Note: I finally finished chapter seven! I'm sorry it took so long!
It was a relief to be back on a boat, even if it was for an official meeting. Esben tried not to appear too impatient as they waited for Captain Robinson to finish reading the report. The man was the commander of the Annieran Navy. His ship had spent the last month patrolling the northern sea and investigating rumors of persistent dragon hunting. Now the captain had returned only to hear of the king’s death.
Artham shifted uncomfortably beside him. He never enjoyed long silences.
The Captain swallowed as he finished reading the report. “A tragedy, Your Highness,” he said sorrowfully. “I offer my sincere condolences for your loss.”
“It is your loss also,” Esben replied quietly. “I know you were close with my father and aunt.”
“Very close,” Captain Robinson said quietly. “We were all best friends in our youth.”
Esben nodded. “Captain, we must take steps to stop this from happening again. Within a relatively short period of time, both pirates and mercenaries have made their way onto Annieran soil. We’ve enjoyed a long era of peace, but we must work to make it endure. Instead of maintaining such a large number of ships for trade, I think we must instead reinstate the patrolling of the nearby waters as was done during Queen Nayani’s day, after her kidnapping.”
The Captain frowned. “Your Highness, while I agree that something must be done, trade is what makes Anniera so powerful amongst the kingdoms of Aerwiar.”
“We won’t be ceasing trade. I simply think that what ships can be spared should be moved onto a new rotation patrolling the southern sea and the Symian Straits. The security and safety of Annierans is more important than a slight decrease in revenue, one that may not even happen.”
“The Dark Sea is dangerous. That is why many merchants desire an escort.”
“Kimerans brave the sea often with no escort and very little loss of life,” Esben replied. “Annierans have done the same. It is only recently that escorts have become available, and that is only due to longstanding peace.
“Captain, I understand your reservations. However, by tonight I would like a list of all the ships in the Annieran Navy as well as what they are doing. My brother, Lord Tobias, and I will review them. Tomorrow evening, I hope to meet with you once more and get a decent schedule in place.”
The Captain nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Of course, Your Highness.” He hesitated. “You are decisive, like Jru was. I will be proud to serve you as my king. I will have the list delivered to you as soon as possible.”
With a short bow, Captain Robinson turned and strode back into his cabin.
Esben glanced at Artham, who shrugged.
“I can’t tell if that went well or not,” Esben said as they returned to the docks. “I’ve never been able to read that man, and things became even more awkward when Aunt Illia turned down his proposal.”
“Well, asking me won’t help,” Artham replied, smiling. “I’m horrible at reading people!”
They returned to the castle and were planning to retire to their rooms when Bonifer joined them.
“Your Highnesses!” Bonifer called, his top hat wobbling precariously on his head as he hurried towards them. “I must speak with you!”
“What’s wrong?” Esben asked, alarmed.
“What? Oh, nothing is wrong, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to worry you. I simply came to tell you that Captain Orion has suggested you speak with the assassin. He is safely locked away, but the soldiers have been unable to get a word out of him. He thought, perhaps, seeing you would unlock the man’s tongue.”
Speak to the man who had murdered their parents and possibly their aunt?
“Absolutely not!” Artham exclaimed loudly.
A predictable response from Artham, but . . .
“If Captain Orion thinks it would help,” Esben said quietly. “We need to know who sent him. And he is already scheduled for execution soon.”
“We could just move it!”
“Yeah, Artham, that’s a great idea.” Esben rolled his eyes. “That's like saying: ‘If you don’t tell us who hired you, we’ll postpone your death!’”
Artham huffed. “Fine. But the man is a Wanderer! He’s not going to tell us anything, ever. They’ve got a strange code of honor.”
“It can’t hurt to try.”
“Yes, it can! The man’s a murderer.”
“I know that,” Esben snapped. “We need to know who hired him! If he doesn’t tell us before his execution date, so be it. At least we’ll have tried. Maybe the spy traveling to Yorsha Doon with Bonifer will learn something.”
“You can always hope, Your Highness,” Bonifer said in his wheezy voice. “I leave tomorrow morning, after all.”
“Alright,” Esben said. “Lead us to the room.”
. . . .
The assassin was locked in one of the windowless chambers deep within Castle Rysen. This was due to the fact that the castle had no dungeon. Most criminals would be imprisoned in the local jail and not in the palace itself. They did have a cellar, but that was used to store jams and jellies, not people.
Artham and Esben followed two guards into the room.
The Wanderer sat on the bed, staring at them. His cloth had been striped from his face, revealing a tan, weather-beaten face and a mane of shaggy black hair. What startled Esben was the man’s youth. He was older than the boys to be sure, but not by much. Perhaps in his late twenties?
The man narrowed his eyes at their entry.
Esben couldn’t stop himself from gulping convulsively. All the plans that he and his brother had come up with on the short walk there promptly evaporated from his mind.
Thankfully, Artham was there to help.
“I’m sure you know why we’re here,” Artham said coldly. “You murdered our parents, possibly our aunt, and attempted to kill us. You’re slated for execution, which I can’t say I’m sorry for. However, we need to know why you did what you’ve done so we can stop it in the future. We’re prepared to offer you mercy in exchange for information.”
Blunt, annoyed, and to-the-point.
How very Artham.
The Wanderer didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he watched them for a long moment. His black eyes flickered from Artham to Esben and stayed there. That caused Esben to shift uncomfortably and Artham’s face to darken further.
“If you’re not going to talk, the deal’s off the table,” Artham snapped. When the man still hesitated, Artham threw a hand into the air. “Fine! Good riddance!”
He grabbed Esben’s arm and steered him towards the door.
“No, I’ll talk,” the Wanderer said suddenly, stopping them in their tracks. His voice wasn’t gruff like Esben had been expecting; instead it was soft and smooth and . . . sorrowful.
Slowly, Esben turned back around, pulling his arm free from his brother’s grasp.
“What do you have to say?” he asked quietly.
The Wanderer heaved a sigh. “I will answer your questions. In return, I keep my life. Is that our deal?”
“Yes,” Esben agreed. He already discussed it with Bonifer and Artham. “You’ll be left alive, but imprisoned under guard in a house somewhere on Anniera. If you ever try to leave the house without permission or attempt to leave the island itself, your life will be forfeit once more.”
“I understand.”
“Good.” Esben twisted his hands together nervously. “Alright. Who hired you?”
The Wanderer shook his head. “I don’t know. I never saw her face.”
“Her?”
“She comes down to Yorsha Doon often. They call her the Wraith. No one knows who she is, or if they do, they keep silent. All I know is that she works for someone in Dang. Whenever she comes south, it’s to handle her master’s business.
“No, I don’t know what her master’s business is. The Wraith approached me for a job because she knew of my reputation as an . . . experienced assassin. She told me that I was to kill the rulers of the Green Hollows and Anniera. I agreed, no questions asked.”
The Wandered sighed. “You must understand, the amount of money she was offering would be enough for me to pay off my debts. I could get out of . . . well, the sort of business I’m in. ”
He glanced away from Esben in something that Esben would have called shame, if he wasn’t skeptical of everything about this man. “I . . . didn’t realize there were children involved.”
“We’re not children,” Artham spat. “Not anymore, at least.”
Esben shot his brother a withering look before turning back to the Wanderer. “Do you know anything else about this Wraith?”
“Nothing.”
“How about someone connected to the Wraith? Do you know of anyone in Yorsha Doon who might be able to provide us with information on why someone would want to wipe out the leaders of Anniera and the Green Hollows?”
“No . . .” The Wanderer hesitated. “Look, half of Shreve might want to do off with the Keeper and royals. Anniera and the Green Hollows are extremely powerful and are considered threats.”
“But why someone in Dang? Hardly anyone lives in Dang!” Esben groaned in irritation. “Are you sure there is no one who might have more information about the Wraith?”
The Wanderer thought for a moment. “Alina Balan,” he said finally. “She knows everything. I don’t know if she’ll talk to you, but send a messenger to her shop in Yorsha Doon. She's a weaver. Tell her Asif sent you.”
“How do we know you’re not sending us into a trap?” Artham demanded.
Asif raised an eyebrow at him. “You don’t. You’ll have to continue taking my word for it.”
Artham scowled.
“Is there anything else you want to ask him?” Esben asked his brother.
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Great.” Esben nodded to Asif. “Thank you for cooperating, even if you didn’t have a choice.”
Without waiting for a reply, Esben left the room.
“I can’t believe you were so civil to that creep,” Artham snarled. “He’s a filthy murderer!”
“We needed the information.”
“I hate it,” Artham spat. “It’s wrong that we have to make deals with criminals. That man deserves to die!”
Esben flinched at his brother’s tone. “I think he would do things differently if he could.”
Artham stared at him incredulously. “How can you say that? If he’s upset, it’s only because he got caught! Or because he failed his stupid mission of killing us all! He murdered our parents!”
“I know!”
The shout exploded from Esben with more force than he’d intended, causing Artham to blink in shock.
“I’m not dumb! Do you think I can forget?” Esben was trembling with anger. “I’m just as angry as you are! But unlike you, I have a whole kingdom to think about! I have to sacrifice justice for my family to get safety for them. That’s something you don’t seem to understand!”
Artham flushed furiously. “I saved your life!”
“Well, good for you!” Esben snapped. “That doesn’t mean you own it!”
His brother looked like he’d been slapped.
Immediately Esben felt guilty. But he was still too angry to apologize, so instead, he spun on his heel and stormed away. Artham was left frozen in place, surrounded by the guards who were all pretending they had not just heard everything that had just been said.
Esben…..why are you being mEan to Artham!?!?!
Good chapter! I like the unique way you’re going with this!