"The oath you swear this night will carry on in your lineage's history long beyond your time in this world." King Barak lifted the goblet high. Below him, two hundred men crammed side by side in the king's hall. Each of them raised a glass high, following their king's lead. "Tomorrow you will be men under my banner. So, tonight, you will drink with me." He thrust the silver cup out to them, sloshing red wine onto the stone floor. "Rise with the North!" The cry of their region bellowed out from his powerful chest, shaking the hall.
"Rise with the North!" The whole of the castle repeated the phrase. Not one soldier, servant, or Magi projected any doubt into the words. The king drank, and all the others followed suit. Each glass drained of its contents within seconds. The queen watched as her husband pulled the goblet from his bearded lips with a satisfied look, and then turned it upside down for all to see. A hint of pride shown on her face. The others did the same, raising a prideful cheer to see that not a single man or woman there managed a single drop to spill forth.
"Now, dine and drink with me this night." He made to move back to the table beside his wife but stopped and added, "but I'd better not see any of you sleeping tomorrow when it is time to move out." Another cheer and scattered laughter went through the hall. The king sat back beside his wife with a sigh, pondering the jeweled cup in his hand. She, on the other hand, looked out below them into the hall, watching the men before her as they ate, sang, and laughed at garbled jokes she could not make out. She observed their fresh attire given to them, and the way that half of them seemed a bit too small for what they wore. Very young, indeed. Though, perhaps this was simply the way.
It had been two years since Eliza had been brought to the castle. She had been enormously flattered at the proposal of potential marriage to Barak, of course. Indeed, she had heard the rumors that the kings of the east and west of Northguard had been looking for potential brides, and she would have been lying if she said it was not something she desired, even if secretly. After all, the daughter of a village elder should want better things for her life.
She could even remember the day when she saw the king of the west for the first time. Four years prior, she had only been a girl of sixteen. The civil war had been over long before her birth, and in its wake, the north became a smaller replica of this event. Petty warlords leading bands of men into bloody tribal war all across the forests and mountains. It went on for years, a whole generation that had survived Tovoran's great conflict now finding themselves dying over greedy men of lesser standing. She hated the idea, though she saw none of it with her own eyes.
Eliza felt herself lucky, being born to one of the outlying tribes, and being kept from the bloodshed. But this did not stop her and her people from traveling to the arena to see the north's final conflict. It would not stop her people from witnessing the rise of the king of the north.
When she first saw King Malakai ride into the arena with his men, he looked so strange to her young eyes. His body had not been as large as the soldiers following him, and his face remained clean shaven. But the way his men about him showed nothing but the utmost trust and respect had her mind convinced he would be a king of some place or another. Even the Magi, tasked with counseling the young warlord, looked with pride upon the man as he rode by his side.
To her sixteen year old eyes, they both seemed men of great standing and much lived experience. Now, looking down at the two hundred boys before her, she realized they were nearing the same age. The perspective filled her mind with concern. How could such youth ever rise to an occasion such as they had in those days? How could she?
"Do you not care for the meal prepared, my queen?" She shook from her memory and ponderance at the shout of Abner's voice in her ear. Her eyes looked over his face, whose presence in her castle always brought a smile to her face, even on a night such as this.
"Oh, yes. My mind must have wandered the room." She reached for her glass. The liquid inside foamed and swirled. Its sickly sweet scent filled her senses as she took a swallow.
"Look at them." Her husband's voice growled with disappointment. He looked down into the hall, the same as she had. A frustration played over his face. "The way they celebrated, you'd think they were off to war tomorrow. Ha!" He poured another glass of wine and wolfed it down. "Perhaps I should take them beyond the Mountain Pass. Aye, that would grow them up fast. Take them out to meet this pale man head on."
"Should it come to that," Abner leaned forward for Barak to view him better. "King Malakai and I will gladly ride with you."
"And did your king send you all this way to tell us what we all already know?" A middle aged man wearing a leather vest over his plaid tunic spoke the words mockingly, refusing to even look up from his plate at the Magi. Abner smiled at him.
"I am advisor to both kings of Northguard, Uriah."
"And your advice would be to send our king and his soldiers out to die?" He looked up, and took a large bite of bread. The two sat looking at each other, the whole table waiting for a response. Abner's smile never went away.
"My advice, old man, would be to not hire sellswords like you to be captain of anything beyond a drove of pigs" Uriah leaned back in his chair, clutching the large fork in his hand. Eliza felt her heart pounding, and unknowingly grabbed at her husband's arm. He took notice, rolling his eyes at the two men.
"Quiet, both of you fools. I won't have any fighting on this night. I need the two of you sharp later during the meeting."
"Yes, sir." They both responded in unison, and Uriah went back to his food, easing the grip upon his fork. Abner started to do the same, then spoke up again.
"My king, the words I spoke were the truth. King Malakai and I would gladly aid you in this campaign, should you ride forth." Barak scoffed as the goblet neared his lips again.
"Yes, that is just what I need. Two sickly fools, dying in battle beside me. Truly your words fill me with hope, Magi." Uriah chuckled to himself, and Abner sat back in his seat. The meal continued, each member of the table trying to speak of new topics, and drive away the tension that had built between the two men.
Eliza took another drink. She cared for Abner dearly, and hated to see him spoken about in such a way. However, more than that, she hated the words he had been speaking to her husband since the refugees first began spilling through the Mountain Pass, and with them the tales of the pale man. Let the outlanders deal with their wars and tales of wars on their own. Why should her people, why should her king suffer for it? Yes they could seek shelter within their borders. But why would her husband have to ride off to another war? Hadn't he and Malakai already done that once? And isn't once enough for any man? No, she did not like hearing Abner's council as of late, and she inwardly praised her king for dismissing it as he had.
As the feast went on and the food dwindled away, many of the men found themselves drunkenly wandering into the yard. They started playing games of knife throwing and arm wrestling, always under the supervision of the guards to make sure nothing got out of hand. All throughout the castle and the town surrounding it, their laughter could be heard. A youthful clatter, running through Mountcrane, bringing it to life in the cold autumn night.
Uriah commanded several of his higher ranking troops to watch over them, making sure the recruits' escapades did not exceed into a destructive nature. They did as commanded, baring the young men any entry to the residential area of Mouncrane's town. This, however, did not smother their joy at their new position and the potential adventures ahead of them.
"Will you all be so kind as to join me in the council room?" Barak stood from the oak chair and walked through a doorway located behind the two thrones. All at the table followed, wordless. Eliza noticed Abner finishing his glass of wine, a severe lack of urgency in his following of the small grouping. She went on without him, following directly behind her husband.
The room was close, lit by the castle's standard decorative black candelabras. At its center, a heavy wooden table took up the majority of the room, leaving just enough space for the occupants to slide into their place, but not much else. Upon the table, a yellowed map of Tovoran lay, filling near to its edges. Much of this map lay bare, and unadorned, while Northguard was decorated in little figures and pins like players on a game board.
One by one, behind the king and queen, the others filed in and took their place. Eliza watched them closely, observing the unease in each of the men's faces. Beside her stood Constable Magnus. A kindly old man, who watched over the safety of Mountcrane in place of her and her husband. She liked the old man, as he always had a smile and a "good day" ready on his lips. Even in this time of seriousness, he glanced at her with a quick nod and an upward curve of his lips as he took his place. Across from him was Sir Baldemar. A knight from beyond the mountains. He had recently joined her husband's forces as another sellsword, with over two hundred men following him through the Mountain Pass. The way he looked at Abner through the meal let her and all others know that the Magi's words to Captain Uriah had offended him as well. Next to him came Uriah himself, and finally Abner stood next to Magnus. He still held his cup, apparently having refilled it before leaving the table.
"This won't be long." Barak placed both hands on the table, leaning heavily against it. Eliza noted that, even when leaning over as he did, he towered above the other men. "We all have talked well enough about what we are to do."
"Is captain Roland still not returned yet?" Magnus said.
"No, he is still at Moss Stone gathering new recruits. He will be meeting up with us at the Mountain Pass."
"I see. Then he knows of our plans?"
"Yes, yes." Barak waved a dismissive hand. "We've sent a rider out to inform him." He pondered the map, eyes scanning east to west. "Our scouts have told us that men are being recruited all over Greyrock. Thousands are answering the call." His jaw clenched tight beneath his black beard. "If things start moving like this while we are away, that damn ship maker of a king will have nothing standing between him and all of Northguard."
"Perhaps," Sir Baldemar spoke up. "I should take my company west to join up with King Malakai." The king scoffed.
"A drop in the bucket against Greyrock, I'm afraid. You outlander sellswords don't know what their forces are capable of." Barak's vision seemed to glaze over with memories. "You haven't seen what their numbers can do to a nation."
"Eh, this is all speculation." Magnus laughed. "The death of prince Charden is a tragedy to be sure. But all this talk of assassination is simply conjecture." He looked about the room for support, but none returned his glance. Eliza looked about as well, eventually stopping her gaze on Abner. His smile no longer remained, but he did not look nearly as anxious as the others in the room. Seeing her concern, he spoke.
"It is unlikely that the King of Greyrock will feel the same way, Magnus. He loved that boy more than anything. It is very probable that he would act upon those feelings, even if some proof were to come forth of Warrenhall's innocence in this affair." He looked over the map. "And it is unlikely that the Warren will stand by while their enemy gathers force. Without any real council to calm anger and fear, I am afraid King Barak is right to consider the outcome of conflict between them."
"And did we find any proof?" Uriah looked at Abner from under half closed eyelids. Along with the Magi, he remained far more relaxed than the other in the council room. All eyes turned to Abner, who watched Uriah closely. Eliza clenched her hands together, fearing the answer.
"I am afraid not." All eyes that had been watching the Magi fell, a disappointed sigh passing through the gathering. "However, the rider has seen many an interesting thing, my king." He turned to Barak. "I think much more information could be used in the months to come. If it would please you, I would like to take him back to Willow's Nest with me for further interrogation."
"What more use could a horse thief have for us?" Uriah's mocking tone bit hard. Abner did not look at him.
"I would like for me and king Malakai to use his knowledge on the southern region to our advantage. I do believe he knows things that could gain us powerful allies, which we are in need of." Barak sighed, looking at the map.
"Very well."
"Abner." Eliza's voice cut through the room, sharp and urgent. All eyes turned to her.
"Yes my queen?"
"You- you mentioned a moment ago that, without proper council, the two central nations would be at war soon."
"Yes, ma'am. I did." Eliza looked to Barak and gripped his arm before looking back to the Magi.
"Then I have a request for you."
—
The moon rose high over Mountcrane, and still Giles could hear the celebration in the yard below, though he did not pay it much attention. His eyes set fixed onto the dark room, looking at nothing, and thinking of everything. His cheeks were sticky from tears rolling down them for hours on end, and his eyes were swollen and red. He hugged his knees close to his chest. All of them were gone, he thought. His friends and family. His father. He would never again run home to him after a long day of fishing down by the river and be embraced in those powerful arms. Never again hear his deep comforting voice. Never again be home.
He felt another sob coming over him at the thought, when the sound of the door being unbolted rang out across the stone room. Abner entered, holding a lantern in his hand, and a distracted look on his face. Giles gazed blankly at him as he stood awkwardly next to the table.
"Well, I have some news." His voice sounded unsure for the first time since Giles had met him. "You will be going with the next caravan to the western castle. A place called Willow's Nest. There you will meet with my Sister and our King Malakai."
"And you?" Giles' tone came forth uninterested and harsh. Abner looked to the window and shuffled his feet.
"Yes, well, I have been asked to travel to Warrenhall. Those of Northguard would have me advise them on a matter most pressing." He looked back at Giles. "However, I must first be granted freedom from my king's service so that I might leave. And so, I regret to inform you that I will be leaving this very night so that I might reach him as soon as possible." Giles let his eyes fall back to the floor. Abner noticed this.
"I am sorry for your loss, Giles."
"I let them all down." His voice was a whisper. Abner quickly crossed the room and knelt before the man.
"No, you did nothing but what you could for them. He did what he always planned to do." More tears came forth and Giles sobbed into his knees. Abner placed a gentle hand upon his shaggy head.
"I must leave you now, my friend. But remember this, the road has not ended for you yet. It will lead you to where you are meant to be. Trust me."
Below the tower, recruits continued to celebrate, knowing that tomorrow, they would be marching to the Mountain Pass, and to the great wall's defense.