Key of Living Fire (The Sword of the Dragon) (55 page)

That day he mounted an Evenshadow and rode to the city of Gwensin. As the tall buildings rose into view, he braced himself. Vortain would have an argument, one Ilfedo felt less than competent to rebut. He pulled his horse to a standstill and collected his thoughts and willpower.

Ombre rode out of the forest and joined him. They stared at each other as their horses shifted beneath them and the sun warmed the ground. A clear blue sky filled the horizon.

“You are the Lord Warrior, Ilfedo.” Ombre smote his chest in a salute. “Do you remember that?”

Ilfedo wearily nodded his head.

Ombre leaned in his saddle and grasped Ilfedo’s shoulder, gazing into his eyes with brotherly affection. “Then today is not Vortain’s. Today is yours. Vortain did not slay the sea serpents, nor did he conquer giants in Burloi. Stand tall, my brother. This day is yours.”

“Nay, this day is God’s!” said another.

Ilfedo and Ombre faced up the road, toward the city gates, and a familiar figure ran toward them. “Brother Hersis, what are you doing in Gwensin?” Ilfedo said.

“Ah, my lords.” The monk’s short black hair waved back and forth as he huffed. He stood in front of the horses and stroked their noses. Dust had stained the hem of his white robe. He scratched his own nose and upturned his beady eyes.

“Brother Hersis,” Ilfedo said, “have you cut your hair?”

The monk chuckled. “Yes, and it was a poor execution, my lord.” His beady eyes stared into Ilfedo’s. “Welcome home, though I sense another mission is weighing on your mind.”

“You are perceptive, Monk.”

“Lord Ilfedo, do you believe all things are ordained by the Creator?”

Ilfedo was taken aback by the abrupt question, but caught himself. “I believe God has a plan we cannot thwart, if that is what you mean. But also I believe that we each make our own choices, upon which he judges us.”

“Then I must ask, are you certain of the path you are leading this people down?”

“Certain? No. But I see no better way, and all other doors are closing, leaving the one option: relocation.”

The monk turned his back to Ilfedo and led the horses by their bridles toward the city. Over his shoulder he said, “Stand by your decisions, my lord. If you do what you believe is best, if you follow the Creator’s guidance as best you are able, then let nothing and no one cause you to doubt yourself.” The monk laughed. “I don’t know why I came out here to ask these things and say these things; however, I have, and I hope they glorify the One I serve.”

“Hmm.” Ombre leaned forward in his saddle. “Are you turning into some sort of prophet, Brother Hersis?”

“Prophet!” The monk laughed and led them beneath the city gates.

The white-and-gray city rose and stretched before them. The monk bade Ilfedo his best wishes in the coming days, then shuffled into the crowds filling the city sidewalks. People knelt as his Evenshadow trotted forward. From the horse’s back he gazed upon the throng, and strength flowed into his heart, giving him the will to face the council and guide it down the path he had chosen.

When he rode up to the castle-like residence of the mayor, he pulled his horse to a stop in front of the grand entry doors. The doors swung open, and a retinue of green-clad house servants and guards marched out. They helped Ilfedo off his horse, did the same for Ombre, and ushered them up the steps and into the hall.

Vortain stepped into the hall, and, raising an eyebrow, he bowed to Ilfedo. He was attired in a cream-and-red suit, resplendent with a gold collar and cuffs. His long blond hair flowed over his shoulders. Ilfedo had to admit that this man knew how to present himself. “Lord Ilfedo, it is both a surprise and an honor to receive you into our city. I trust your journey into Resgeria was successful, and the Living Fire is secure—”

Ilfedo felt the need to keep the man off balance, so he eyed him up and down.

Vortain’s eyes narrowed. “You have come to evaluate me, or to meet with the council?”

“Yes, Vortain, to both. For I sense a wariness in your posture, but have no fear. What I have come to do will require your cooperation.”

The man bowed low and ushered Ilfedo through the mansion and into the long dining room. Several doors opened along the wall opposite the large windows that looked over the gardens and the city, and uniformed men carried in silver platters of food.

Vortain whispered something to a man standing beside the door. The man nodded and rushed out. “The council will assemble soon, my lord.” Vortain bowed again to Ilfedo. “Is there anything you wish to discuss first with me?”

“No, but thank you, Mayor. I wish you to remain with Lord Ombre and me until the other councilors arrive.” Ilfedo sat at the head of the table and gestured for the man to do likewise.

As the mayor sat, Ombre remained standing next to Ilfedo.

“My lord, this meeting will be pleasant?” Vortain asked.

“If you allow it to be.” Ilfedo did not meet the man’s gaze until he chose to, then he looked straight into Vortain’s eyes. “The search for a new land is about to begin in earnest. I desire nothing less than your full cooperation. More than that, I know how strongly you oppose this decision, yet I expect your full backing.”

Vortain leaned forward, hands on the thick table. “My lord, I will stand by you so long as you are lord of this land. But if you move elsewhere—”

“You have a tongue that needs taming, Vortain.” Ilfedo remained in his seat, though he desired to cross the room and shove the man out of it. He decided to unnerve him instead. “You put your rank in society, your position as mayor, and your seat on my council in jeopardy when you pull yourself from under my authority. By hinting at an end to my station as Lord Warrior, you tread the very edge of treason.”

The man did not retort, nor did he appear disturbed by Ilfedo’s words. He smiled instead.

“I value you, Vortain.” Ilfedo shook his head. “I value your cool. I value your counsel concerning domestic affairs. Yet when it comes down to it, you would rather see me gone. And for that I am watchful of you.”

Ombre strode across the room and gazed upon Vortain. “Do not seed any more dissension. Your Lord Warrior will give commands and you . . . you will follow his orders and wishes until he dies of old age.”

“Well, I must say this is a strange moment for me.” Vortain glanced from Ombre to Ilfedo and back again. “Is liberty of mind and freedom of choice to be removed from the equation? Do you value a militaristic state over the support and affirmation of a people who love you, Ilfedo? For they do love you, but if you force them to do this thing—if you force us to leave behind everything we have known and fought to protect—then you are no longer our protector but our dictator. If that is what you want, then speak of it to me.” He swept his hand over the table. “Do not address issues that have not yet arisen. Instead, be the leader you were asked to be.”

“Why, how dare you—” Ombre grabbed the mayor’s collar.

But Ilfedo stood and stopped him. “He is right, Ombre.” He punched the tabletop. “Though I hate to admit it, he is right. What kind of leader do I want to be? Vortain has today done what I have said I value in him. He has given me an honest evaluation. He is being the counselor I long ago asked him to be.” Ilfedo stode across the room, then bowed to the mayor as Ombre backed off. “Vortain, I beg your forgiveness. Though I disagree with your opposition to relocation, I value your strength of will. I will not stand in the way of your choices. They are between you and God.”

The mayor rose from his seat and knelt. He gazed at the floor. “I have never been more proud to call you my Lord Warrior than I am at this moment. I fully accept your apology.”

For a while the three men shared an awkward silence, then Vortain roused a smile and called in the servers. Food soon filled the table, and the three sat to eat together.

Before long the missing councilors paraded into the room. They seated themselves around the table, and Ilfedo told them of his trip to the Hidden Realm. He described in detail the city of Dresdyn, then the pyramids leading into the Hidden Realm and the cathedral. He told them of Cromlin and how that creature had so easily slain the mighty black dragon. Then he paused to catch his breath. “My lords,” he said, “I must return to Dresdyn and free those people, then bring them home.”

Vortain rose from his seat and bowed. “My lord, with respect, at our last meeting you told us to prepare for an exodus. Yet now you propose adding to our population, significantly.”

“As your Lord Warrior, I have made this decision,” Ilfedo said. “And as Lord Warrior I stand by it. In the meantime, our search for a suitable new land will continue.”

A short councilor by the name of Horvin cleared his throat. “Continue? How long has the search been underway?”

Vortain closed his eyes and heaved a sigh, then looked at his fellow councilors. “My lords, Ilfedo chose to search for this Key of Living Fire instead of spending his efforts in search of a land suitable for settlement. Do you see the conflict that troubles me? Our Lord Warrior has become a man of varied goals—goals which do not meld with the future of his people.”

“Vortain, take your seat.” Ilfedo let his voice fill with authority as he pointed at the man. “You know nothing of what I have done. Listen and you will soon learn that I am not as inept as you purport. Lord Ombre is here to report on the first expedition to find a land for resettlement. An expedition that was undertaken at my request to further the needs of our people while I searched for the Key of Living Fire.”

Ombre then related how he, Caritha, and Oganna had journeyed west in search of a new land. After detailing for them everything except the Palm of Heaven, he said, “We have now eliminated northern and western territories as options for resettlement, unless we search farther. I have proposed, and Lord Ilfedo agrees, that we should next sail across the Sea of Serpents. There must be territories beyond the sea, and if there are, in all likelihood some of them will be suitable for human habitation.”

The councilors looked at one another, then at Ilfedo. He could see the query in their eyes. And he didn’t blame them for their fears. The sea seemed to have been tamed. The sea serpents had not returned to the Hemmed Land’s shores after he’d slain the monstrous king of those creatures. But the fishermen still kept within sight of the shore. They had yet to press farther into the unknown waters where other serpents might still exist. To make matters worse in the council’s eyes, only a single ship out of all the vessels in the Hemmed Land was capable of making such a brave journey. The
Maiden Voyage
was large enough to withstand a storm on the open sea, and her captain was just the sort of man who would jump at the chance to put out her sails.

Discussion broke out as to whether the
Maiden Voyage
should be risked so early in her career, but Ilfedo raised his hand. The table chatter died and he spoke. “A small band of soldiers should be attached to the
Maiden Voyage
, to ensure the safety of the crew if they encounter a hostile force.”

“My lord,” said another man, “you will need volunteers for such a mission. We cannot order people to risk their lives on this venture.”

Ilfedo raised his hand for silence as the chatter rose. The table quieted, and he dreaded the announcement he had to make, for though he could think of no one he’d rather send, he would rather keep the Warrioresses close. The councilors would be overjoyed to know that the sisters were going, but he couldn’t help feeling as if he was saying good-bye for a long while to five women whom he deeply loved.

It was two days after the council meeting. Night shadows stole through the thick stone walls of Gabel Castle as Caritha tiptoed along a beam spanning the moat. The sliver of a crescent moon lent its light to that of the stars above. She hugged an oblong package to her chest and glanced at the water beneath her. Her tears dribbled on the water’s surface, and she blinked her eyes.