The Hunter (7 page)

He passed swiftly through the empty corridors lit only by silvery orbs of light attached to the walls at regular intervals,
priest fire as it was called, and found only in the Council building and the Temple and the priest’s own quarters; homes and
offices were lit by tapers and torches.

Cold black stone surrounded him and gleamed underfoot, unrelieved except for silvery metal insets of the moon in all its phases
placed high on the walls, surrounded as always by the stars who offered their attendance in the frieze as well as in nature.
The silvery metal, like the shining black stone, was an unknown substance, its source a mystery
except, perhaps, to the priests who, of course, had no comment.

Braldt could hear the murmur of voices rising and falling as he hurried through the empty halls flanked on either side by
the dark shining stone, but he could not make out the words.

Finally, he came to the central arena, the place where all corridors led. Here, as in the ring, were row upon row of seats
carved out of the ebon rock descending, rather than rising, where the members of the full Council sat, each representing his
own family group. Petitioners and penitents sat as well, waiting the pleasure of the court to beg for some personal favor
or the sentence for some indiscretion.

Now, the rows were filled to overflowing with the members of the full Council, each draped in the robes that designated their
status. Crimson red robes for the bureaucrats and green for the merchants and moneylenders, brown for the landholders and
pale green for the tillers of the soil. The black robes of the priests were much in evidence, as were the silver robes of
their acolytes. And blue of course for the warriors such as Braldt. These last were clustered around the foot of the steps
that rose from the very center of the circle, the steps that rose to the highest position of power in all the land, the black
stone throne crested by a full moon rising and occupied by the High Chief of all the Duroni. Auslic the Wise.

As Braldt hurried forward, descending the steps two and three at a time, unmindful of the murmur that arose at his passage,
the raised circle of fingers invoking the protection of the Mother Moon against the sight of Beast who now trailed at Braldt’s
heels, growling and snarling in all directions. The band of worry that had gripped his chest since hearing Keri’s words loosened.
He had arrived in time. Auslic still lived. Wasting no time for the bended knee and slow progression that was the accepted
procedure for approaching the High Chief, Braldt took the steps to the throne with the same haste that he had descended, sinking
to his knees at Auslic’s feet, equally unmindful of the gasps of horror that accompanied this total lack of propriety.

Auslic raised his head slowly and looked down upon the young man whom he had come to think of as his son, and his tired eyes
filled with gladness. One side of his face twitched with the beginning of a smile, a greeting, and he stirred in his chair.
The other side of his face remained frozen, unmoving, dragged down and stiff as though carved from stone. His right hand reached
out tremulously to seize Braldt’s own, but his left arm and the hand that wore the great crystal moon ring of his office dangled
uselessly at his side.

“…said you were dead,” Came the voice, a mere whisper of sound, a thread that held no semblance to the hearty, gruff bass
that was his normal tone. “… said they had found your bones in the empty lands… lupebeasts.”

Braldt enfolded Auslic’s hand in his own and pressed it to his chest so that the man might feel the beating of his heart.
“I am no spirit, Father. Braldt the Hunter still lives. They were mistaken, as you can see, and I have avenged the deaths
of those taken by the lupebeast.”

“… showed me your ring…” muttered Auslic and using the fingers of his right hand pried open the tight grip of the left hand
to reveal Braldt’s own emblem ring, that which usually held his own blue robes at the shoulder, the ring which had mysteriously
vanished from his room more than a fortnight ago. Braldt had wondered at its absence and had assumed that he had lost it,
although such a thing seemed unlikely. Its appearance now, under such strange circumstances, was peculiar, suspicious in nature,
and Braldt stared about him at the cluster of upturned faces, wondering who, if any among them, had cause to wish him ill,
then shook the thought from him and turned his attention back to Auslic for that was all that really mattered.

“How do you fare, Father? Why are you in this place? Let me take you to your bed where you may rest more easily and heal yourself.”

“Now you are here… not enough time… Carn… tribe… much to say… I will send you word… you will understand and forgive me…” Auslic
held Braldt’s hand in a tight, almost painful grip and uttered his words in a fierce
whisper intended for Braldt’s ears alone although there were many who crowded near. Braldt brought his ear close to Auslic’s
lips to catch the slightest word, but even so, the words were disjointed and were more a puzzle than an explanation. “…stand
up,” Auslic said clearly, his eyes blazing with determination, and Braldt hurried to obey, feeling the strange stiff flesh
and slack muscles move beneath his hands as he raised and steadied Auslic.

“By right of the Moon Mother, I, Auslic the Wise, of the royal House of the Moon, declare Braldt the Hunter to be my heir
and take my place as the High Chief of the Duroni!” Struggling, he drew his ring off his finger and placed it on Braldt’s.
Next, he slid the heavy silver chain up over his head from which dangled the face of Mother Moon herself, a diadem of crystal
stars crowning her silvery head, and hung it around Braldt’s neck as well.

These words and actions, even more electrifying than the startling sight of their chief standing erect when he had seemed
so close to death only heartbeats before, shot through the crowd like a lightning bolt, bringing them to their feet—clerks,
Councilman, and priests alike to stare at the outsider who had usurped the most powerful seat in all the land.

Their roars of protest drowned Auslic’s voice, although it could not undo the words or the deeds, for it was Auslic’s right
and his right alone to name his successor. So loud was their outcry that none of them noticed when Auslic slumped against
Braldt and fell senseless into his arms.

The healers had gathered at Auslic’s bedside, as well as the highest ranking members of the full Council, and a complement
of black-robed priests, all doing their best to edge Braldt away. But Braldt stood like a rock by Auslic’s side, refusing
to be moved, keeping a sharp eye on all who approached, and trusting none of them.

Those gathered in Auslic’s chambers Came together and formed groups, odd combinations of men who had much to lose and would
forge whatever alliances deemed necessary to prevent unwelcome change. And despite their
many differences none of them had any doubt that Braldt as High Chief would bring about great changes in their lives for he
was outspoken in his criticism of the system by which the city-state operated and the widespread practice of graft and corruption
that greased the wheels.

A small group approached Braldt as he hovered next to Auslic’s side, Beast growling ominously at his feet. Braldt allowed
them to come within ten paces and then raised his hand to indicate that they should go no farther. Beast’s growls and twitching
lip added further weight to his wishes.

Braldt eyed the group with disfavor, noting Envelius, a healer who enjoyed more success than failure among his patients, Ypren,
a wigged and furred merchant who controlled much of the inter-state commerce with other tribes, and Antiqus, a highly respected
elder member of the full Council. Envelius raised his hand, palm up, invoking the benediction and protection of the Moon Mother,
before he spoke as though to give his words religious significance.

“Glorious Son, we welcome your return and are glad that the rumor of your death was no more than false words. We could only
wish that the occasion were happier and that you had found our glorious leader in full health and possession of all his faculties
instead of sick onto death and uttering foolish words in his delirium. We can only imagine what he might have meant had he
not been so ill, his words misunderstood…”

Braldt stepped forward, his eyes narrowing, Beast keeping pace, the tenor of his growls becoming more fierce and his eyes
glowing yellow. Envelius fell back, his words shriveling on his tongue as his hand darted to his throat.

“What Envelius means to say…” Ypren said in tones which fell on Braldt’s ear like the harsh clamor of winter birds.

“I know what Envelius meant to say and I know what you will try to say as well. All of you! You may save your voices and eat
your words for I obey no man but my master, my father, Auslic the Wise who has commanded me. I have no wish to take on this
office, but if it is his wish that I do so, it shall be done and nothing you say will stop it. It is his
right to choose his successor and he has done so. Only he can say otherwise. Take yourselves away and leave us in peace. You
are not welcome in this house and I bid you to go.”

Braldt’s eyes were ringed red with exhaustion and sorrow clung to him like a robe, but none gathered in Auslic’s chambers
doubted that he would kill them if they failed to obey him. One by one they filed from the room, glancing furtively over their
shoulders to make certain that none were lagging behind, in order to forge a secret deal.

Finally, the last of them passed through the door and only then did Braldt sheath his sword and bar the door from within.
Otius and his wife, a shy, gentle woman by the name of Jos, emerged from one of the inner rooms, Jos bearing a steaming kettle
of fragrant broth. Keri and Carn were there as well, Keri’s exhaustion obvious in the lines at the corners of her mouth and
the fine coating of dust that lay thick in the folds of her clothing. Braldt was glad to see them and opened his mouth to
speak, but was stopped by the look of naked hatred that distorted Carn’s features.

“Well, ‘brother,’ so you’ve got what you’ve wanted all these years, may you rot and die before it brings you pleasure!”

“Carn!” Jos said in horror, her hand raised to her own lips as though she could scarcely believe what she was hearing. “Why
do you speak so to your brother? Are you mad?”

“I am not mad, Mother, and this is no brother of my flesh. Do you doubt my sanity? Can you not see that it has always been
his plan to take the place that is rightfully mine? He has worked his way into Auslic’s heart from the very first. Always
there when the old man wanted someone to listen to his stories. Always there when there were errands to be run. Yes, Father,
no, Father, toadying up to him in order to rob me of my birthright. Can you not see what he has done? Has he fooled you as
well?”

Carn’s voice was low-pitched and conversational in tone, but each word was formed in hatred and laced with the bitterness
of gall. His eyes shone bright with rage.

Braldt was stunned, the malevolence of Carn’s words
striking him like a blow and robbing him of words to reply. Carn was his brother! He above all men should know that he had
no desire to sit as High Chief! The allegation was terrible in itself, but the depth of Carn’s obvious hatred was far worse.
How long had he felt this way? How could Braldt who prided himself on being observant have failed to notice?

Otius spoke then, placing himself between the two men he had raised as sons, loving both with equal measure, and tried to
calm Carn, but Carn would not listen and continued to spit abuse at Braldt and his parents as well.

Keri pushed her way into the fray, shoving Carn hard with both hands thrust upon his chest. “You are stupid, Carn. Do you know?
You’re stupid. Always have been and always will be. Can’t you see that Braldt has no interest in being chief? All he wants,
all he’s ever wanted, was to be free to wander wherever he will. You’re imagining things, seeing plots where there are none,
putting your own desires in his mind. Can’t you see that he had nothing to do with this? Auslic likes him, that’s all. You
had the same opportunity, you could have spent time with him, he’s your uncle, too. But you were always too busy, the old
man was too boring if I remember your words. So do not blame Braldt for your own shortcomings.”

Two bright spots formed high on Carn’s cheekbones, burning there like firespots, and Braldt stared at them, wishing that none
of this was happening, wishing that he could erase the words and deeds that had transpired, yet knowing in his heart that
whatever happened, nothing could ever be the same again.

“At least I am not in love with him,” Carn said, spitting the words out like arrows that seemed to pierce Keri’s heart for
she staggered back as though she had been struck. “For all the good it has done you, little sister, for he has no more interest
in you than a rock.”

Keri covered her face with her hands and rushed blindly from the room, her mother calling her name and following after her.

“That’s enough, Carn, say no more.” Otius sank down
upon a low bench, watching his son with saddened eyes. Carn turned on him swiftly, ready to spew more poisonous words, but
Otius silenced him with a look for there was much of his brother’s regal bearing about him when he chose to use it. “Every
man writes the book of his own life, my son, and if the story does not go as you wish it, you have no one to blame but yourself.”