Chapter Four
The Master

A heavy sleet fell in sheets across the fields and woodlands leading towards the city of Nanharo. There was a beauty in the grey mist, and an elegance to the fast falling thin rain as it pattered on trees and ran in little rivers along cobbled streets in the outer villages. The usual pattern of pastures and fields of barley, wheat and vegetables gave way to scattered inns and eventually to small towns, along the road to the city of Nanharo.

The city had built up on the economy of a large iron mine, which they could see about a mile away to the west in the slopes of some hills. A thick road connected the city to the mines. In front of them, to the south, the road opened up wide into a well travelled street where the stones under hooves were worn smooth. Horse drawn carts moved around them, and peddlers announced wares from the back of wagons in motion. Purple robed soldiers patrolled the road, bearing the Nanharo broken-spear-and-shield sigil upon their shining silver helmets.

Nanharo's stone wall was only low, the height of three tall men, with little in the way of a gate to speak of. The road cut through the walls into a winding road that circled up through low roofed buildings towards a centre densely packed with tall buildings, and a grand walled keep atop a hill. The use of iron from the mine was evident in the construction of buildings as Ralis led the horseback column up the road through the streets of the city towards the castle. Rain still fell heavily upon them and the buildings as they proceeded.

Count Nanharo – he did not know his true name – was in his middle years, according to Arella. He was a proud man, proud of himself and proud of his city. He would be loyal to Tadian, and therefore some forceful persuasion might be required to attain his allegiance. Ralis relished the thought of a chance to test his power.

Ralis soon became aware of a unit of armed men from the keep's garrison moving towards them on foot. A stout man with a white-plumed helmet, the only one not holding a spear, was at their head. He hailed Ralis to stop and he obliged politely, not wanting any trouble.

Before speaking the man took a look along the column, eyeing the mismatched collection of Oardan soldiers and the scattering of farmhands Arella had managed to enlist. "Welcome to Nanharo, my Lord," the stout man said, wiping a film of rain from his face, "I am Fourth Sergeant Adan. Forgive me, your party has no banner, and you bear no sigil. Might I ask my Lord's name, and from where have you come?"

Ralis had naïvely expected a more hostile reception than this, and was taken aback. He had been thinking of violence too much lately. He looked like a Kairin nobleman, and he was one, and he led a column of Kairin soldiers. There was no need for confrontation. He looked down from the height of his horse to the short man. "I have come from Hyrule," said Ralis clearly, above the sound of the rain, "my name is The Master."

Fourth Sergeant Adan blinked, and looked from Ralis to Arella and back, Arella giving him an equally expressionless stare. Adan's hand twitched at his sword hilt. "What Kairin nobleman comes from Hyrule, my Lord?" said Adan respectfully with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

Thunder clapped and lightning forked the sky. "One whom has been exiled."

Adan was confused, and the soldiers surrounding him looked nervous. Ralis knew how to make his presence intimidating, and he was doing it right now. Adan wiped more rain from his face and stood up as tall as he could.

"Why have you come to Nanharo?" he said, without saying 'my lord' this time.

"I will speak with the Count," said Ralis in such a way as to leave no doubt that he would be meeting with the man. Adan did not move. He looked ready to fight to keep Ralis from advancing any further. The man's face was now running with rain from having to look up the whole time. "You are wet," said Ralis, with a dry smile, "allow me to help you, good Sergeant." Ralis raised a hand into the air, and clenched his fist. As he did so, a final smattering of raindrops fell to the earth and then nothing more. The whole city was suddenly relieved of the rain. The soldiers looked around uncertainly, because it seemed for all the world that this man had just stopped the rain. They were correct. "Let me dry you," he said. A cold gale blew through the column towards the party of soldiers, flapping their coats and making them crouch down to avoid being blown over.

The wind did little to dry the men, but Ralis had made his point. Adan's eyes were full of amazement and fear. "I will… I will tell the Count of your arrival… Master," he said.

"Thank you," said Ralis, giving a short respectful nod.

Arella laughed slowly when they began moving once again, the eyes of townsfolk following them. "That will give the people something to talk about for some days," she said, "you are being very direct, Master."

"These simple folk will have plenty to talk about soon, Arella, you will see." Ralis turned to her and smiled. A real smile, not the sort he put on for men like this Fourth Sergeant Adan. "And you need not call me Master, I have told you. You can call me Ralis."

Arella nodded obediently, but he knew she had no intention of using his name.

When the company arrived at the gates of the keep Arella gave the signal for all but Ralis' closest bodyguard to wait outside in the city. Adan then led them to the stables, where they dismounted. Their horses were led away to be fed and rested, whilst Ralis and the company, which now numbered seven including himself and Arella, were led towards the tall keep before them.

……

Count Nanharo received Ralis in the grand hall of the keep, a high and deep chamber of rock, with much ironwork in the masonry and in the decoration. The mighty hall felt grey and ancient, yet it was still in the height of its majesty. Ralis marvelled at the tall columns of stone and polished steel supporting the arching ceiling and wondered how it had been built so perfectly. A blue carpet worked with silver and black thread ran from the main doors through the hall to the Seat. A Seat, not a Throne, Ralis reminded himself, despite all the grandeur of his surroundings.

Long windows high above cast light down into the room, but lit torches in lamp stands were ablaze to lend more illumination. The walls were decorated with the banners of the villages and small towns under the governance of Nanharo, and above them portraits of lords and ladies of days gone by. As he walked along the carpet towards the Seat, Ralis scanned the walls hopefully for an image of Prince Ralian his deceased father, or his dead grandfather King Rodian. Of course, there were none. There were some thirty to forty soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder on each side of the carpet, and more surrounding the Seat. Clearly Nanharo did not welcome too many visitors.

The man sitting upon the Seat of Nanharo was old in years, and wore a thick coat of wolf fur that hung heavily over his shoulders, appearing to weight him down into his chair. He lifted his head slowly to look at Ralis and seemed to sigh even as he did so. To his left, there was a woman sitting, dressed all too similarly, and holding the same demeanour, the Countess. On the Count's right was a younger man, quite clearly his son by their striking resemblance.

The Seat and the two chairs beside were on a two-step dais. When they came to it Arella and the five men all knelt down with their heads bowed in respect, but Ralis stood tall, and stared at the Count. He said nothing. A man in grey and green livery brushed past Ralis, and unfurled a scroll in front of the count. "Your Highness, Count Nanharo, Countess Nanharo, Lord Edwire. May I present Lord…" the man stopped. Evidently this was his first reading the document. "Ah…" He was struggling. Ralis interrupted.

"I am The Master," he said in a level voice, "and I bow to no-one."

Ralis did not know how the Count would react, but he was certainly surprised to see him smile. "That is an impressive title, young Ralis," he looked smug about the fact that he knew Ralis' name, "I was wondering whether you would introduce yourself as Prince, or even King," the man winked, "but I did not expect this sort of treasonous proclamation." Ralis stood perfectly still. His journey towards the city had clearly not gone unnoticed. The Count probably had spies in every village.

"My name is Ralis al'Ralian al'k'Rodian al'k'Drodamen. If you know my name, if you know who I am, you know I am the true king of Kaira. Your lands and loyalty belong to me." Ralis flexed his neck and his wrists slightly. The soldiers on guard could sense the tension and looked ready to start fighting. Ralis had nothing to fear from them but he did not want to provoke them.

The Count's son Lord Edwire spoke. "The man forgets. The king is only sovereign when supported by the Counts of Kaira. If he truly is who he says he is, and I am inclined to believe him, he has no claim to the Throne any more. King Tadian is our only master."

"Enough Edwire," said the Count, turning to his son, "you have knowledge but your wisdom is thin. Tadian is a poor king; his relations with the Counts are failing." He turned back to Ralis, "nevertheless he is our lord and sovereign and we do not challenge his authority."

Ralis saw that the Count disliked Tadian, but knew that his loyalty would be fierce. He would take a while to persuade, but he was not leaving without the Count's allegiance. "Perhaps I should tell you my story." Ralis left no time for a reply. "I was cast away from this country, and unknowingly hunted all my life. I grew up in a small town in Hyrule, in a place I still think of as home. Some months ago, Kairin armies invaded, and my adoptive father was murdered in the fighting. Then my wife and unborn child were murdered in Hylia when we sought refuge there." Ralis folded his arms, and stood strong. He was able to mask his sorrow. "I fled Hyrule and came to Kaira. Here I met Arella," he gestured to his Captain, "and learned my true heritage.

"You know Tadian murdered his father and brother: my grandfather and father. By the law of the land he should have been arrested and executed for regicide. Yet he has been allowed to keep the seat he stole from my father's halls. You know that he does not wear the crown of my grandfather Rodian, the crown he stole from my father. Tadian has tried to kill me for twenty five years, yet here I stand. I am here for a reason. I am here to free Kaira from chains and restore peace and justice to the land of my fathers."

The Count grinned. "You talk bold, young Ralis. But you are no king, and I will not bow before you. You are a lost man. You are but dust. A splinter of a fragmented crown."

Ralis did not flinch. He looked hard into Count Nanharo's eyes, searching for weakness, searching for fear. "I am The Master, and you are unworthy to breathe the same air as I. I am the Evening Star!" Ralis raised his arms into the air and channelled his anger and sorrow into the earth. The ground began to tremble and the pillars in the hall shook. A tremendous deep groaning sound creaked all around, as the heavy iron frameworks began bending and twisting, slightly at first and then flexing visibly. "Bow before me!"

The Count was on his feet almost immediately, "Seize him!" he shouted at the soldiers. A sudden commotion ensued as thirty spears suddenly encircled the small party. Ralis' men and Arella drew their swords and made a protective ring around him.

"Get back!" warned Ralis. Dust and rocks were beginning to crumble from the ceiling, bouncing off the floor and clinking on steel helmets. Panic filled the hall. The Countess screamed, and was escorted away by her son, dodging pieces of falling rubble.

Spears began to lance towards Ralis, and he threw out his arms sideways, using folds of air to catch them and cast them away. Then he began casting his arms around, knocking soldiers down and sending some flying across the room. He could manipulate the air in any way, and he used it now to thicken air so that it was solid enough to hit and grapple people.

When it was clear that he could not be touched, the soldiery backed away, leaving the Count helplessly exposed. "I am the The Master. I am your King. Your men will fight for me, and I will regain the Crown of Kaira." Silence fell as Ralis relaxed his attack upon the foundations of the fortress. "I will be the King by your aid or no. Will you not secure favour with your lord?"

Count Nanharo was shaking as he knelt down before Ralis and bowed his head. "You have my allegiance, Master. My armies are yours."

Ralis nodded slowly as Nanharo rose to his feet again. The Counts of Kaira would flock to his banner one by one and then Morlakai City would fall. Tadian would fall. Inside his head there was maniacal laughter.