Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (31 page)

The men in the room looked grimly back at one another.

Admiral Morgan cleared his throat. "We’re still here, and we will rise up to meet this threat.”

Colind smiled inwardly applauding the admiral. “What about the object heading here from the heavens?”

Tersellis met all of their gazes. “Three months. Whatever it is will be here in three months.”

“Is there no way we can figure out what it is?” Vaughn asked.

Tersellis shook his head. “They are working on it, but there is no doubt that the object is heading directly toward this planet.”

“All right, gentlemen we have three months, and we need to make every minute count,” Colind said and nodded his head toward the door.

Morgan called for Jopher to enter the room. 

The young prince entered the room, and Colind smiled kindly, motioning for him to join them. Jopher couldn’t have been more that eighteen years of age. Perhaps a year older than that, but certainly not more. So young … They all were, including Aaron. This war will be fought primarily by the young. The thought tasted like copper in his mouth, but he kept the bitterness from his bearing.

“We’ve called you in here, because we’re heading to meet with your father,” Colind began. “I’d like for you to give us your perspective on whether he will join our cause." There, he had said it. He was asking for a son to pass judgment on his father, and while he didn’t like it, Colind knew that this was something Jopher would have to face.

Jopher took a long swallow and glanced around the room.

Morgan stood up. “It’s okay, son. We understand this will be difficult for you,” he said soothingly, putting the young prince at ease.

“Thank you sir,” Jopher said. “Please know that this son of Zsensibar will not abandon his post, nor will I sit idly by while our homes are being threatened.”

Colind nodded. “I never had any doubts as to where you stood. It’s your father and his advisors that I’m wondering about.”

Jopher thought about it for a moment. “He will be shocked and most likely won’t believe you. That is until you present him with proof. Then … ” Jopher paused, thinning his lips. “Then he will press his advantage, because he will know that you need our kingdom’s … apologies, nation’s help to fight the Hythariam and perhaps the High King. It will be difficult to convey the gravity of the threat.”

Colind was impressed with Jopher’s summation of their situation. “Very accurate, and your honesty is much appreciated.”

“I would like to speak with him before you go to negotiations,” Jopher said. “I need to try and explain the things that I’ve seen.”

Colind watched as Morgan shared a proud glance with Vaughn and Garret. “That is perfectly reasonable and will happen, I assure you.”

Jopher eyes turned cold for a moment. “And if he doesn’t listen then I will lead whoever will come from our homeland to aid this fight.”

Colind barely kept his mouth from hanging open and shared a glance with the others. Jopher spoke for the first time as a true prince, a ruler, a leader without a trace of the imperious boy playing at being a man.

“I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that,” Colind said. “That is not my intention for bringing you here. Fathers and sons should be able to work together, but would you like to know a secret?”

Jopher looked confused for a moment, but nodded.

“Sometimes, men, or fathers, kings in particular, can be the embodiment of stubbornness,” Colind said with the barest hints of a smile. “Even Admirals,” he said dryly glancing at Morgan, which drew as smile upon Jopher’s face. “But I think you will find that if you speak with your father as you’ve spoken here before us, with the same conviction, that he may be persuaded to our cause. But you must be patient.”

Jopher beamed at the compliment. “Yes sir,” he said. “There is one more thing.”

Colind nodded for Jopher to continue.

“There are practices from my home that are hundreds of years old and looked upon with disdain from the other nations,” Jopher said. “I know how we are viewed by nations such as Rexel. We are tolerated because of our strength. Being tolerated for fear's sake is not how any nation should stand. Genuine respect should be held in the highest esteem not only between people, but between nations.”

“Well said,” Morgan nearly shouted and the men around the room nodded in approval.

Aaron if only you could see the seeds that you’ve sown in this young man bearing fruit,
Colind mused.

Their brief moment of celebration was interrupted by the sound of alarms blaring throughout the ship. Morgan sprang toward the door and Colind followed.

They entered the wheel house.

“Admiral on the deck,” cried the guard at the door.

“Situation?” Morgan asked.

“General alert, Sir,” replied one of the sailors. “We’re coming to the meeting point and have the royal envoy of Zsensibar in our sights.”

“Excellent,” Morgan replied.

Colind surveyed the panoramic view from the wheel house windows. They were moving so fast that he looked back at Admiral Morgan in concern. “Should we slow down?”

Admiral Morgan grinned. “Let’s make them sweat a bit first,” he replied. “Hoist the colors,” Admiral Morgan ordered.

Colind heard the order repeated and after a few moments watched as dark blue flags appeared toward the bow of the airships and on either side of their flanks. He squinted his eyes and felt them widened in shock as he recognized the flag of Shandara with the dragon emblem grasping a single rose in his claws in white upon a dark blue background. There would be no guessing as to the allegiances and ideals that the Free Nations Army was committed too. 

“Signal to the other ships to reduce speed to one quarter,” Admiral Morgan said.

The order was repeated and confirmed with militaristic discipline. Within one minute, all the airships had slowed down and approached the mutual meeting place with the Zsensibarians. The king brought a token force of a few thousand men, but had only two airships hovering over a field nearby. Colind could already see that the army on the ground was mobilizing in preparation for their meetings. He whispered a silent prayer to the Goddess for patience and wisdom to be visited upon them all this day.

The Raven was the flagship of this squadron and descended toward the ground, while the remaining six airships maintained their altitude. They staggered approach so no one airship would be an easy target for the army on the ground. Morgan, it appeared, was not taking any chances.

“Shall we, my Lord Guardian?” Admiral Morgan asked, gesturing toward the door.

Colind nodded, and they headed out on deck and were joined by the Hythariam ambassadors, Vaughn, Garret, and Jopher along with thirty soldiers. The soldier's armor gleamed in the sunlight and were accented with blue to match the sailor’s uniforms. 

A large tent had been setup between Zsensibar’s army and the airships with a small force of soldiers near the tent. A white flag whisked in the air under a gentle breeze. They descended the gangplank and Colind suppressed his urge to reassure Jopher when he noticed the young prince’s hands fidgeting, but he soon regained his composure with his shoulders back and his head held high.

Tersellis walked next to Colind. “I’ve left one of my men on board the Raven in case this meeting doesn’t go well. He will monitor through the comms device.”

“Let’s hope we don’t need them,” Colind replied.

“I second that,” Tersellis said, and looked around. “This is a tense group.”

“With good reason,” Vaughn said, coming up next them. “Dealings with Zsensibar has always been a fragile thing.”

“Why is that?” Tersellis asked.

“They are a powerful kingdom with rich natural resources,” Vaughn replied. “Their geographical location has allowed them to avoid most wars between the kingdoms, because they can fight without worrying about another kingdom coming in behind to pounce. They’ve allied with the High King in the past, but I’d say within the last ten years or so, that bond has been deteriorating.”

Tersellis nodded in understanding, but did not say anything more.

As they neared the tent, they were greeted by a group of Zsensibarian soldiers, and one held up his hand.

“I am Captain Amir, and upon behalf of his exalted Royal Highness, King Melchior Nasim, I bid you welcome,” Captain Amir said, bowing his head respectfully.

Admiral Morgan bowed back. “I am Admiral Nathaniel Morgan of the Free Nations Army and may I introduce to you my Lord Guardian Colind of the Safanarion Order and Tersellis Ambassador of the Hythariam.”

Captain Amir bowed respectfully to each in turn, but his eyes widened at Colind’s introduction.

Morgan spoke again. “We are also joined by Prince Jopher, who has been commissioned into the Free Nations Army,” Morgan said, and Jopher stepped up from the group of soldiers.

Captain Amir’s eyes widened, and then he immediately went to his knees. “Your Royal Highness.”

Jopher stepped up. “Rise, Captain,” he said. After the Captain came back to his feet, he continued, “Please take me to my father.”

Captain Amir regarded Jopher for a moment as if he hadn’t heard him correctly and Colind wondered if it was because Jopher had used the word ‘please.’ 

“At once, your Highness,” Captain Amir said.

“Now we wait,” Colind said, watching as the two headed toward the tent. The soldiers of Zsensibar split between dividing their gaze upon himself, the airships behind them, and the golden eyed Hythariam, Tersellis, and his bodyguard.

The minutes dragged by, and Captain Amir returned to them. Shouts could be heard from within the tent, and a soldier came running and whispered something to the Zsensibar Captain.

Captain Amir cleared his throat and narrowed his gaze toward Colind. “His Royal Highness, King Melchoir Nasim, requests your presence, Guardian, if you will follow me.”

“One moment if you will, Captain,” Tersellis said quickly. “I’m afraid that if your king wishes to speak with us, he will need to join us out here and not in the tent.”

Captain Amir barely suppressed a sneer, but Tersellis kept on going.

“I am an Ambassador for my people, the Hythariam. Are we not two nations meeting upon this neutral location under a white flag of truce?” Tersellis asked.

Captain Amir considered this for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, Ambassador.”

“Well then, if my understanding of two such nations meeting upon a neutral field is correct and we are not in the providence of King Melchoir Nasim, then he must join us out here if he wishes to speak with this envoy,” Tersellis finished respectfully.

Colind silently applauded the cunning ambassador and watched as the Captain struggled with the fact that Tersellis’s astute knowledge of Safanarion customs between two nations upon the field put his king clearly in the wrong, and had unwittingly insulted another nation.

“Perhaps the king has been misinformed,” Colind said. “Doubtless reuniting with his son, the prince, proved to be a compelling distraction. Wouldn’t you agree, Captain?”

Captain Amir regained his composure and nodded. “My Lord Ambassador, please accept my humblest apologies. I will inform the king at once that the neighboring kingdom of the Hythariam are in fact here upon this neutral field.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Tersellis replied earnestly.

The captain inclined his head respectfully and walked stiffly back toward the tent. Colind couldn’t fault the captain’s attitude as he was following the orders of his King and historically subjects of Zsensibar’s crowned king didn’t fare too well when questioning his orders.

The sun was shining, and the weather was considerably warmer here in the south, and Colind took a moment to rejoice in the sun’s caress upon his face. After being imprisoned for so long in the shadows, he often found himself being taken aback by the simplest of things. Colind focused himself as the tent flaps were pulled back and King Nasim’s retinue began to exit.

The court that the king of Zsensibar brought to the field was significantly smaller than what Colind had remembered since he last dealt with Nasim, who had been a much younger man at the time. King Melchoir Nasim stood tall among his people, aided in part by the traditional elongated crown that spiraled above his head. The jewels inlaid in gold gleamed and reflected the brilliance of the sunlight giving a slight aura surrounding the head of the king. His long beard curled down to his chest, adorned with gold beads. Nasim wore light mailed armor under his ceremonial robes and black handled sword at his side in the traditional curve. The king strode from the tent taking in the scene before him, but his gaze gave nothing away as it focused upon Colind.

Colind bowed his head respectfully to the king of Zsensibar, and their small party followed suit. “Your Highness.”

King Nasim’s dark eyes studied him for a moment and then bowed his head slightly. “Guardian of the Safanarion Order,” he said softly in contrast to his broad shoulders and well-muscled arms. The king was in perfect fighting shape despite being well into his fifties.

“Peace be upon Zsensibar, your Highness,” Colind replied formally. “May I introduce to you Tersellis the Ambassador of the Hythariam Nation.”

The king’s eyes strayed to the Hythariam, and Tersellis inclined his head enough to show respect, but not enough to imply subservience. The Hythariam were proving to be very good negotiators indeed.

“Peace be upon the Hythariam,” the king replied and then added, “and to the Safanarion Order.”

“Thank you, your highness,” Colind replied.

King Nasim returned his dark eyed gaze to Colind. “My son has told me of a fantastical journey into the cursed kingdom of Shandara. To be honest, I almost had him shackled for telling such lies.”

Colind felt Admiral Morgan stiffen behind him and hoped that his normally ornery nature when it came to his men was kept firmly in check. The king’s eyes scanned their small group and lingered for a moment upon Vaughn and Garret.

“I can see this does not meet with your approval,” King Nasim said. “Seeing the legendary guardian of the Safanarion Order has given me pause in my immediate reaction to the situation surrounding my son. Speaking of which, I do not see Prince Cyrus among you. As my son was in his keeping, I would have thought he would be present upon this field and face me himself.”