Last Knight (The Champion Chronicles Book 2), page 11
One of the centurions stepped forward. He was the only one clad in chainmail. The tall centurion had sharp eyes and looked Conner up and down.
“I thought you said we were getting a Karmon Knight. This is but a skinny boy!”
“Hey!” Conner shouted. He took a step forward, as did the centurion.
“Farrus!” Hibold shouted. “He is who we are looking for.”
“He is no knight,” Farrus growled.
“I never said he was. It was you who insisted that it was one.”
To Conner, he asked, “Was it you that killed those bandits.”
“Yes,” Conner replied firmly.
Farrus grabbed Conner’s hand and turned it over. Then he reached up and squeezed his upper arm. “Strong and wiry, I’ll give you that. But killing all those bandits by yourself?” He let out a snort. “I don’t think so.”
“It was me,” Conner said firmly.
“We tracked the killer for some distance and lost him heading back north. If it was you, how would it be that your trail went north?”
“How about you hand me one of those swords, and I’ll prove it to you.”
Farrus sheathed his sword. “I don’t know what you are, but you are no knight. The Karmon Knights I heard of would never be so eager to kill. Bind him, and let’s get moving.”
Conner took a step back, drawing his hunting knife.
Hibold stepped forward. “Enough of this! Conner is my guest and not a prisoner, and he will be treated accordingly.”
“Sir Conner,” Conner said firmly, staring down Farrus.
Hibold almost laughed, but he held it in. He put a hand on Conner’s arm and said, “It is okay. They are simply soldiers following orders. They know little else. You are my guest, and that means a guest of the empire. You will not be treated as a prisoner, as long as you agree to come willingly.”
“And if I refuse?” Conner asked, still holding the hunting knife.
“I’m afraid I would not be able to help you, then. And I would be forced to ask Sergeant Farrus for assistance in bringing you to Tara City. Failure to follow orders of my superior would not go well for me. Or for you. I would suggest that you come. No harm will come to you at all. I can guarantee you that. It is just that your story has reached the ears of someone important, and he simply wishes to meet with you.”
Conner let his arm drop and tucked his knife back in his trousers. “Very well.”
Hibold smiled. “We will rest for the night in my inn, and then get moving in the morning.”
Farrus motioned for his men to sheath their swords and they let Hibold and Conner pass.
“Meet us on the road to Tara City at first light,” Hibold added.
“If you are not there, it will not go well for you,” Farrus growled.
Hibold smiled and said nothing else. There was much more he wanted to say to the centurion, but nothing that would be productive. Soldiers were good for one thing, and that was killing. Giving them any other task was just too much for them. Sometimes he was grateful for their skill on the battlefield, but this was not one of them. He needed Conner to trust him and the show of force that Farrus tried was not going to gain that trust.
But Conner followed without asking any more questions. He was wary of going with Hibold, but he was being taken to the place he really wanted to go. Master Goshin would be in Tara City, and it might even be easier to find him if he were with people that knew the city. Plus, having an escort would also keep him from having to deal with bandits again.
He touched his chest just as a reminder of what the bandits did to him. He was glad that they were dead. There was not even a hint of guilt that he felt. They got what they deserved and he was happy that he was able to avenge his friends. Although he had only known Laurin and Steven for a very short time, the kindness that they showed him was something that he would never forget.
***
Prince Tarcious pulled his thick wool cloak tightly around him. The dungeons were always cool and damp, even in the middle of summer. But now that autumn was just around the corner, they seemed even colder. He walked with long, graceful strides, his boots barely making a sound as they touched the stone floor. He was alone, this time. The jailor would be an unnecessary witness. He was expendable, but not easily replaceable. He would kill him in an instant if he had to, but training a replacement would have been a long and tedious process.
The dungeons of Tara City had grown over many hundreds of years from simple holes in the stone to a complex prison network. The upper level held large cells that could house twenty prisoners each. They were open cages with thick iron bars for walls. These were for the petty criminals who weren’t necessarily violent or dangerous. They were constantly overcrowded and diseases spread quickly. Even a few days in the cells could mean many months of recovery from any number of sicknesses. Or for the unfortunate, a long and painful death. The next level down was reserved for the wealthy or the privileged. Those cells were even furnished with some limited furniture and had oil lamps to read by. It would cost quite a bribe for a prisoner to get one of these cells. But at least they were safe from disease or a knife in the back while sleeping. The lower levels were for those prisoners that were to be forgotten. Those cells were all carved into the rock and had a single large wooden door instead of iron bars. It was not uncommon for prisoners to be completely forgotten and then die of starvation. Only when the jailers smelled the horrible stench of death did they remember that a cell was occupied.
The lowest levels had oil lamps hanging from the ceilings to give some light to the nearly constant darkness of prison. The lamp’s oil lasted only a few hours and they were filled but once a day during the prisoners’ only meal. This gave only a few hours of light to the prisoners of the lowest level. The rest of their days were spent in total darkness. As the one meal that the prisoners were given had just been served, the lamps were now full of oil and burned brightly.
Prince Tarcious suddenly stopped at a particular wooden door. He pulled a large key from an inner pocket of his cloak and unlocked the padlock that held a crossbar in place. He pulled on the crossbar and yanked the door open. The light from the closest oil lamp spilled into the cell. In the far corner was a pile of hay. On top of the hay was a man bundled under a blanket.
“Goshin,” the prince said softly.
Goshin sat up. He stretched his muscles one by one before he stood. He bowed his head slightly in greeting.
“Are you enjoying your new room? It seems much more comfortable than the last one.”
“It is acceptable,” Goshin replied with a gravelly voice.
Prince Tarcious chuckled. “Ever the gracious prisoner. No wonder your people were defeated. You have no fight in you.”
“Wars are not fought with but one battle. And no battle is fought with a single weapon.”
Laugher burst from Prince Tarcious. “Oh, the words of the Hurai! How I love them. Full of wisdom and poetic as well.”
“You are here to taunt me, now? It is a long walk just to insult me.”
“No, I do not take pleasure in taunting you. Really, I don’t. Because if I did, then that would mean that I actually thought about you.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I only thought of you when I heard some news about a young Karmon who has been taken into custody by my centurions. It seems that he has been running around the countryside murdering innocent travelers. It seems as this young man has kind of a history of murder. In fact, the murder of the king of Karmon.”
Master Goshin shook his head. “That is not possible. King Thorndale is a beloved king. There’s not a man alive that would even think of killing the king.”
Prince Tarcious spread his hands wide and motioned at the walls. “These walls not only keep you in, but also keeps the news of the world from getting to you. You see, Lord Neffenmark rose to the throne.”
“Neffenmark?” Goshin spat. “What lies are you telling me?”
“The late great King Thorndale fell honorably in battle. It seems that an army of Karmons met with an army of Thellians. Unfortunately, for the kingdom of Karmon, their leader fell in combat. And from that horrible death, Neffenmark was the one lord who laid claim to the throne.”
“Not Neffenmark,” Goshin said with strong shake of his head. “Your lies are too easy to see though. The lords would never have him.”
“It is true. As a last ditch effort to keep the kingdom from falling into civil war, King Neffenmark took the hand of Princess Elissa in marriage. He pledged that their first male offspring would be given the throne once he came of age. And that is where this sad tale comes to an end. As the King Slayer, as I know him, or Conner as he is known…”
“Conner?” Goshin said, taking a step forward.
“Conner murdered the king and escaped the city. But his murderous ways did not end in the kingdom, they continued through my countryside. First it was a young couple, two young travelers minding their own business, murdered for no reason. Or at least no reason that I know of. And then another band of travelers, ambushed and slaughtered on the road.”
“No, not Conner.”
“It is always the unsuspecting ones that end up the worse. Did you know this Conner?”
Goshin stood still, unable to speak, barely able to think. He knew that Prince Tarcious was a liar and could not be trusted. But there was a feeling deep inside of him that was telling him that there was something to this story.
Prince Tarcious asked with a sinister smirk. “From what I understand, he has some skill with the blade that is not taught to a Karmon Knight. It is more of what a Hurai might teach. I can only surmise that it would be you.”
Goshin remained silent.
“Oh, ever the honorable one. You cannot tell a lie, can you? But telling the truth would hurt just as bad. So you remain silent. It is okay, I already know the truth, so you don’t have to try and hide it from me.”
Finally, Goshin asked, “What do you want with Conner?”
“So you do know of Conner, then.”
“Yes.”
“I have need of his skill set.”
“He is not a murderer.”
“I beg to differ. He has proven himself to be a very able killer. How does it feel to be the one who trained him to be such an effective killer? I do want to thank you for training him. I don’t think I could done it myself. And I will bring him here to show you who he has become. I will stand and listen as you ask him if he is a murderer and listen as he tells you that he is.”
“You do not know Conner. He is stronger than you think. Whatever you think you can do to him, to try and convince him to do your will. He will not. He is a good boy.”
“When I was young, I was a good boy, too. But then I grew up. The good boy grew into a man. Just as this Conner has. He is no boy, I assure you. He is a man and like all men, he is a killer at heart.”
Prince Tarcious took a step back until he was in the doorway. “It is always nice talking with you. Maybe next time we can further our discussion on how the Adversary will be coming home to help rebuild his kingdom.”
Goshin lifted his head and glared at the prince. “The creature you call the Adversary is but a deceiver, just as you are. He will use you and use you up and then discard you when he is done. He has no use for you.”
“The signs of the prophesy of the Adversary’s return is clear. The rising star in the night sky that does not move is but the last sign. You have shown me that truth. In time, a very short time, the Adversary will arrive. And he and I will rule the entire world. Forever.”
“The words of the prophesy were burned to ashes in the library. Those scrolls spoke of a much different ending, one in which the Creator comes to claim the earth as his. But you do not care for truth, you only care for what the Deceiver tells you.”
“A great war will happen, I think we can both agree to that. One in which the world will be changed forever. I will be prepared for that war, and that is why I need this Conner boy. I will use him to unlock the next age of humanity.”
“The Ark of Life? You think you can find it and use it? You think Conner will help you find it? He would rather die than help you.”
“I will ask him that very question, when he has arrived at my palace. So we’ll see if he is willing to die for his beliefs. And if he does, well…there are plenty of Conners in the world. I will just find another. But, if he is like any other man on this world, he will value his life. And in the end, he will help me.”
The prince took one more step back and he was out of the cell. He pulled the door closed and set the crossbar down. With a quick twist of the key, the lock was latched. He stood for a moment, waiting for any sound. It usually only took a moment or two for the prisoner to start weeping or even wailing once they were plunged back into the dark solitude of their cell. But there were no sounds, not even a whimper. After some time, the prince left, leaving the old Hurai to the cold darkness.
***
Goshin pulled the blanket around his shoulders and dropped to his knees. The darkness closed around him as the door to the cell closed, but he was not afraid. At least he was not afraid for himself. His faith in his God was strong, and he believed with every ounce of his being that he was not alone. But he feared for Conner and his strength. He had taught Conner so much, but there was so much more he should have taught him. His lessons had been about the sword and combat. They only touched briefly on the strength of mind. It was his one regret that he had, that he had not stayed to finish teaching Conner what he really needed to know.
King Thorndale had asked him to train Conner to be the princess’ champion. And he did that. He taught Conner enough to wield a sword to protect the princess. But there was more to being a man than just being able to swing a sword. It broke his heart that he would not be able to be there for him, that he wouldn’t be able to finish the training. But there was nothing more he could do about it. Worrying about it would not help. He just closed his eyes and spoke to his God, hoping that he would listen. Conner needed more than himself right now, because the forces of evil were stronger than any one man could handle.
As he knelt on the hard ground, Goshin began to wonder why he was still alive. There was really no reason for it. He was a threat to Prince Tarcious. Not because he posed a physical threat, but because he did not believe in the lies and deceit that came out of the prince’s mouth. Sharp swords were dangerous, but sharp words were even more dangerous. The right words at the right time could change the course of events in his favor. He just needed to bide his time and not lose faith. He clung to that small thread of hope, knowing that at any time it could snap and he would be dead. But even a thread of hope would be enough. He would use it to stay alive and stay strong. He would not give up, for he knew his God still had plans for him.
The small light that came through the doorframe went away as the nearby oil lamp finally burned out. He went from near total darkness to complete darkness. He lowered himself onto
the bed of rotten hay and let himself sleep.
Chapter Twelve
Queen Elissa pulled the cinch underneath her horse’s belly until it was tight enough to buckle. She took a step back from the spotted grey mare, lamenting that it wasn’t Lilly. She missed her white horse enough that she found the thought of a casual ride unappealing. But when she looked over at Melanie, who was giddily saddling her own horse, Elissa pushed aside her own feelings. It had been weeks since she had much time with her best friend, and the only way that she could be sure that they would be able to spend uninterrupted time would be to get out of the city.
The stable hands had been insistent about preparing their horses, but Elissa and Melanie had been saddling their own horses for years. It was part of their ritual and it made Elissa feel as if it was just like before she had become queen. Even though it hadn’t been more than a few weeks, it seemed to Elissa like it had been years. But all the fun and excitement of an adventure outside of the city quickly came back to her as soon as she threw the saddle onto the back of her horse.
Melanie looked over at her and smiled. Elissa smiled back. It was a little odd to be with her, Elissa realized. One day they were two girls just like one another. Both raised in the castle and groomed for a comfortable life as a nobleman’s wife. But now Elissa lived another life and she felt uncomfortable around Melanie. It wasn’t that she felt any differently about her friend, it was just that she didn’t know what to say or how to act. She was different. A queen now. A widowed queen, she reminded herself. Her hand went up to her cheek which no longer showed the bruising of Neffenmark’s anger, but she would never forget the pain that he had inflicted. Both physically and emotionally.
Elissa looked at her horse, seeing that it wasn’t Lilly and knowing that Conner and Lilly were together. A slight smile crossed her face as she thought of him. She missed him and hoped he would come back soon. But she was busy running her kingdom, at least as much as Lord Martin allowed. Yet there really was no one around to talk anymore. Melanie was a fine enough of a friend, but like most of the other ladies in the castle, she was pretty shallow. Conner, even though he was a commoner and a peasant, was a deep thinker.
“Prince Toknon has not left the city, yet.” Melanie said with a sheepish grin.
Elissa froze with one hand grasping Lilly’s reins and the other on her shoulder. The sound of his name caused an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach, especially with the thoughts of Conner so fresh in her mind. As much as she thought about Conner, she also thought about Prince Toknon as well. He was handsome enough and although he could be a bit stiff at times, he was pleasant enough to be around. More importantly, he was her equal in stature. He was a noble, heir to the throne of Thell. In almost any other circumstance, it would not even be a decision to think about. Joining their two kingdoms through marriage seemed so right. But it also felt so wrong.
