Michael Stackpole - When Dragons Rage

The king sighed. “When I returned from Okrannel I married, and there was much fanfare. And then in setting up the Okrans court in exile and starting a family, there was much I had to do and there was no sign of you. I did not want to forget you, but I was not reminded.”

Crow nodded and started to speak a couple of times before words actually came. When they did, they were soft despite the strain in his voice. “After they took my mask, I, well, I don’t remember much of what I did. I wandered. The Vorquelves, because of the prophecy, harbored me in the Downs. If I drew a sober breath, it was by accident. If words came without tears…”

The king dropped to a knee before Crow and rested his hands on the other man’s sagging shoulders. “Had I known, my friend…”

Crow weakly patted the king’s right hand. “Highness, you had the world to worry about. I was beneath your notice and unworthy of your concern. I was no one. I was nothing. Then Resolute returned to Yslin and found me.“

Augustus nodded. “I know. After he found you, he came to find me. He explained many things to me, and I questioned my father, who told me what had happened. I protested that what had been done to you was as evil as anything Chytrine had done. He said to me, ‘One man’s blood is a puddle, but Chytrine would drown us in oceans.’ Sacrificing you seemed a small price to pay to preserve the stability of the world.”

Crow’s head came up. “Then you have known for twenty-five years who I was?”

“Yes.” The king drew in a deep breath. “As prince there was not much I could do, but I did what I could. I arranged favorable trade status for your friend Playfair’s trading company, and Resolute was named as my representative to collect the fees needed to keep these arrangements in force. You renewed acquaintance with your friend, and his company provided you with transportation and money. Playfair does not know that I know who you are, so he could never tell you of my patronage.”

Crow slowly nodded. “Things begin to make sense. Rounce was more than generous, and there were times I feared for his ruination. He would have given me anything, I know that, but it is good to know that he was amply rewarded for his action.”

“He has not suffered and you are right; he would have done anything for you. You do know that he is a patron of a number of bards who sing of Crow’s exploits?” Augustus rose and seated himself in the chair. “I have followed those songs keenly, often wishing to hear the true story behind them. You and Resolute were able to continue a war I wished we had never abandoned. I could do little save support the Draconis Baron.”

“It is well you did.” Crow frowned. “He knew who I was. I don’t know for how long, but he recognized me at the end. He gave me a sign.”

The king nodded. “He did know, though we never spoke openly of you. Whom else he might have told, I do not know. Secrecy was the best way to keep you safe.”

Will, who had been sitting and listening, began to twitch. “How can you say that?”

Augustus glanced at him. “Those were dangerous times, Will.”

“And that excuses you?” Will stood up and glared at the king. “You come in here and tell Crow that you’ve known for years and years and years that he was unjustly accused? You knew it destroyed his life, and you didn’t do anything?”

“Will.” Crow’s nostrils flared. “This is the king!”

“I don’t care.” Will planted his fists on his hips. “King Scrainwood wanted me to lie for him, and here you are saying you didn’t say anything to counteract the lie that hurt him? You call him friend? And you , you let him call you friend?“

Both men stared at him wide-eyed.

“Everyone makes things so complex. Everyone plays at manners just to hide their true feelings. I see people out there who would have beaten me to death for being a thief, but because I’m the Norrington, they’d give me everything I’d have stolen. And they still hate me for being a thief, but they lie and say they don’t in case I won’t save them when it comes down to it.

“And you know what? I’ve heard everyone say that Hawkins had to be sacrificed because if everyone had heard that Chytrine was coming back, they’d have been scared and nations would fall and stuff. Now, you have no trouble putting these same people in your armies and send them out to die without knowing why. So, how come they’re frightened sheep when some nighthaunt says she’ll be back, but brave and stalwart and courageous when you give them a spear and point them at something that will kill them dead?”

Will pointed a finger at King Augustus. “I know you are brave and everything. I know you’re a good king. And you’re my king, no matter what Scrainwood says. Nobody pokes your eyes out on coins, but you turned a blind eye to Crow. Through him, Chytrine warned everyone she was coming, but you all decided that to save your own heads, you would not let anyone know what she said, and so no one was prepared for her to come back. And did it ever occur to anyone that if you had gotten ready for her to come back, maybe she wouldn’t have?”

“ Will! That’s enough.” Crow stood and opened his hands to the king. “Highness, I apologize.”

“No, no, that’s all right.” Augustus raised his hands and waved Crow back down on the cot. As Crow resumed his place, Augustus turned and looked up at Will. “Do you really want me to reply, or do you just wish to scourge me with your indignation?”

Will bit back a harsh reply and shivered. “I’ll listen.”

“Good. I’ll answer you, then, but not because you’re a noble or the Norrington or even because you are a citizen of my nation. I’ll answer you because you are the first person to ask me questions that have plagued me through the years.”

Augustus’ voice retained its deep tone, but sank in volume to something just shy of a whisper. “You may well be right, Will, that the common folk would not quake in fear at the threat of invasion from the north. Perhaps that is true of most of them, but even you have seen how panic or worry in one can infect others. There are ways to counter that, but at the time Hawkins was sacrificed, worry had infected the crowned heads. Reason did not prevail, and while they accepted a solution that allayed their initial fears, they all knew they had treated a symptom, and not the disease.

“Until I came to the throne—until Queen Carus replaced her father, until others who could think clearly took their places at the heads of their nations—that whole question could not be reexamined. To try to raise the issue of Hawkins would have caused kings to admit they were wrong, or caused their heirs to cast doubt on the legends of their predecessors. Hawkins and his fate became a minor sidelight to the whole problem of preparing for Chytrine’s return.”

Will frowned. “That’s easy to say.”

“But it is true, and Hawkins knew it, too.” The king glanced at Crow. “He set out to continue the fight against Chytrine, leading by example. Others might have protested, launched petitions to get their name cleared, but he put his old persona to rest and focused on the important problem: defeating Chytrine.

“Now, I will admit to being a coward. I knew what he was doing, and I knew his actions would prove he was not what he had been accused of being. I took refuge in his actions, telling myself that there would come a day when that injustice could be corrected, but that day would have to come after Chytrine was defeated. In that way, Hawkins, I did fail you and failed you terribly. Will is right, I really was no friend to you.”

Crow smiled. “No, Highness, you were. You were looking to my mission, which is far more important than I am. Had you asked, that is what I would have told you. Better an hour fighting Chytrine than a thousand hours in my defense.”