The festivities were just beginning as the sun began to sink behind the distant horizon. Brounn acquired the services of a street rat for a couple coppers and made his way towards the statue. He didn’t have to get close in order to find the mysterious woman. She hadn’t been joking about being near the statue. She was leaning against the marble pedestal base. Brounn gave the street rat instruction and made his way into the gardens. The woman arrived a minute later and followed at a discreet distance until they had navigated a number of twisted footpaths finding a secluded alcove. The kid took his place at the only trail leading into the alcove.
“What brings you to Warton? I hadn’t expected to see the Valkyrie.” Brounn used the code name he had known her by for years.
“And I never expected that the name gargoyle would be so fitting. It is hard to imagine that you and my husband were related.” She never batted an eyelash at being recognized.
“Our mother rarely bedded the same man twice so the mistake is reasonable. What do you mean we were related?” Brounn had no love for his half-brother. The last time that he had seen him had been when his elder brother had turned him out of the inn after Brounn had disgraced the family. When their mother had died the inn had gone to Rakyr who hadn’t tolerated Brounn’s shenanigans.
“He died after a long illness a month ago.”
“So it’s true. The good die young.” Brounn still wasn’t sure what had prompted this visit.
“Don’t mock him Brounn. He was a better man than you.”
“That may be true but we never saw eye to eye on anything. What would he have thought if he knew that you were working with me all those years?”
“I didn’t even know who you were until he told me on his death bed that he had a brother. He told me that if I ever needed help that I should go to you.”
“How did you put me and Rakyr’s brother together?”
“It wasn’t until Rakyr told me that you were the proprietor of a rundown tavern in Warton that I guessed the rest. How long did you know?”
“I knew when you were recruited. I half did it out of spite but you turned out to be a fairly capable agent. By the way, what brings you here?” Brounn already had a suspicion.
“Well, you see, the Golden Thistle was a reputable Inn that was fairly prosperous. The local land master got jealous and began eyeing it as my husband’s health began failing. When Rakyr died he announced that it would take a man to run the business. He tried to marry me to one of his henchman. I turned down the offer so he simply took the inn away. I only got away with the money I could grab and a bag of the essentials before I was turned out of my own home.”
“That is a dirty rotten trick to play on a widow. Have you decided on what you want to do now?” Brounn realized that there was an opportunity available to him out of the situation.
“I want to become the Valkyrie again. I have no children and nothing to lose now.” The woman resolutely made her announcement.
“Hmm. I may have something for you. I acquired a building near my tavern some time ago. It faces onto one of the nicer streets in the area. It is run down or rather burnt down but wouldn’t take long to refit into an Inn. It would be good to have a way station here in Warton. Besides, we seem to be making contacts with people that can’t be seen at my tavern.” Brounn presented his idea to the Valkyrie.
“A new Golden Thistle. I could have my people contact me here. It might work out just fine.”
“Your people?” Brounn raised an eyebrow.
“Oh come on. You didn’t think that I learned all that information on my own did you? I have people that work for me. It is one of the reasons that the Golden Fountain was so successful. That greedy land master has no idea that he killed the goose that laid the golden egg. Without me the Golden Thistle is nothing more than your average inn.”
“I have a feeling this is the start of a successful business partnership. I can’t be calling you the Valkyrie all the time so what do you go by?”
“Fenar. My friends call me Fenar. When do we start?” Fenar gave Brounn a solid handshake to cement their arrangement.
“This evening if you like. I will have one of my agents show you to the place and you can discuss renovations with him. Tusul is a genius when it comes to that sort of thing.”
“Wonderful. You won’t be disappointed.” Fenar received the address and departed. Brounn began making his way back to Tusul’s shop to inform him of the circumstances. After that was done Brounn planned on going home and sleeping. Today had been a busy day.
Chapter Nineteen
Breakfast for Reigns was not a sumptuous affair like many of the nobles partook of. For him food held no enjoyment beyond that of necessity. His table was bountifully covered in the best of the delicacies that could be acquired in the season and yet he had little appetite this morning. His searches for the Asgare had come to nothing. Not even a trace had been found of the assassin. As the days passed the chances of anyone finding evidence of the man’s existence grew slimmer. It seemed inconceivable that two people could avoid detection right under the noses of an army intent on finding them. The entire region had been sealed. Guards were posted on all the roads and regular patrols rode the perimeter. The Asgare and the boy he was guarding had to still be somewhere in the western midlands.
“My lord, there is someone to see you.” Reigns was irked by the interruption one of his guards posed.
“I don’t feel like seeing anyone today. Send them away.” Reigns waved a hand and returned to the morsel in front of him.
“Pardon me but the man was very insistent. He said that you would want to see him.” The guard apologetically announced.
“I would like to see him insist without his tongue. Tell him that and leave me be.” Again Reigns dismissed the guard and returned to the food. He had lost his appetite between the interruptions and his thoughts about the Asgare. Shoving the plate back, he was standing up when the guard returned to the room.
“You have his tongue I presume?” Reigns smiled as the guard faltered before answering.
“No my lord. He wanted you to have this.” The guard handed Reigns a small medallion with a sigil engraved on it. Gold intertwined with silver on an iron background. The image was of a serpent coiled and ready to strike.
“Show him to my study.” Reigns brushed past the guard and made his way to the aforementioned study. A few minutes later an older man dressed in black robes was shown in.
“Where did you get this?” Reigns dropped the medallion on the tabletop in front of him.
“From an elf many years ago. My lord.” The man gave a deep bow.
“Communication or contact of any kind with elves is a crime. They are the enemy and can’t be trusted.” Reigns recited the law that he had put into place at the start of the elven war.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My lord, I am known as Crein. I represent the Order of Shadows.” Crein again bowed.
“That doesn’t explain how this medallion came into your possession.” Reigns sat down in his chair and waited for an answer.
“The medallion was owned by the leader and founder of our order. It was his personal sigil.” Crein remained standing.
“At this rate your entire order is guilty of consorting with the enemy. Having an elf as your leader is an executable crime.” Reigns began to wonder why he had agreed to speak with the man in the first place. The medallion had held a passing resemblance to one his mother had described as belonging to his father but the chances were slim that he now held the same medallion as belonging to his father but the chances were slim that he now held the same medallion.
“My lord. The medallion was retrieved from his dead body. I am the current leader of my order.”
“The only good elf is a dead elf.” Reigns was growing bored with the conversation.
“My lord, even if the elf is your father? Crein settled into the other chair as Reigns started forward. He was so surprised by the comment that he didn’t
notice Crein presumption.
“How did... When did this happen?” Reigns realized that it wouldn’t take much to guess his heritage. He was after all older than any other living human. Few people knew but still it wasn’t a perfect secret.
“My order has known of you and your half siblings for your entire lives. Granted I am far younger than you but your father documented his children well. He kept a close eye on you until his death.” Crein explained part of the question.
“When was he killed?” Reigns was pretty sure that he was holding the same medallion that his mother had described. This lent authenticity to the tale however he was taking the information with the proverbial grain of salt.
“Roughly thirty years ago the great Yer'entho was murdered.” Crein looked sorrowful.
“An elf murdered? How did that happen?” Reigns let curiosity get the best of him.
“We are still unclear as to how it happened. Those who witnessed it said that Skeln’den’hal rebelled against him as he was about to make the killing stroke. Others say that the human somehow wrestled the sword away and slaughtered Yer'entho with his own blade.” Crein made a sigh of lament for the tragedy.
“My father had Skeln’den’hal? That is impossible. The Asgare has had the blade for...” Reigns narrowed his eyes as a new idea presented its self.
“The Asgare has held the blade since he took it from your father. The Asgare attacked for no reason beyond his desire for the fable blade.” Crein confirmed Reign’s suspicion.
“Killed by the Asgare for a sword that I have been hunting ever since. How fitting. Why are you coming to me with this now?” Reigns mused for a moment on the irony of life.
“You say that you have been looking for this blade, Skeln’den’hal?” Crein didn’t answer the question posed to him.
“That is neither here nor there. Why should I trust you say? Because you have some old medallion? You could have come across it a myriad of ways and none to savory. Answer me now.” Reigns slammed a fist on the desk and watched as Crein shrank into his seat.
“You know the legends of the Dragon Lords and their link to the soul forged swords?” Crein caught Reign’s attention again.
“Yes I have heard. What of the legends?” Reigns leaned back in his chair again.
“The Order of the Shadows has vowed to protect this world from the Dragon Lords. Those swords have been prophesied as the key to their return.” Crein paused and assessed Reign’s reaction.
“Protect the world? Last I heard the Dragon Lords were benevolent rulers that fought to protect mankind.” Reigns was a little curious as to this new prospective and wanted to learn more.
“To the victors goes the task of writing the histories. My Order has preserved the records of what they really were and benevolent has nothing to do with it. Mankind once became so numerous that they feared that their power might be threatened so they blood wrought and created a race called the Wraith. There was a mistake and the Wraith saw the truth and turned on the Dragon Lords. The Dragons sided with the Dragon Lords, even the Elves. That is accept for the dark elves. The Wraith were created out of Dragon Lord and dark elf blood.” Crein was animatedly relating the history when Reigns interrupted.
“Yes, yes. Big fight and the Dragon Lords won. Why didn’t they destroy humankind then?” Reigns wasn’t about to wait through the retelling of a war entitle the millennium war. The name if the war foretold a long telling.
“To make a long story short, there was a long war and the Dragon Lords gained the upper hand through their insidious powers. They weren’t given names like Storm King, Ice Queen, Wind Claw, Tide Caller and Night Soul for vanity. When the last of the Wraith saviors was discovered he had perfected a weapon. He was destroyed but the dragons and Dragon Lords followed shortly after. That is why mankind wasn’t destroyed. If the Dragon Lords return, they will finish the job.” Crein entreated almost.
“So if my father was an elf why was he fighting to stop the Dragon Lords?” Reigns arched an eyebrow.
“Your father was a dark elf. You are half dark elf. After the end of the war the light elves destroyed the dark elves and only a few survived the cleansing.” Crein stopped when he saw Reign’s black scowl.
“I’m a dark elf? How is that different from a normal elf?” Crein sensed that he had touched on a topic that was tender to Reign’s.
“The dark elves were one of the first six races on Den’dra. They were related closely to the light elves but abandoned the Forest of the Elders and lived in the wildernesses. The Draeld, Sand Sea, Garoche Mountains and the silent sea were their domains. Like I said they sided with the Wraith during the war. After the war they were systematically hunted down and eliminated. Yer’entho was from a tribe that used to dwell in the Sand Sea. He remained hidden until long after the last of the Silent Sea elves disappeared. He reappeared close to a hundred years after the end of the war and killed the last Dragon Lord. That is how he came to possess Skeln’den’hal.” Crein waited for Reigns to respond. The chancellor had been given a lot to think about and took a moment before he was able to make a comeback.
“Why are you coming to me now?” Reigns reiterated the question he had asked a few minutes past.
“The dark elves have a tradition. They believe that an elf comes of age when he turns one hundred and fifty years old.” Crein stopped as Reigns gave a derisive laugh.
“You are a little off on your guess. I'm not quite that old.”
“We couldn’t wait another ten years. You are one hundred and forty in two double moons.”
“How did you...” Reigns started forward as Crein gave his exact age.
“We have been watching all of Yer’entho’s children. Sadly only a couple have embraced their elven side as well as you. Most lived like humans and the gift died with them. You however are almost fully elven.”
“I have siblings?” Reigns was a little incredulous.
“Only a few are still alive. Most as I said were little more than human. A couple have exiled themselves and the rest are members of my order. You however are unique among them.” Crein supplied the information with a smile.
“You said that you couldn’t wait another ten years. Why is this?” Reigns had only been mildly curious about his father’s other spawn.
“The soul forged weapons. They are key to the return of the Dragon Lords. They need to be removed from the hands of the people and protected.”
“So you come to me with a story of my heritage because the Asgare has resurfaced and you want help retrieving his sword? I have already been hunting that sword since I learned of its existence. I already have nine of the soul forged weapons safely hidden. I don’t need some cult leader to tell me that I should acquire the other three.” Reigns stood up and glowered over Crein.
“Forgive me my lord, I believe that I have been misunderstood. I am not in any way attempting to tell Yer’entho’s noble son what must be done. I am here on another mission.” Crein had risen from his chair and was respectfully looking down at the floor.
“Go on.”
“My lord, you are now of age. It was your father’s wish that you be the next leader of the Order of the Shadows. We are yours to command.” Crein gave a deep bow at the end of his startling revelation. It took Reigns a moment to find words appropriate to the circumstances.
“What could your cult or Order of Shadows, whatever it is, have to offer me? I'm the most powerful man in the land.” Reigns didn’t bother being diplomatic with his words.
“Knowledge my lord. We have the histories of an age past. We know where the other three soul forged weapons are. We know that the Dragon Lords are returning. Our initiatives are in almost every hamlet throughout the land.” Crein looked Reigns in the eye as he disclosed the information.
“Knowledge? Why don’t you tell me about these other three weapons are? How do you know that the Dragon Lords are returning?” Reigns wasn’t one to dismiss information especially if it was readily given.
“The soul fo
rged weapons first. Wind Claw cast his staff into the ocean somewhere before his death. Forest Wing spent her last days among the elves and bequeathed her mighty bow to their keeping. Night Soul died impaled on Yer’entho’s sword who then took possession of Skeln'den'hal. You know what happened most recently as far as that blade is concerned. As for how we know that the Dragon Lords are returning? One is the tales of the girl that can summon dragons to her aid. The other is the tales from the Draeld of the ancient revenants that were summoned from beyond the grave by a young man. Do you think it a coincidence that the Asgare has also chosen this time to make his return?”
“Do you know where they are?” Reigns pondered this new opportunity that was presented to him.
“The girl is at best a guess. I see no reason why she would leave the protection of the dragons so she must still be in the valley. Unless a full invasion is mounted there is little chance of anyone surviving long enough to even see her. The boy on the other hand is only protected by the dark sorceries that he wields. These are nothing in the face of those trained all their lives in combating evil.” Crein paused as Reigns broke in.
“Can you find him?” Reigns wasn’t placing much value on Crein’s word. He already knew most of what was being disclosed.
“Allow us, my lord, to present him to you as proof of our loyalty. The Order has eyes in many places and we believe that we may have discovered the boy’s location.” Crein gave another of his bows.
“Do this and I will consider your offer.” Reigns gave a dismissive wave and sank back in his chair.
“Of course my lord.” Crein wheeled and disappeared out the door leaving Reigns alone with his thoughts. He still wasn’t sure what to think about this Order that wanted him as their leader. If the source could be trusted then he had learned a considerable more about his father than he already knew. It didn’t matter much now. If Crein and his people could deliver on their promises then they would have been worth the time. If not then Reigns wasn’t sure what to do. On the one hand he could have them declared a seditious cult that needed to be exterminated or he could integrate the order into his already formidable intelligence network.