Fostering Faust 2, page 38
part #2 of Fostering Faust Series
Looking around, Alex tried to find the reason Rebekah had suddenly pulled away like that.
Heading his way was Duchess Gaelis, along with several of her personal guard.
As she walked along, Alex could actually see the visible signs of distress and worry from all the normal Gaelis house guards as the others came closer.
That divide is pretty wide now, isn’t it? Wide and getting wider. This is perfect.
With any luck, they’ll break out into a fight tonight after Clark junior becomes a marshmallow, when the Duke really only has a few suspects.
Speaking of… where is he?
The duke had still yet to make an appearance. From everything Alex had heard, the man was still recovering from his burns, but he was healthy enough to fight and ride.
Coming to a stop directly in front of Alex, the duchess and Marcos made a pleasant show of bowing their heads to him in recognition.
Alex, of course, returned the gesture.
“Duchess, Marcos, how are you finding the festival? Is it to your liking? Is this the norm for such a thing?” Alex asked, gesturing around himself. “I’m afraid I have nothing to compare this to, as I’ve never experienced it in your home.”
“It’s a bit more tense than it’s been in previous years,” the duchess said. “It’s always that much harder to maintain civility when you’re in a time of war.”
“Ah, yes. It’s a wonder the war is still ongoing. I think most people were hoping for an end to hostilities after the duke captured old Tanulf,” Alex said. “In fact, I’m sure it would have probably been a better resolution than where we are today.”
Nodding his head, Marcos didn’t look up from the ground.
Oh? You don’t look like it, but you’re always listening, aren’t you child? How interesting. Maybe you’ll be a worthwhile investment in the future after all.
“Be that as it may, here we are, still fighting,” the duchess said with a slightly icy tone.
“Yes. Though Clark the younger seems to think it’ll be over soon. That the duchess only needed a final push, as he felt,” Alex said, not bothering to hide a grin. “That was a while ago, of course. And from what I heard… the number of losses for Gaelis are ever mounting.
“It’s actually rather plain to see. Look no further than this very central square. All around you, it’s plain to the naked eye the citizens are war weary.”
The duchess sniffed at that, her chin lifting up.
“I’m sure Regina is suffering much the same. It isn’t as if this is being acted out by us alone,” said the duchess.
“Oh, I’ve no doubt there is definitely a similar attitude on the other side, to a degree. Except… they’re defending their homeland now. There is no retreat.
“If they fail, they’ll be turned into refugees or worse. Their cities might explode into flames and burn everything they knew. To take a step back is to lose everything,” Alex said.
“Regina constantly retreats. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” groused the duchess.
Alex wasn’t going to rise to that bait. Any answer he gave her might help Gaelis.
“Regardless of that, I think today should be eventful for Gaelis. It’ll be a festival to remember, that’s for certain,” Alex said, staring into the eyes of the older woman.
He saw a strange thing there. A multitude of emotions flashing over her face. It finally settled on something that looked akin to… morbid fascination.
“What else can I do for you, Duchess? Or were you coming over to give me something, perhaps?” Alex asked.
There wasn’t really any going back from this. But if he could get paid off for an action he wanted to take anyway, he wouldn’t miss his payday.
As if realizing what he was asking, the duchess nodded once.
“In fact, I do indeed have something to give you. I seem to have forgotten it, though, in my haste to see you. A moment, please.” The duchess turned to a guard and said something quietly to him.
No sooner than she had finished speaking, the man was off at a fast jog.
“For all your personal services to me, and for helping me to secure my home, I wish to present you with a gift,” the duchess said in a strangely formal yet informal tone.
“I’m honored, Duchess, and flattered,” Alex said, acting his own part.
“Oh, please, Count. It isn’t something earth shattering. Little more than two baronies that don’t even contribute enough taxes for me to buy a new coat,” the duchess said, downplaying the value.
Or perhaps being honest about them. For all Alex knew, they really were that under-developed.
“The barony of Rift, and the barony of Lin. I am formally conferring them to you now and will shortly be handing you their official vassalage oaths,” the duchess said.
“I accept them in the graciousness that they are given,” Alex said, bowing his head to her.
The conversation fell off a cliff, and the duchess seemed perfectly happy to ignore everyone while she waited.
It only took two minutes before the guard came back with a small wooden box under his arm. Handing it to the duchess, he took up his position in the formation again.
Unlatching the box, she looked inside and seemed to check something, then closed the lid again. Throwing the latch closed, she handed it over to Alex.
“I formally confer to you the vassalage oaths of Rift and Lin,” she said. “Now forgive me, I have things I must see to.
“Perhaps we can have lunch tomorrow?”
“I’d like that, Duchess. I’ll make myself available to you, providing I don’t have to walk too far,” Alex said with a tight smile.
The duchess’s eyes flicked down to the splint, then back up to Alex’s face. Adding nothing more, she turned and left.
She probably needs to get her alibi together, and then make sure Marcos is safe. He’ll become the only heir; as far as I know, the rest are girl children.
Opening the box after she was out of sight, Alex saw two rolled parchments inside. They each bore the wax seal that belonged to the king himself. Beside each was a handwritten name.
Lin… Rift. And so it’s done.
Smiling, and feeling a bit contrary, he handed the box to Rebekah. At the same time, he waved over Eleanor with his free hand.
“Master?” Rebekah asked. “What… I don’t understand?”
“We’re going to take them out of the box, and you’re going to secure them on your person,” Alex said. “We just have to be a little sneaky about it.”
“I see… thank you for your trust,” Rebekah said, her tone grave.
Hm. I guess she technically could do something stupid with them, couldn’t she?
I’m sure she’s just underestimating how strong her oath to me is.
Eleanor stepped in front of Alex and Rebekah, the visor of her helmet pulled up.
“My lord Alex?” she asked.
“Here, hold your father’s vassalage for a second,” Alex said, taking out the Rift oath and slapping it to her breastplate.
Pulling out the Lin oath next, he handed it to Rebekah, who made a show of adjusting her coat. Except when she turned back to Alex, the parchment was gone.
“This really is my father’s oath, isn’t it?” Eleanor asked.
“Sure is, Six. Like I said. Your father berated you for not supporting their family. Now you’re in a position to help them gain much more than if they had just married you off.
“I’m going to look to you on how to handle them in everything,” Alex said. Eleanor held the oath out to Rebekah, who made it vanish just as easily as the first. “Whether to crush them or raise them up will be entirely dependent on you, my beloved Six.”
“Yes, my lord Alex. I will do as you ask,” she said, her tone sounding partially fearful.
“Great. Just hold on to the box and act like it’s holding those two oaths, Seven. Otherwise, let’s just wait for the swan dive of the young Clark,” Alex said.
***
An hour past sunset, Duke Gaelis finally came out from seclusion.
Alex immediately understood why he’d waited for dark to fall over his capital.
He wasn’t just injured—he was disfigured. It was as if a good part of his head had simply been melted.
One ear was little more than a nub, one of his eyes was a milky white color, all of his hair was gone, and his entire face had the waxy look of burn scars.
Worst of all, his nose was missing. There were simply two holes for his nostrils.
Having ordered the deaths of more than a few people, Alex had gotten used to having a burdened conscience. This, however, was something entirely different.
The suffering this man had to have gone through was probably immense. A dull, sick feeling grew in Alex’s chest.
It’s a pity he didn’t just die. I think that might have been better for everyone.
Including himself.
“…this year’s festival,” said someone standing next to the duke. “He regrets that he won’t be able to hold the official ceremony or be the one to drop the Winterveil torch.
“He has asked his son, Clark the Second, to officiate in his stead.”
A loud round of applause came from the audience. Both noble and citizen alike.
Alex knew that everyone in this part of the festival was more likely to be considered as part of the Gaelis inner-circle. Whether merchant, citizen, noble, or otherwise.
“Everyone!” Clark junior said, stepping out next to the unlit bonfire. “Welcome to this year’s Winterveil!”
There was a loud response from the crowd.
“I welcome you on behalf of my family to our personal gathering here, in the heart of the Gaelis name. We’re here to celebrate the turning of another year under the foreordained auspices of our benevolent emperor!
“May he rule forever!”
Again came a loud response, though Alex wondered how much of that was expected and how much was real.
Actually, that’s a good question. I’ve never really looked into the pantheon. Not really, at least.
I’ve only ever concerned myself with Leah.
“…ce again have been called to the fires and flame of war! Our most bitter enemy, Tanulf”—Clark paused as the crowd broke into hisses and jeers—“has refused to hear the voice of reason and surrender herself to our mercy. She insists on continuing to fight us, bleeding both our duchies of their people and resources. When the clear and obvious answer to this is for her to simply give up.”
Shouts of agreement, catcalls about Regina, and even swearing tore through the air.
Much more support there than for the emperor. How far removed is the man, I wonder?
“It’s clear to the rest of us and our neighbors, and even the king himself has asked for a conference to discuss the struggle.
“The duchess cannot resist much longer when it’s obvious this is the end for her,” Clark said, shouting his words into the night sky. “She even lost her beloved Count Inferno, who sits here now.”
Not a word was spoken at the mention of Alex.
He felt hundreds of eyes on him. Watching him.
Fearful eyes.
Except Clark didn’t seem to notice the change in the mood.
“The very Count Inferno sits here, idle, unable to do anything. There is no magical power in him, any more than there is in invoking the name of Leah, the dark one,” Clark said, even louder than before.
Once more, there was no response. Not a sound, not a word. The audience had been well and truly lost by now.
Provoking both Count Inferno and Leah in the same speech seemed to be where they drew the line.
Finally realizing that perhaps he’d moved himself a bit too far in the wrong direction, Clark instead pointed to the platform.
“And now, to banish the dark, the winter, and what it holds over us, I shall light the Winterveil bonfire!” Clark shouted.
Alex could feel Leah’s presence. Perhaps it was because he was her champion and someone had invoked her name in a way that wasn’t flattering, but he knew she was there.
“Leah, would it please you to know that man is about to die?” Alex asked softly.
Rebekah’s head turned a fraction toward him, looking confused.
Ah. I see it now. Good.
I approve of this. Good, good. I shall remain and watch.
Rebekah’s eyes grew wide, her mouth slightly parted. Apparently she’d somehow heard Leah’s response.
“I’m glad to hear that. And are you ever going to visit? You keep saying you will, but you never do,” Alex said.
Ahh… yes. Please, do forgive your wayward goddess, my champion.
I’m afraid every time I make time to visit, I’m interrupted. I’ll visit at the first opportunity.
“Thank you, Leah. You are indeed my goddess, but I do enjoy speaking to you directly,” Alex said.
I know.
Clark was halfway up the platform now. Taking the rungs of the ladder one at a time, being cautious.
Not that Alex blamed him. He wasn’t even afraid of heights, and he’d probably be taking the climb in the same way.
When he reached the top, Clark held his arms above his head as if waiting for applause and cheers.
Except he received none.
The mood was ominous. A heavy atmosphere over everything. It was as if no one dared to speak or make a sound.
Like they don’t want to be noticed by a predator.
Realizing there would be nothing coming from the crowd, Clark picked up the torch that had been set up there. After he used what Alex assumed to be flint and tinder, the torch roared to life.
“May this Winterveil bring you all peace, escort our dead to their rightful place, and bring us victory!” Clark shouted, and he tossed the torch down the center of the massive pile of wood.
Nothing happened.
Everyone could see the torch in the middle, casting shadows and flickering bits of light across the audience.
“An omen,” someone called.
“Everything down there is covered in oil—it should be on fire,” said someone else.
“He insulted Inferno and Leah,” said a third voice.
Everyone grew quiet at that.
Clark was peering down from the platform, as if wondering why the whole thing hadn’t gone up in flame.
Alex half expected the platform to topple in this instant, but it didn’t. Nothing happened.
Feeling a bit of worry that maybe the whole thing had failed, Alex watched Clark.
Everyone else was watching the torch sitting in the middle of the bonfire.
Clark reached the top of the ladder and prepared to descend.
There was a soft pop, and then the entire platform began to creak, tilting. Slowly, inexorably, it bent toward the stacked wood. With a sudden crack, the whole thing toppled over.
Clark was pitched straight into the open center of the structure of wood, falling through the middle.
He screamed the entire way he fell and the crowd watched silently. They couldn’t turn away.
He hit the bottom with an audible grunt and a thud. The torch crackling next to him was the only sound anyone could hear after that.
Then, in a rapid and unexplainable conflagration, the towering bonfire went up in massive flames.
It burned white hot, and the heat it put out was immense. The whole of the crowd backed up several steps as everything lit up with the intense flames.
A single, loud scream could be heard. It started low and ended in a high-pitched screech.
Nothing more was heard after that, and no one made a move to the bonfire.
All eyes turned to Alex. Count Inferno. The man thought to control fire, and who had now been linked to Leah.
Really, Leah? Really?
He annoyed me. I’ll not apologize.
Alex did nothing, said nothing, and made no move. He sat there, staring at the fire, doing his best to look as surprised as everyone else.
“Seven, if you get a chance, get to the other Numbered. You’ve got the prize for the evening on your person—can’t risk that getting lost.
“Give it to Three if you get the chance,” Alex said under his breath.
He noticed now a concerted effort of the guards to try and get into the bonfire to retrieve Clark on the orders of the duke.
“Alex, I shouldn’t leave you,” Rebekah said.
“Seven, I’m ordering you to do this. Make sure you take Six with you,” Alex said, firming his voice. “We can’t lose that prize. Besides, they can hurt me, but they can’t go too far. Especially when I swear on my pin.”
“Yes… Master,” Rebekah mumbled.
Chapter 35
A loud clatter sounded as a massive section of the bonfire was ripped down.
In doing this, the guards weakened the rest of it, and the massive tower of fire careened wildly to one side.
Everyone started screaming as the whole thing’s center of gravity passed over itself, and it began to topple.
People started rushing this way and that as burning wood rained down from above. The world was pandemonium.
Yet none of it came anywhere near Alex. Not a single spark. A ring of fire did form around him, though, with him at the center.
Sparing a glance to his left, he found Rebekah was already gone. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Eleanor was missing as well.
Good. At least I know they won’t be used against me now.
I suppose all I can do is sit here and wait.
A massive log of fire pitched away from the mass, a flaming hulk incarnate heading straight for Alex.
As if by magic, it veered suddenly to one side and smashed into a building nearby. The interior of the building rapidly went up in flames.
Thank you, Leah.
Alex slowly got to his feet, leaning heavily on his walking stick. He was well aware that he had someone watching over him right now. But he wasn’t about to risk that, either.
Determinedly, and with an ache for every step, Alex started to shuffle his way to the keep.
He’d only made it out of the central square when the duke and his guards caught up to him. A number of them looked like they were sporting burns, and more than a few clearly had their armor scorched. The mail and plate was blackened in places.
