Michael Mathias - The Wizard and the Warlord

Oarly was out cold. Phen couldn’t contain his mirth as the jolting motion of the wagon tossed the dwarf around. Oarly’s hair, beard, and every inch of his clothing was matted with sticky fruit juice and bits of leaves and debris. A swarm of bright yellow bees hovered around him like a cloud.

Karee chuckled quietly when she saw. “At least he won’t smell like a goat now.” She gave Phen’s cold hand a squeeze.

“Aye,” Phen replied. “We might have to shave him to get all of that out of his hair.”

They arrived at the low, but seemingly endless, red block wall that surrounded the city of Dreen. It was just after dark, but the gate guards let them in with no questions. Once they recognized Phen, they all saluted. Karee watched with sleepy eyes as they rode past street after street of low built one- and two-story red brick structures. She asked through a yawn why they were built so far apart.

“See the fences between the homes? During the day, those pens are full of horses and cattle. Some still are.” Phen pointed at a large yard full of cows. “The whole city’s commerce is based on horse flesh. It’s probably the biggest city in the realm, but it has far fewer people than Xwarda or Seaward City.” Phen looked at Karee to see if she was still listening, and found her nodding into sleep against his stony shoulder. He hadn’t even felt her lean against him. A few long hours later, they finally reached the castle’s palisade wall. By then Phen was fighting sleep as well.

The fatherly look of concern on Lord Gregory’s face when he quietly escorted Karee into the castle was overpowering.

“Phen, you should never leave without telling someone where you're going or what you're about,” the Lion Lord scolded. The man’s gaze made Phen feel a visceral sort of fear. “Now let us take in this elven girl who has caused such a stir.”

Phen looked at Lord Gregory inquisitively. “How did you know I was traveling with an elven girl?”

“The same way I know that master Oarly is going to sleep in the hay barn until we can get all that muck washed off of him.”

Karee chuckled at that then peeled back her hood.

Lord Gregory had traveled, for a time, with the elf Vaegon and had attended many a Summer’s Day festival where the elves dominated the archery competition. He was still taken aback by the wild look of the girl.

“Lord Gregory, may I present Lady Karee,” Phen said in a somewhat official manner. “Lady Karee, this is the famous brawler, Lord Gregory. He’s also known as Lord Lion, or the Lion Lord.”

“That’s enough, Phen,” Lord Gregory said. “I was told that her name is Lady Telgra.”

“It is!” Telgra exclaimed with a happy clap. “I’m sure of it.” Her tired gaze evaporated and her look became serious. “Who told you about me?”

“The High King returned from the Isle of Salaya earlier this evening. He would have greeted you himself, but he is already in his bed chamber.” Lord Gregory looked at Phen and grinned. “After relieving the high priest of his life, he was exhausted.”

Phen started to say something, but Telgra cut him off. “But how does he know my name?”

“She can’t remember anything about herself,” Phen explained. Phen was a little disappointed, but it wasn’t the fact that she would not be going by the name Karee now. It was the news that King Mikahl had killed the priest who had turned him into a statue. That man could have reversed the spell on him. It was a last-resort hope that he had been holding on to, just in case the Leif Repline fountain didn’t restore him. Now it wasn’t even a possibility. At least the bastard could do no more harm.

“…told the High King about you,” Lord Gregory was explaining to Telgra. “A monk named Dostin and an elf named Corva. Both helped the High King kill the priest and regain possession of the staff he was using to wreak havoc. Dostin sent word with King Mikahl for you to wait here for them.”

“That is six days away at best,” Phen told her.

“How soon are you leaving for the Leif Repline?” she asked.

“I’m not certain.” Phen looked at Lord Gregory. He knew he and Oarly had been ordered to report because of Hyden Hawk’s message, but he didn’t know why yet, or what the message was. Suddenly, it was all that mattered to him. Hyden Hawk was his closest friend, as close as a brother to him. His change of demeanor must have shown, for Lord Gregory clasped him on the shoulder and chuckled.

“King Mikahl will speak with you in the morning regarding your journey. I will speak with you more after that.”

“I’m going with Phen,” Telgra said a little more forcefully than she had intended to. “The Leif Repline might help me remember who I am.”

Phen put a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

“No one will try to stop you,” Lord Gregory assured her. “But if you go with Phen, you’ll likely miss your friends.”

“Then I will miss them,” she said matter-of-factly. “I don’t remember them. I want to know who I am without people who claim to know me asserting their influence.”

Lord Gregory thought about that a moment then gave her a nod. He didn’t tell her that her friends would not be told where she had gone if she went. The location of the Skyler Clan village wouldn’t be handed out to them no matter what. Instead, he smiled kindly and urged them toward the castle.

“Queen Rosa wanted to greet you personally, but she and the king have retired, like I said. I’ll escort you to my wife, lady. She will help you find a bed and someone to tend your needs. Phen, you must rest and be ready to attend council in the morning.”

The Lion Lord led Telgra up the stairway. About halfway up, he paused and turned back to Phen. “I already had stablemaster Wade gather up Oarly.”

Phen started toward the kitchen but remembered that he couldn’t eat or drink. He couldn’t really sleep, either, not physically. He ended up in his small downstairs room, where he washed himself with a wet cloth, then laid back in his bed and let his mind drift.

He thought about Karee, or Telgra, the beautiful elven maid who was a good archer and had dreamed about him once. He found, though, that wondering what Hyden Hawk had to say in his letter dominated his thoughts. He missed his friend. For a long time he’d thought Hyden dead, but after the High King’s wedding, a mysterious gift from the Skyler Clan gave them all hope.

Phen laughed. Hyden was such a horrible spell caster, yet the things the man accomplished without so much as trying to use magic at all were spectacular. Hyden always joked, in a self-mocking sort of way, that he was a great wizard, when in actuality he was. Not the sort of flashing smoke and lightning type of mage, like Pael, but a wizard of a far grander scale. Once, with only a suggestion, Phen saw Hyden start a series of events that led to thousands of Wildermont slaves being freed.

Hyden had also tricked the Dragon Queen out of her first dragon and then set it free from the magical collar that bound it. Claret had helped defeat Pael, and then recently saved Phen and carried him into O’Dakahn and destroyed the Dakaneese army. All of that, just because Hyden Hawk once helped her.

Phen was still thinking about all of it when a knock came to his door. He got up, opened it, and was surprised to see people bustling about in the corridor beyond the dark-haired, long-bearded Cresson.

“The High King awaits you,” Cresson said with a sheepish grin. “They are in the council hall. You can break your fast there.”

“No, Cresson, I can’t,” Phen said with an ironic smile. “I haven’t eaten in months.”

Cresson nodded and walked away. Phen followed him to the council chamber and was surprised to see Queen Rosa and Lady Telgra leaving the room giggling.