Sunstone - Dishonor's Bane (Book 2) (31 page)

“Where did the Red Rose go?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I suppose the same place the yellow daisy did.”

Shiro pursed his lips. “The Ropponi fighters.” He fingered his red robe.

“Oh, them. They killed the guards, poor sods, and let us out. Most of our men grabbed the sharpened sticks you people call weapons and headed towards the enemy. A wild woman led them.”

Chika. “Is everything all right up here then?”

“I’ve had enough fighting to suit me for the rest of my life. I’m heading back to my farm while there is still something to harvest.”

Shiro smiled and put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I am a farmer myself. The best in my little village.”

“Then why don’t you go back?”

Shiro looked into the man’s eyes and didn’t see any slight to his words. “Sometimes I wish I could.” He turned and ran toward the west. He’d scouted out the northern camp, but never the Happly soldiers on the west, so he couldn’t teleport. For a minute he considered levitating and flying and teleporting as he had done the night he met Lotto Mistad. No. Not with all of these witnesses about. He would keep that technique secret for as long as he could.

Fifteen minutes later, he still hadn’t made it very far and decided to teleport in line of sight. His anxiety for Chika’s safety grew as he found evidences of fighting. He stopped at the few Red Rose bodies amidst many more Happlyan fighters and never found Chika’s face.

Then he ran into the remnants of the Happly army. They sat in large groups on the ground surrounded by Lessa’s troops. The men looked more anxious than defeated. Perhaps Lotto had been right in that these men looked forward to going home, not any different than the Valetan farmer.

Finally he spotted a large group of Red Roses standing in front of a few men in civilian clothes. His tension evaporated when Chika’s face came into view.

“How did it go here?”

“Oh! All of the best fighters had already headed south. By the way the Happlyan peasants fought, I believe it. Still, we lost some of our people.”

Shiro nodded grimly. He yearned to take Chika in his arms and hold her safe, but couldn’t. “We are headed south ourselves as soon as General Lessa can get things organized. These troops have been told they will disband?”

Chika laughed. “They can’t wait!  Our biggest task was to keep the Valetans from slaughtering the Happly peasants. We lost a few of our people doing just that.” She sobered as she told him.

“How many?”

“We think eight dead. The injured have been teleported to camp along with those who can heal. I imagine the keep has been captured and the duke is crying like a baby.”

“Lotto Mistad killed him. All of my ten survived. We killed the Happly wizards after they had slaughtered a good number of Lessa’s men. Beech is dead. Rimmel survived.” Shiro smiled. “Peleor is in Valetan and Lotto Mistad is heading there with the Princess. It is my hope that he will kill the wizard. I’ve had enough killing for today. Are you finished here?”

Chika looked around. “I’ll give a few orders and join with you at the camp in a few minutes.” She took his hand and squeezed it, grinning.

Shiro quickly teleported before Chika could see him blush.

~~~

Chapter Forty-Four

~

S
hiro brought up the rear of the Red Roses
as they rode towards the south. General Lessa had given them all of the horses and carts that they wanted to carry their goods along with a generous share of the duke’s gold. Shiro hadn’t been very comfortable about accepting the money, but Lessa assured him, Bessethians traditionally considered it as a reward for victory. It kept armies from looting.

Such a thing never happened in Roppon. Looting would bring the bureaucracy, the emperor and the Guild down on any army that rampaged through the countryside. At least that was what Shiro had been told. However, he had learned to question much of what he had been told.

Chika rode at the front and Tishiaki had been left behind in Happly to help Lessa with the setting up of an administration. He’d join them in the south later. Shiro would send a Red Rose back to Happly Keep once they arrived at the fort.

With the passing of three thousand soldiers just days before, they wouldn’t get lost. Morio and his two companions rode on ahead and would meet them where they would camp that evening. They had told him stories about Lotto and the princess of the Red Kingdom in the evenings. Shiro had made the right choice and Morio, who was the son of the Duke of Gensler, pledged forest land for his Red Roses once the war had ended. Lessa had done the same thing. Shiro had to smile at the many choices he would have for his force, once the war had ended…if they survived.

That night Morio joined him at his campfire. “Tomorrow morning we will intersect a road leading west. By afternoon we will be in Gensler territory and I’ll introduce you to Anchor. I’m sure you will hit it off. Anchor seems to be much like Lotto and you. He has hidden capabilities and has proven to be a remarkable leader. He doesn’t have any magic, however. I’m just along for the ride, but you three will help win the war for us. I can just feel it.”

“With General Lessa’s men and, hopefully, the cooperation of the Learsea king,” Shiro said. “I only hope that Lotto will survive his return to Beckondale.”

“That makes two of us. Don’t fear. He will.” Morio had a remarkably positive attitude.

~

True to Morio’s word, the towers of a large keep emerged from the forest. They passed a village first and then stopped in a field by an arm of a reddish river that circled most of the Gensler outpost.

A rider sped out of the outpost and headed towards Shiro.

“Please come as quickly as you can. There is news from Valetan.”

Chika approached. Shiro turned to her and spoke in Ropponi. “Get the commanders to settle the Red Rose. I want you with me in the castle. I hope I trust these people, but I’d like you there as my back-up.”

“I quite like it as your back up,” she said with half of a smile.

Even here! Shiro shook his head smiling as they rode towards the stone walls.

The rider led them at a fair speed through the gate and to a large building. All of the structures were stone with thick tile roofs. Flaming arrows would have little to burn in such a place. It seemed that all of the men and the few women in the outpost stopped what they were doing and gawked at them as they dismounted and walked up the steps into the cold darkness of the building.

They met Morio, who showed them through double doors into a large room filled with tables and benches. Shiro didn’t see anyone who looked like a commander and continued to follow Morio through a door in the back to a smaller room. Detailed maps of the surrounding lands covered the walls. A tall, well-built young man turned.

“This is Shiro, leader of the Red Rose, Anchor.” Morio turned to Shiro. “Shiro, this is the commander of this outpost, Captain Anchor. He has just received a bird from Beckondale via my father’s castle in Crackledown.”

“Indeed,” Anchor said. He waved a thin strip of paper. “The generals took over the castle and imprisoned the king in his own quarters. Lotto, Princess Restella and Mander Hart were able to rescue the king and kill the commanding general as well as a Dakkoran wizard named Peleor. This is good news and soon we will have more forces to battle the Red Kingdom.”

Shiro peered at the man through his powers. His body wasn’t quite normal. A disguise? No, but his appearance was the result of an enchantment of some kind. He felt an echo of power within that body, but no current affinity to the nexus. Anchor was certainly more than he seemed.

“I’d like a few words with Anchor. Alone.” Shiro said. If this Anchor gave allegiance to Daryaku, he would kill him on the spot. Chika and he could teleport out of the fort and leave. If Lotto had prevailed, they’d head back towards Valetan. At least this time he had options.

“This way, Shiro,” Anchor said with narrowed eyes. They entered a small room with a well-used table and four chairs in front of a modest window overlooking the forest. Shiro noticed the thick metal-clad shutters that could cover the opening into the outpost. “Sit.”

Shiro pulled out a chair and sat down, looking across the table at the now-seated Anchor. The man folded his arms.

“You are a sorcerer. I would like to know to whom you swear allegiance. I do not choose to follow a sorcerer of the Dakkoran Empire.” Shiro felt that bluntness was called for in this situation. He toyed with the pouch around his neck.

Anchor’s eyebrows rose. “I have no power as you likely know, my friend. You must have a great deal of it to see that I once had Affinity myself.”

“Most of the men and women of my band can wield power. We are called the Red Roses.”

“I am sure that has meaning to your troops?”

“It does. Your allegiance?”

Anchor looked out the window. Shiro hoped that the man’s thoughts were honest. “I am pledged to the rightful leader of the Red Kingdom.”

“So you are one of Daryaku’s minions?” Shiro put his hand to his sword and put up a shield of power.

Anchor stood and put out his bare hands. “You don’t have to do that. The rightful leader is the sole survivor of the King’s family, the Princess Sallia. I am her humble servant, although she doesn’t know the depth of my devotion.”

Shiro could detect an emotional attachment. The man loved the woman?

“I have heard of the princess. She resides in Gensler?”

“She does,” Anchor said. “And now I have a decision to go to her or use my strategic talents to end this war.” The decision appeared to torment Anchor.

Could Shiro trust this man? He needed to and decided to use his stone to make sure. “I have a stone that will prove that we both can be trusted.” He dropped the Sunstone onto the table showed it to Anchor.

“The Sunstone? It can’t be. It’s been lost for centuries.”

“And found in this one,” Shiro said. He picked up the stone and held it out. “Touch it, if you dare.”

~~~

Chapter Forty-Five

~

A
nchor glared at Shiro as if his manhood
was questioned, but then his gaze softened. “Of course. I have touched the Bloodstone and now the Sunstone. I should ask Princess Restella to touch her Moonstone.” He shivered. “I have no desire to touch Daryaku’s gem.”

“Nor do I,” Shiro said. “Touch it, please.”

Anchor extended his hand and Shiro closed his hand before Anchor had a chance to touch it. “Sit, Anchor. The exchange of minds might disorient you.”

He sat and touched Shiro’s stone as soon as Shiro opened his hand.

Knowing what to expect, Shiro sat back and gently sought what he wanted from Anchor’s mind. Where Chika and Lotto experienced shock, Shiro could feel Anchor probe back a little here and a little there. Shiro didn’t know what the man sought or what information Anchor received from the exchange, but Anchor’s mind was well controlled as if he were a much older man. Ah, indeed, he was.

The link ended as Anchor withdrew his hand. He rubbed his forehead. “I am a little disoriented.”

“I trust you, Wizard Unca,” Shiro said. Indeed, once Shiro had exchanged his thoughts through the Sunstone, he felt as if he had known the man that sat across from the desk for many years.

Anchor shook his head. “In this body, I am Anchor. Now I can see why the Emperors of Roppon hid the stone. The one who wields the Sunstone must be above reproach and I am sitting in front of such a man.” Anchor bowed his head. “You understand my dilemma.”

“I did not probe particularly far, but far enough. I cannot give you proper counsel, since your problem is one of the heart. I would go to Learsea with you, since it is the weakest point of your fight against Daryaku. Your princess needs her kingdom and you need your princess as a ruler to fulfill your pledge to the dead king.”

“You have seen enough!” Anchor said.

“Enough to pledge my people to your cause, but I would have done so anyway. We will accompany you to Learsea. Their leadership is weak and needs a strong advisor. I am not a Bessethian, but I will help you as I can. My first in command, a man named Tishiaki, is more seasoned at military leadership than I. You can be assured that we will stand by your side.”

Anchor put his head in his hands. “You don’t know how much I had hoped for one such as you to help me. Without my power, I am only a strategist and need additional practical minds. I’ve corresponded with the King and they are good men, but don’t have the stamina to stand alone against the usurper of the Red Kingdom.” He put out his hand and Shiro clutched it, Bessethian style. He still wasn’t comfortable with the custom of shaking hands so he bowed as well.

They walked back to an anxious group in the larger room. “We have resolved to work together. Shiro and his Red Roses will accompany me to Learsea. I have committed to be their war leader. I hope that your father will give me the southern forts as part of a joint command to take reclaim the Red Kingdom.”

“I figured that would be your decision. I’m sure my father will agree. My companions and I will go to him as soon as possible.”

“Sooner the better,” Anchor said. “With Valetan no longer as a possible ally, Duke Histron won’t delay once Happly’s forces reach him.”

“I can help you with that. Chika? Do you want to go on a trip?”

“You mean?”

“Yes ,we will teleport Morio and his men to their capital city. I am sure I can find the way through a session with the stone and Morio.”

~

Shiro exited from the small room grinning along with Morio. “This is a naughty boy, Chika. I won’t let you touch him on our way. Then again, I doubt that his companions are any better.”

That comment brought laughter from Morio. “I like Shiro now that I’ve gotten to know him better.” He looked at Chika and winked.

She turned red. “What did he learn?”

Shiro patted her shoulder. “He knows nothing that you didn’t already know. I am confident that we can teleport together after you seen where to go in the stone.”

He turned to Morio. “Get your things. You will have to leave your horses.”

Morio’s face fell a bit. “Then transport us back after I’ve talked to my father.”

Shiro smiled at the request and bowed. “Of course.”

Chika and Shiro joined with the stone briefly.

“Not as dramatic as our first link,” Chika said with a tinge of wistful regret.

“Nothing is as good as the first time,” Shiro said. His comment elicited a kiss from her.

They assembled in the room. “We will be back within a day,” Shiro said.

“I wished that I could go with you, but I dare not. My responsibilities here, you know,” Anchor said, thrusting a sealed message in his hand.

Shiro knew the yearning in Anchor’s heart to see Princess Sallia, but Anchor’s resolve would be put to an awful test if he went. He gathered Morio and his three men and Chika around him.

“We will link hands. You might not be able to stand when we arrive at Crackledown.” He shut his eyes and opened them in the Crackledown courtyard.

Shiro held Pillo Toras upright. Anton went down on his rear end and Morio held on, much too tightly, to Chika. She threw him to the ground, glaring at the Duke’s son.

Guards ran to them, extending their spears as they saw their ruler’s son unceremoniously thrown to the ground.

“It’s all right, they’re friends.” Morio said. “Take us to father and find Sally.”

“Sally?” Chika said.

“The Princess Sallia of The Red Kingdom,” Shiro said.

“Oh,” Chika said, helping Anton up. Morio struggled up by himself.

They were shown into the Duke’s private chambers.

Morio brought his father up to date. Duke Jellas had just received a bird from Valetan and they exchanged information.

“It would please me to see Anchor command the Eastern forces. Valetan and Prola will invade the Red Kingdom through Gensler. Morio will stay with me.”

“Actually, we’re going back to the fort and ride our horses back. I need to check our troops along the border and tell them what is to come.”

“Check our troops or the condition of all of the taverns from there to here?”

“A little civic tour at the same time wouldn’t be out of the question,”

Duke Jellas looked oddly at his son. Evidently Morio’s rakish behavior was nothing new.

“I’d like a few minutes with Princess Sallia. I have a private message to deliver from Anchor. Chika will join us.”

The Duke rose from his seat. “Do so in here. The princess will show you to the dining hall when you are through. It’s time for our evening meal.”

Chika, Sallia and Shiro stood awkwardly in the Duke’s private chambers.

“Here is a note from Anchor.”

Sallia brushed her pale hair out of her face and looked sideways at Shiro.

“Anchor’s message is between only you two.” Shiro pulled out his Sunstone. “Anchor told me that you wear the Bloodstone. This is one of its siblings.”

“The Sunstone,” Sallia stared at it. She didn’t take her eyes off of it as she pulled the Bloodstone from around her neck and took it out of an ornate pouch. She held it out for Chika and then showed it to Shiro.

“Close it in your hand and think of the Sunstone. I will do the same. I want to see if they still can be used to communicate.”

Sallia shut her eyes. Shiro concentrated on the Bloodstone and tried to project a message.

“Can you hear my thoughts?”

“I can,” Sallia said in his mind. She giggled like a little girl. “This is wonderful.” She said it aloud and projected it through the stone.

“I wanted to see if the legend is true that these are communication devices. They are.” Shiro smiled.

“Hello?”

Shiro heard another’s voice. That was something he never expected.

“I am Shiro.”

“I am Princess Sallia of the Red Kingdom,” Sallia said.

“Shiro, I’ve met. Princess Sallia, we haven’t talked since we were children. I am Princess Restella of Valetan.

“And I am Lotto.”

“Lotto, you aren’t even holding the Moonstone,” Princess Restella said, faintly heard through the connection.

Shiro got the impression of laughter from Lotto. The stones allowed some measure of nuance. He could clearly hear both Princess Restella and Lotto Mistad. He had to smile as he remembered that this was what the stones were reputedly created for. The thought excited him. He now had a better understanding why the Dark Lord would want these stones in ancient times. The teleportation technique must not have been discovered back then. He could see more benefits from face to face meetings or written missives might miss part of the physical aspect of communicating. Unfortunately, he feared that all methods would be used thoroughly before this war had ended.

“We’re linked, remember?” Lotto said.

“Oh, that!” Restella responded in what Shiro could sense as exasperation. Evidently the pair still needed to work out their linkage. Shiro looked at Princess Sallia and noted the corners of her mouth twisted up, just a bit. She must see the same bit of humor in the pair’s discussion as he did.

“Listen. Anchor and I are headed for Learsea and will help the king defend his kingdom against Duke Histron. We will coordinate our maneuvers through the stones,” Shiro said. “We can meet again tomorrow night at this time and talk about strategy.”

Princess Sallia nodded. “I will include the Duke.”

“What about Armand?” Restella said.

“Armand? You mean Lessa?” Lotto said. Shiro caught a flash of anger, or was it jealousy?

“I did. Armand.” Restella said, defiantly.

The Valetans’ emotions did come across through the stones, so Shiro hid his amused feelings as best as he could. He hoped that Princess Sallia would do the same.

“I will teleport to Happly and bring Lessa to South Keep in time to include him.”

“Good,” Lotto said. “It’s time we put an end to this war.”  There was a pause in the discussion. “You’ll have to teach me how to teleport.”

Shiro nodded, but then realized that Lotto couldn’t see him. He thought of the war and realized that reclaiming The Red Kingdom wouldn’t end the war with the Dark Lord. He didn’t want to dampen the young man’s enthusiasm, but he had to.

“Our real enemy is Emperor Daryaku. I’m afraid he won’t accept an easy defeat.”

His comment met with silence, but he could feel the determination to win build among them all. Finally, he had found the direction that he sought and true allies for the first time in his life. He wouldn’t rest until they all had ended the reign of Emperor Daryaku of Dakkor.

End of The Sunstone.

~

The Story Continues in Book Three of the Warstone Quartet -

Bloodstone | Power of Youth

An excerpt of Chapter One follows