chuckling.

“Maybe one day,” the king said, looking back across the bay with a sense of longing.

The two warriors sat and watched the two suns sink into the sea, talking as friends as the four moons lit up the night sky with the stars.

Chapter 3

At midmorning the next day, Ahnon was standing in the hall outside the royal apartments. The normal two guards were down the hall. At first, they didn’t want to leave, but Ahnon convinced them he could handle the task. After he made one the guards’ chainmail shirt start to constrict on him, they both saw his point of view.

The door opened behind him, but Ahnon didn’t turn around knowing who it was. “Yes, your majesty?” he asked.

“You can come inside,” Vilarius said.

“I’m fine, my lord,” Ahnon replied.

Letting out a sigh, Vilarius said, “I’m afraid I insist.”

“As you wish,” Ahnon said, spinning around and walking into the room. He saw the two midwives packing up supplies. He had inspected them earlier, but they looked like they were leaving. “Where are they going?” Ahnon asked the king.

“They’re leaving,” Vilarius told him.

“Want to wager on that?” Ahnon asked. Not waiting for a response, he walked over to the two women. “Ladies, may I ask where you think you’re going?” he inquired. One of the ladies was gray-headed with a weathered face. The other was young with blond hair in thick braids. She was apprenticed to the elder lady.

“I came because the king commanded it, but the queen will not be ready for at least five days, maybe up to a week,” the older lady told him.

“I’m sorry, midwife, but you’re wrong,” Ahnon told her.

The lady jumped back like he hit her. “I suppose you know?” she snapped. “You’re a warrior, so stay with what you know,” she said, pointing at him.

“Oh, I do know. I’ve studied with a midwife for five years,” Ahnon informed her with a ton of attitude.

Taken off guard, the old woman just glared at Ahnon. Then she finally retorted, “Then they weren’t any good.”

“Woman, you walk out that door, and the hair on your head will fall off as a boil the size of a watermelon grows on your nose,” Ahnon warned her.

She covered her hair with one hand and her nose with the other as she gasped, “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, yes I would. Then, I would tie you to the bed so your ugly self couldn’t leave again. You’d probably scare my sire so much he wouldn’t come out,” Ahnon predicted.

Lowering her hands, she glared hard at Ahnon. “If you’re so good, then you can do it,” she challenged.

“I will not deliver my sire. That’s not what I studied midwifery for, woman,” Ahnon snapped.

Vilarius leaned over to Theobald. “I want to see the boil,” he whispered.

Looking at the king, the old woman narrowed her eyes as she spoke to Ahnon. “I have other women I have to see today,” she told him.

“I’ve warned you what will happen if you walk out of this room,” Ahnon reminded her.

Letting out a cackle, she said, “You can’t do that, and even if you could, you wouldn’t,” she challenged. Ahnon reached behind him then raised his hand, pointing at her face with a silver drop of liquid on one of his fingertips. He took in a breath to start speaking, and the old woman wailed, “Stop! Okay, you made your point!” Grabbing her bags, she ran back to the bedchamber with the young apprentice following.

Smiling, Ahnon walked around the room, stopping at the fireplace. Logs were piled in, ready for the fire to be lit. Pointing at the stack, Ahnon cast a spell. Fire leaped from his hand, hitting the logs and setting them ablaze, filling the room with warmth. There were others in the room—generals, dukes, courtiers—and they all suddenly became very afraid of Ahnon.

The king’s eyes were wide and looking at the fireplace as Theobald leaned over. “I don’t think he would’ve burned her hair off,” he told Vilarius.

Ahnon turned around. “No, but the same components can be used for fire,” he said, walking over to look out a window. Those in his path almost ran from him. They had all seen magic but never in such a casual manner and never with a threat on a midwife.

Shortly before the noon bell, they heard the crying of a baby from the bedchambers. The young apprentice came out, grabbing Vilarius. Ahnon closed his eyes, hearing the baby cry. “It’s going to be worth it; I know it is,” he mumbled to himself.

Shortly, Vilarius came back, carrying a bundle wrapped in his arms. “My son, Jedek,” he announced proudly. The people in the room gathered around the king, congratulating him and meeting the prince. Vilarius looked up and saw Ahnon at the window, looking at him. With a smile, Vilarius walked over. “Ahnon, I present my son, Jedek,” he said, holding out his arms.

Taking a deep breath, Ahnon pulled out a silver necklace with a medallion from his pocket. Reaching over, he looped the chain over the baby’s head, and then Ahnon bowed. “Jedek, I offer myself as your Sho-ka Bhari. I will give my life to make sure yours remains safe. This oath I give for all the days you walk Thanos, may they be many,” he recited the oath then stood up. Reaching over, Ahnon held the baby’s small hand as the others in the room came over, watching the ritual. The chain on the necklace suddenly started to get smaller in circumference till it fit the baby’s little neck perfectly.

Ahnon let go of the baby’s hand. “We are bonded for life, my sire,” he said as the baby yawned and closed his eyes. A small smile tried to creep up on to Ahnon’s face but stopped. “Yes, sire, you’ve had a rough day. Sleep now; I will never be far away,” Ahnon said, reaching over and rubbing the baby’s head.

The king held Jedek out to Ahnon. “Hold your sire then, Ahnon,” he said, smiling.

Ahnon jerked back like the baby suddenly turned into a snake. “Ah, no thank you, your majesty. He needs to grow some before I hold him. Like maybe a year or two, maybe when he can ride a horse.”

Vilarius stepped forward, placing Jedek in Ahnon’s chest. “Hold him. I’m getting a mug of ale and going to kiss my beautiful wife,” he said as Ahnon took the baby. The baby cracked his eyes, looking at Ahnon as he held the baby close.

“Yes, sire, I’m here,” Ahnon assured the prince. When the king came back and took the baby to his wife, Ahnon moved to the bedchamber doors and stood watch.

Theobald came over. “It’s not so bad, is it?” he asked.

“Not so far,” Ahnon agreed.

Four weeks later, late one night, the queen and king crept quietly to the royal nursery. They stopped at the door, hearing someone talking, and looked at each other. “Who’s that?” the queen asked.

“Eira, I don’t know, but I can assure you, Jedek is fine. If something were to happen to him, I’m sure Ahnon would level this entire wing of the castle to dust,” Vilarius assured her.

“I know that, Vilarius, but who’s talking to the baby?” she asked again.

“Well, it’s our castle. Let’s find out,” Vilarius said, opening the door. Inside, they found Ahnon beside the cradle, reading a book out loud and rocking the crib with his foot. He looked up and saw the king and queen gaping at him. Closing the book, he was fixing to jump up when the queen rushed over.

“Ahnon, if you ever try to jump up again when we enter a room, I will become very vexed with you. Especially when you are tending Jedek,” she told him in a harsh tone.

Shock hit Ahnon like a brick to the head. “But your majesty, that will be always,” he told her.

“Not my problem. I have given you a royal command, and I expect it to be followed,” she told him, reaching out and patting his face. “Since we are the Sovereigns, we outrank everyone else, so that goes for all royalty. I will only allow it in court, maybe, but nowhere else,” she told him as the king walked over to stand beside her.

“Don’t let her get vexed,” Vilarius warned. “It is not a pretty sight. I hid under the bed for a week the last time it happened.”

Ahnon leaned to the side, looking behind them. “Is that true, Theobald?” he asked.

The two spun around to see Theobald standing in the door. “Yes, it is. He made me sneak out from under the bed to bring back food,” he said, grinning.

Ahnon lowered his head. “I will obey, your majesty,” he vowed.

Vilarius grinned at Theobald at the door. “You old dog. I still can’t sneak out of my room, can I?”

“You can sneak out anytime you want, but I’m never far away as you well know,” Theobald said, walking over. The queen looked at the door then to Theobald. He saw her glance at the door. “Your sho-ka lady-in-waiting is outside,” he told her, answering the unasked question.

Eira grabbed the medallion on her neck. “I was feeling left out,” she said, smiling. A small woman walked in, wrapped in a silk gown that reached the floor with long, black hair pulled back into a tassel. “Akene, you too? I think we have enough guardians here,” she said as the woman seemingly glided across the floor.

“You are my sire,” Akene said in a soft voice.

Eira looked at her husband. “I think we’re safe,” she said, kissing his cheek.

“Never doubted that,” he said then looked at Ahnon. “What are you doing?”

“Reading,” Ahnon said, holding up the book in his hand.

“Out loud, to a one-month-old baby?” Vilarius asked.

Nodding, “It seems Jedek doesn’t like me reading to myself,” Ahnon told him.

“He’s just a baby. He doesn’t know,” Vilarius said.

Ahnon just looked at him. “He woke up the second I stopped.”

The king and queen looked in the crib, and sure enough, Jedek had both eyes open, chewing on his fist. “He’s just hungry,” the queen said, picking Jedek up.

Feeling a little offended, “The nurse left twenty minutes ago,” Ahnon told her.

“What?” the queen asked. “Ahnon, it’s just a few hours until dawn,” she told him.

“Four hours and twenty minutes till dawn, but an infant has to feed every three hours, four at the most,” he told her.

The king leaned over, looking Ahnon in the face, “You wake the wet nurse up in the night every three hours to feed him?” he asked, astounded.

“Yes,” Ahnon answered, not believing Vilarius asked.

Vilarius straightened, looking at his wife. Eira just smiled at him. “He just needed us to make the baby. It seems he has the rest under control,” she told Vilarius, making him laugh. “I think you may be working poor Phobie too much though,” the queen told Ahnon.

“No, she is eating well and is not having a problem,” he assured the queen. They wheeled their heads in unison, locking Ahnon in dumbfounded gazes. “What? I can’t do it, and the queen has many other duties, so I can’t wake her up at night to do it.” He looked at Akene. “Besides, Akene would start trying to beat me down if I tried waking you every three hours,” he noted.

“There would be no ‘try,’” Akene assured him.

With a small cold smile, Ahnon narrowed his eyes at her. “You need to grow up a little before you play in my arena,” he told her. She was about to retort when Theobald laid a hand on her arm. She looked up at Theobald, and he was shaking his head.

Akene took the hint but chided, “I’m surprised you haven’t tested the milk from the wet nurse before your sire.”

“Don’t have to. It’s not tainted,” he said as the queen played with Jedek, and that remark got her attention.

“Excuse me?” the queen asked.

Ahnon looked up at her face. “There is a village in Aztan where they have a drug a woman can eat and pass through her milk to kill a child,” he told her. “I heard about it and went to check it out. The poison is quite good actually. It acts real fast on the young but not the old. They have a chance to develop tolerance to it.”

“That’s atrocious!” the queen gasped, pulling Jedek to her chest.

“There isn’t much I’ve found in the three kingdoms that doesn’t fall into atrocious,” Ahnon told her.

“Has it been used here in the five kingdoms?” Vilarius asked.

Ahnon nodded. “Once that I found out about, on a duke in Racor. His son was going to be married to one of the king’s daughters. The Aztan king didn’t want that duke to have much influence in the royal court.”

“That’s an act of war!” Vilarius shouted, making Jedek cry.

“It can’t be proven, your majesty. The wet nurse died a week after the baby. She was robbed.”

“Yes, to cover the tracks,” Vilarius said.

“Of course, but you can’t declare war on that scale for just that,” Ahnon said.

Vilarius looked at him. “It must be dealt with,” he said in a voice the demanded compliance.

“Oh, it has been dealt with,” Ahnon assured him. The king’s face relaxed, waiting on Ahnon to continue. “The Aztan king lost two sons, four nobles, and a general. I left a note for him with my condolences on his pillow,” Ahnon answered. Hearing Ahnon so casually refer to an attack of that magnitude, Akene stumbled over to a chair and sat down, feeling lightheaded.

Taken aback, Vilarius asked, “Don’t you think that was a little much?”

The queen reached up, grabbed Vilarius’ thick beard, and yanked it, pulling his face to hers. “You were getting ready to launch a war over one death and ask that about seven in retribution?” she demanded.

“It’s the principle, Eira,” he said, wincing. The thought of grabbing her hand and making her let go never entered Vilarius’ mind. Eira let go of his beard, and he looked at Ahnon. “See what I mean about getting vexed?” he said, and Ahnon nodded with a small chuckle. Hearing Ahnon chuckle made Theobald smile, knowing the wall Ahnon had built around himself was slowly breaking down.