Disclaimer: This chapter has a lot of profanity and mature references.
Here we are introduced to a new character called Endimiyon who is an elf. Many reading this chapter will be confused or even shocked at what Endimiyon does - not typically how you expect an elf to behave. However, the reason why Endimiyon acts the way he does is a deep mystery of this story, and when that is revealed, you will understand Endimiyon's behavior and motivation. I would love to get your feedback on this character.
Enjoy this chapter.
Grim News Indeed
I - Roran
Roran couldn't sleep. A gentle breeze wafted inside the room, sending shivers through his body, even though his blanket was tucked over his chest. Sleepless nights became a frequent occurrence ever since Garron's birthday. Eragon's destiny is not here, it's in Drovengard. The words were like a fever, constantly giving him headaches and never letting go, until it left him weak. He rolled over to Katrina's side, who lay in a peaceful slumber, her chest rising and falling in a gentle wave. Listening to her breath seemed to edge out the cold, but it did not stop the thoughts poisoning his mind. He stroked her rosy cheeks and then rolled a strand of hair covering her forehead back over her ear. He leaned over and kissed her on her cheek. She smelled of rose petals.
Careful not to stir her, Roran rose out of bed and grabbed his tunic draped over the bedpost. Carefully, he made his way out of the room and decided to check on the children sleeping in the room across his. Inside, the moonlight captured the children perfectly through the skylight. Garron murmured inaudibly — probably having an adventure in his sleep — while Ismira had an arm around him. Roran gazed at them, smiling all the while, before he blew them a kiss and left the room.
Down the hallway he made his way to his study. To say the study was a mess was an understatement; papers and maps were strewn about carelessly across his desk and across the floor, his books lay scattered in front of the bookcases, and most of the furniture was heaved to one corner of the room.
Looks like the work of Garron the explorer, thought Roran laughing softly. With nothing to do he decided to tidy the books on the floor; anything to keep him occupied from his thoughts. After having gone through most of the pile a thin leather-bound book caught his eye; the title, written in gold letterings along the spine, said Eragon: Before the Dragon Rider. This was the only volume from the The History of the Rider War that he had. This particular one was written by Jeod Longshanks. Everything told him that this wasn't a good idea, but the temptation to read it was too great.
Shuffling the papers aside he sat in front of his desk and began to read. Selectively, he skipped to the chapters that mentioned the moments between him and Eragon. Jeod's writing was spellbinding, he made him feel like he was back home with his cousin again. Some pages drew laughter, some drew grins and smiles, while most drew tears. The sinking feeling in his chest grew unbearable and he shut the book closed. I would give up all of this if it means me and my family can live with Eragon here. Arya's torturous words came back to haunt him. Eragon's destiny is not here, it's in Drovengard.
He pushed the book aside and buried his face in his hands. Where are you cousin?
"Roran?" a soft voice called in front of him.
He fell out of his doleful mood and looked around to see where the voice came from. It didn't belong to Katrina. He looked towards the scry mirror lying precariously on the back corner of his desk, from where Nasuada was giving him a rueful smile. "Apologies for startling you." She lay resting against a rocking chair in a simple white gown. Only the right side of her face was exposed in light, while the other lay in intense shadow. Weariness marked her every feature — puffiness under the eye, slacked chin, hair unkempt — but it also gave her a mature beauty.
"My queen. What a surprise."
"The surprise of your presence at this hour is far greater." Her voice was low and dry.
"How did you know I was here?"
She held up her left arm in front of the candlelight to show him a bracelet tied to her wrist. It had three strands of cream-white pearls secured to a red ruby. A couple of pearls were lit in blue light. "I had Trianna make me this bracelet. A pearl lights up when any of my subjects are near a scry mirror. This one is yours." She showed him the pearl — lit up in an ocean blue — which had an R etched in black at the front.
"It's quite impressive." She didn't smile or acknowledge his compliment. "Is something amiss?" Roran asked gently.
"I'm afraid I have grim news."
"What's happened?" He brought the scry mirror closer and wiped off the dust with his hand.
"Reports have come in that an army of two thousand have besieged Teirm. Veras is leading these soldiers."
Grim news indeed. A silence ensued between them as Roran tried to make sense of what he had just heard. This is too soon. "How could he take two thousand men in the heart of Alagaesia?"
"Jörmundur is perplexed as I am. It seems Veras had been planning this for weeks. Where he got the resources to execute this — I don't know. His timing and speed was impeccable."
Everyone thought they had cornered a rat. Turns out it was a snake — just like I had warned. "Has Arya been informed?"
"She was the one that reported it to me. I will inform King Orrin and King Orik before dawn."
"Teirm is abundant in resources. With that much wealth Veras could easily invade Palancar Valley."
"As we speak, Jörmundur already has a host of six thousand soldiers at Dras-Leona."
"What about the Elven Legion?"
"Commander Arl has gathered a hundred elves. He will meet up with Jörmundur's host near Teirm."
He felt a surge of excitement. This was a chance to strike Veras while there were no barriers protecting him. For countless days he had conjectured at how Veras would, for the second time, attempt to invade Palancar Valley. He didn't need to conjecture anymore. The elusive enemy has drawn its battle line. Now it is time to meet that line, and finally kill the snake at the head. "Jörmundur will need every help he can get. I'll draft up my soldiers, and —"
She held up her hand, shutting her eyes in annoyance. "No need Roran. We have more than enough men for this battle."
It felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. He gritted his teeth but did not show it to her. "Nasuada, do you honestly believe that I and my men will stand aside while our home is under threat?"
"There must be a show of calm and stability. I am making sure that this news doesn't spread to the people, until the situation has been resolved. Jörmundur is taking those soldiers that are already in active duty — he is not raising levies. That is why I don't want you to draft soldiers from Carvahall — it would cause rumours and then panic to spread. Besides, I want you to be at the Surda games. This battle will be won without you, I assure you."
She doesn't want me to intervene. The hubris on her — she thinks she can handle this by herself. "You are asking me to stand down. Do I have that clear?"
Nasuada leaned closer to the scry mirror, the weariness in her face replaced by stone calmness. He had never seen her look so cold. "No, Stronghammer, I am not asking you. I am ordering you to stand down. Attend the Surda games. I will not repeat myself."
Her image evaporated in white smoke. Roran slammed his fist onto the table, the force causing his knuckles to pop and the table to groan. He thought about the Mage Rebellion and how it nearly caused Carvahall's downfall. Every war subsequent to that threatened, not only the life of his citizens, but the life of his family. It was a miracle that Katrina managed to sleep soundly the way she did tonight, otherwise, she worried desperately for her children's safety against enemies that wanted them dead. How could I avoid a confrontation that could send enemies at our gates?
No, he needed to do something bold. He needed Endimiyon.
II - Endimiyon
All it took was a knock at the front door to ruin Endimiyon's night. A night that included a beautiful blonde woman on one bedside, assortment of expensive wines on the other, and the house all to himself. Now he was outside in the cold night, miserably walking to answer Lord Roran's summons at the castle.
'Damn these stairs," he muttered as he began to climb the stairs leading steeply up the hill. "Damn them to hell." He kept insulting anything that came to his mind, until he reached the top. To be interrupted when I was cupping perfectly shaped breasts — fuck.
He reached into his pocket for his wine flask, feeling for the familiar touch of metal. His mood perked somewhat when he felt it; he withdrew the wine flask, uncorked the grinning skull and took a much-needed whisk of wine. Sweet beads of heavenly liquid embraced his tongue and warmed his body, as Carrie would have done. "You my friend," he said turning the skull towards him, "are the only one who is keeping me sane tonight."
####
Endimiyon didn't expect a warm reception this late at night, however, he didn't expect such a grim reception either. It felt as if he was the only resident in the castle, which suited him well enough, except he would have preferred to share the loneliness with a woman — preferably naked.
From the dozens of lanterns in the great colonnaded hall only a single one was lit, casting a shadowy atmosphere, and somehow making the night colder than it actually was. Now he was wishing that he had donned on another tunic underneath his coat, and wore some gloves as well.
Moments passed as he sat underneath the lit lantern on the only bench in the hall, which ran the entire length of the hall, and was pressed against the wall. Bored, he turned around to look at the painting hung just above him; it showed Lord Roran sitting in a somber mood — typical of royal portraits — with Master Garron on his knee mirroring his father's expression. Their eyes looked at him with cold expressions, as if they had caught him sleeping with Lady Katrina and were about to sentence him.
Sounds of footsteps emerged from behind the door leading to the royal chambers. Endimiyon stood up and straightened his coat, as the chamber door opened, throwing golden light into the hall. Tamana emerged from the doors lumbering slowly towards him, her expression hidden in shadow against the bright light behind her. Her saggy body hunched down as if she was carrying an invisible boulder on her back.
"I was told this was an urgent matter," Endimiyon said aloud.
"What makes you think it isn't?" Tamana croaked.
"It takes you half a day to walk out of bed."
"Daresay, that is a lot quicker than when you are drunk, which is most nights. There is always a concern when Lord Roran summons you that you are lying in excrement somewhere."
"Sorry to disappoint."
"That is odd. I swear I smelled some foul stench when you entered this castle."
Endimiyon laughed. "Okay, Tamana. I would like to see Lord Roran."
"He's called you inside. Walk quietly to his study. If you peek in Lady Katrina's room, I will know."
"I'm shaking in my boots." He walked past her as her gaze followed him suspiciously.
He finally relaxed once he entered the living chambers and away from that wretched bitch, who somehow became a chamberlain. I went from sleeping with a beautiful blonde to arguing with an old hag. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the illuminant chandeliers alit across the hallway. Upon closer inspection the chandeliers had beads of light floating within the crystals while drawing energy from rubies in the centre. That is one way to show off how rich you are.
Chiselled subtly into the walls were dwarvish letterings that read of ancient tales about famous dwarf masons — not that Endimiyon knew how to read dwarvish, he had someone translate it to him. It heightened the quality of the decor of the place and illuminated anyone curious with history. On the other hand, who wants to read about bearded half-men cutting rocks?
As he strode past the master bedroom he heard gentle breathing, but paid no thought to it. At the end of the hallway he entered the study and shut the doors behind him. Turning around, he wished he hadn't.
Like the great hall the study was enveloped in darkness, except for traces of moonlight filtering through the balcony window. He looked for a sign that someone else was here. As his eyes adjusted to the dim surroundings he saw a burly silhouette behind curtains — the silhouette floated as the wind rippled the curtains.
"My lord?" Endimiyon began cautiously.
"Endimiyon," Lord Roran said with a hint of annoyance, "it took you long enough to reach me."
"I apologise, I was…occupied." Cupping perfectly shaped breasts.
Lord Roran emerged from the curtains, walked over to his desk and took out what seemed to be a metal tinderbox. "I just received word from Queen Nasuada. Take a seat." He gestured to the chair across from his desk as he sat down himself. The room was a mess, especially the mounds of books pulled out of the shelves. I can live with untidiness, but untidy books is where I draw the line.
Endimiyon pulled the proffered chair back and sat down. For the first time, since being in this room, he could begin to see Lord Roran's features in the moonlight. He looked grim, bloody grim; his eyes were downcast, his skin was pale as death itself, and his lips were parched as if he had wondered the Hadarac Desert for a month.
Lord Roran looked intensely at the tinderbox between them as he began to speak. "A man can only stand for so long in complete darkness." From beneath his desk he picked up a lantern covered in dust and placed it near the tinderbox.
"You said the queen contacted you? What did she say?" Endimiyon found himself tugging at a strand of hair dangling just behind his ear. It looks like I've just walked into someone else's nightmare. I feel like an intruder but I can't help but stay.
"If I could summarise it in my own words — she told me to roll over and lie down. Like some loyal dog." He spat out the word 'dog' as if it was poison.
The words instinctively made Endimiyon straighten up a little. Was he hearing these words correctly? Words of defiance, against the queen herself? He wanted to hector Lord Roran to tell him more, but thought better of it. I cannot seem desperate.
Lord Roran produced a fire steel from inside the tinderbox; the metal was deeply scratched. "Back in my youth my family would partly get paid in candles." He turned the fire steel under the moonlight, the surface reflecting a dull white. "Light was as important to us as food on the table. One day there was a special market at the beginning of spring near Therinsford. Me, my uncle and Eragon gathered all of our coins, which was hardly much, and made the long journey there. As Eragon wandered off, as he usually did, I began to look for anything that could help us with our farm. The day dragged into the evening and I remember seeing a dangling light in front of a glass market stall. I usually avoided exotic stalls but the dangling light took my interest — it was brighter than any candle I ever saw." Lord Roran grabbed from the tinderbox a jagged white rock and a darkened cloth that smelled strongly of charcoal. Taking the white rock in his left hand and the fire striker in the other, he began to strike the fire striker against the sharp edge of the rock over the charcoal cloth. The striking sounded similar to how a sword struck metal armour, only a bit duller and with less reverberation. He continued his story as he kept striking. "When I got close enough I noticed the dangling light was a beautiful glass oil lamp — the same ones in royal palaces. I didn't bother asking how much the oil lamp was — I knew I couldn't pay it. I asked the merchant how much work it would take me to afford the oil lamp. Merchants want to be paid quickly, so I expected this man to scold me away. However, this man's name was Federio, and he was a kindly man. He smiled, and knew by how rough my hands were that I was a farmer. In Carvahall you would see the occasional oil lamp, but small farmers could only afford candles. I knew owning an oil lamp would mean extra coins, as I wouldn't need to be paid in candles anymore. Federio understood all that by just looking at my hands. He told me that I could afford the oil lamp if I go around the market and personally sell glass trinkets for him. His son had moved away and he didn't have anyone to sell glass trinkets around the marketplace. I convinced father to let me spend a week of my spring break at the marketplace — maybe I could even pick up a craft to open up new ways to make money off our farm — I hadn't told him that I was really there for the oil lamp. He would have been furious if he knew I was paying a debt." Gathering the sparks kindled from the rock onto the charcoal cloth, Lord Roran placed down the fire striker and opened up the oil lamp. "For the whole week that I was there I would wake early in the morning, pick up the glass trinkets from Federio, and sell them — quite a lot more than even Federio had expected me to. He was impressed and offered me more work at the end of the week, which of course I refused. I thanked him and took the oil lamp back with me to my farm." Lord Roran blew the sparks into the oil lamp, kindling the wick. The warm light softened his expression. "I learnt that just because I was a farmer I shouldn't be defined by standards others put on me. People expected small farmers to rely on candles, but I defied that."
"Did your father ever find out?"
"He did," Lord Roran said with a fond smile, as he packed the materials back into the tinderbox. "The extra coins kept him happy though, and he didn't go beyond giving me the occasional glare."
"I'm assuming this is the oil lamp that you had bought?" Endimyion said, pointing it out.
"No, that one got destroyed the day my father died. I bought this to remind myself of where I came from and where I am now. I didn't reach here by submitting myself to others." He looked at Endimiyon as though he was searching for something within him. "Can I trust you to be the loyal general you vowed to be?"
"My lord I am committed to this post. The men respect me, and —"
"I know of your experience. What I need to know is how loyal you are to me."
The back of his neck felt cold. Why was Lord Roran asking him this? He knew how loyal he was. "I will kill a dragon in order to prove myself."
Lord Roran smiled in approbation and nodded slowly. "After tonight, you might wish that you were actually hunting a dragon, compared to what I would have you do." He drew in a long breath before saying, "Veras has taken Teirm."
"Veras — taken — but when?" A thousand thoughts fired in his head — most of them incredulous — and he felt his throat get drier. Veras was in Teirm? Lashing out was something he expected him to do. But to take Teirm? That takes balls. This changes the game entirely.
"He took the city earlier tonight, at the head of an armada of two thousand men. Field Marshal Jörmundur is marching at the head of six thousand soldiers to meet him from Dras-Leona, while Commander Arl is leading a hundred soldiers to assist them."
Arl was a name he had not heard in a while. A name he knew in a different life.
"Veras wanted a key to the Empire and now he has it," Endimyion said in a low voice. "The Spine and Palancar Valley are right in front of him." He pinched the bridge of his nose and then massaged his temple. "The queen should have allowed him to take a small territory in Surda, so he wouldn't have escaped to Beirland. The rebels would have come out of hiding to join Veras there. With all of them in one territory Jörmundur could have easily crushed them. You don't push your enemies to be unpredictable. The blockade was a mistake, especially when we didn't know what he was doing on that island." He shook his head.
Roran smiled. "I supported the blockade."
"I know. What is our plan of attack?"
"I have been commanded to step down."
"What?" Incredulous, Endimiyon leapt to his feet, mirroring Lord Roran's anger. "She can't do that!" He began pacing in front of the table. Something crunched under his boots and he stopped. On the floor around him there were shards of mirror glass.
"Oh, that," Lord Roran said dismissively. "I need to get myself a new scry mirror." He lifted his left hand close to the oil lamp — the skin was raw red with a motley tinge of purple and black. Even though it must have been painful he nonetheless smiled. "Sometimes I surprise even myself, Endimiyon."
Endimiyon cleared his throat. "I gather we are not listening to this command."
Lord Roran nodded, rubbing his left hand. "Do you think I have a choice in the matter? Our home is under threat. If Queen Nasuada wanted a lap dog that accepted his place then she should have chosen someone else to be the Lord of Palancar Valley. Like I said, I don't behave according to the standards of others. Sometimes I must make my own choices for the interest of my family and people. "
"I agree, my lord."
"That was oddly quick."
"With the fact that it would be easier to hunt a dragon," Endimiyon said, breaking into laughter and causing Lord Roran to do the same, when by all expectations they should have been shitting themselves. Treason was a cocktail that one did not drink without fear; but loyalty was something more potent, something that elevated one above that fear. However, he knew this act will not be taken lightly by some back at home. I could just picture Hiro right now shaking me by my shoulders, finally convinced that I have lost the plot.
"Excellent." Lord Roran clapped his hand and stood up. "Gather a hundred men from the city watch and march swiftly to Teirm. You are to infiltrate its walls quietly."
With a nod Endimiyon stood up in a swift motion and straightened his coat. An excitement he hadn't felt in years, surged through him as if — as if a storm had awoken. "It won't be easy."
"That is why you are in charge. Accomplish your task in such a way so Nasuada or Arya does not find out."
"You want me to reach Teirm, take care of Veras, be gone before Jörmundur arrives, and make sure I leave no trace of me being there?"
"This is the hardest thing I have ever asked you to do."
"The fact that Jörmundur must meet the Elven Legion before striking at Teirm gives me time."
"Every hour will count. How do you plan on marching to Teirm?"
"I'll have to think about that, my lord." Tonight will be a sleepless night.
Lord Roran reached under his desk, pulled open the middle drawer and took out a small parchment and quill. "These are the general orders I want you to give to the garrison." After dipping his quill in ink he scribbled down furiously, sweat forming on his brow, in a handwriting that was illegible to most people except Endimiyon, who had learnt to read it over the years. He leaned over and read the orders; it placed Endimiyon in command, giving him authority to structure the forces to his liking. Dipping the quill in ink again he signed the bottom. Then he folded the letter in half and offered it to Endimiyon, but as he reached over to take it Lord Roran pulled it back with a concerned expression. "Veras can't get away from us this time." He spoke softly, but with a hint of malice, as if Veras was in this very room.
"Do you want him brought dead or alive?"
"I would prefer dead, but no. The queen would want him alive for his information on the rebels. Keep him alive and bring him to Carvahall."
"Very well, my lord."
Lord Roran proffered the letter again; Endimiyon took it and pocketed it in underneath his coat. With a curt nod Endimiyon walked over to the study entrance, but before he left, he sneaked a glance back. Lord Roran was looking out the window with his back to Endimiyon and his hands crossed behind. It was the same way Lord Roran had reacted when Endimiyon told him three years ago that Veras had escaped. He looks out the window hoping for some measure of relief to come his way. This time he could not allow — would not allow Veras to get away.
####
Endimiyon wasted no time and headed straight for his mansion atop the Eastern Hill. Not even the sudden rain hampered his pace; instead it relieved his grogginess. He had one objective in mind: convince Hiro to join him. I hope he's not drunk. It'll make the job a lot harder.
The storm blew away stubborn refuse from the streets, glistened the cobble stones and infused the air with earthly smells. The storm was a fitting prelude to his dangerous adventure. Just the way I like my adventures.
Entering the foyer of his mansion, the storm sent reverberations through the stone walls, as if a battering ram was breaking through. Endimiyon quickly scraped away the clumped mud under his boots on the mat, put on a dry tunic and made sure the letter was still in his pockets. Endimiyon looked over to the empty mantle above the fireplace and a smile crept on his face. Veras's head would look good up there, provided it is preserved properly. Just imagine the adoring ladies lining up to meet the general who brought him down.
First, he needed to take care of Carrie. He could not risk her being within close ambit of where the plans were going to be discussed. He climbed upstairs, went through the small library, and then entered the narrow hallway, where his room was at the far end. Seven guards — holding their spears upright — packed tightly in front of his bedroom door. He saw Benin — the lead guard of his estate — with his mother, who leaned the side of her head against the door.
"What is going on?" Endimiyon said. "Is Carrie alright? And, what are you doing here mother?"
His mother signalled for him to keep quiet.
"Lady Carrie has already left," Benin said. "She was quite distressed. Master Hiro had fell ill to alcohol and passed out on top of her. She became spooked and ran out."
"Looks like his date with Anatha had gone awry," Endimiyon said. Just like I had predicted. Gods above, I would have loved to have played more with her breasts before she left.
Benin have a knowing nod, as if he had predicted the same thing. It is hard to win over the mystery that is Anatha. Those sorts of women are best left to their own predilections.
"Why not just enter the room, mother?" Endimiyon said. Her name was Helena Kal. She was short and wiry, but her gravitas made up for all of that. She had tied her hair back in a bun and her sleeves were rolled up. Taking care of the orphans in Palancar Valley occupied the majority of her time. It pained Endimiyon to see her work so hard; she refused to move to his mansion and even refused financial assistance. Instead, she lived with Aunt Nafiri in an orphanage located in the slums of Carvahall. Her presence here was quite rare; mostly it was Endimiyon and Hiro who spent time with her at the orphanage.
His mother knocked on the door. "Dear, I told you to stop drinking." She turned around and looked at Endimiyon. "It might kill one of you one day."
Endimiyon shrugged with a sad smile. "Has he locked the door?"
"No. But he gets irritated if I enter. He's ashamed."
"I heard that Lady Anatha had punched Master Hiro."
Helena whirled around, her face concentrating into a frown. "She did what?!" She rolled up her sleeves higher. "Where is she?! She can't get away for hurting my baby."
"Where did you hear about this?" Endimiyon said.
"A close friend of mine had witnessed the incident."
"Does this friend have a name?"
Benin rubbed his bald spot. "Wyren, sir. He is a blacksmith for Carvahall."
Endimiyon turned towards his mother. "Alright, I will take care of Anatha. Right now, Hiro needs some encouragement."
"I don't know," she said with a tired sigh. "I don't want you encouraging him to do anything reckless. He doesn't need that right now."
He felt the contours of the letter against his chest. Treason was as reckless as one could get. I cannot accomplish this without Hiro. He put on a reassuring smile. "Of course I won't." He felt sick the moment those words left him.
His mother walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. "You are a good boy Endimiyon. I wish I had treated you better."
He held her shoulders. "You don't need to feel guilty. Believe me, you have made up for it and much more."
She managed a rueful smile. "I'll make both of you a salad. As soon as Hiro feels better I want you both to come to the drawing room."
"Extra lemon in my salad please. Thank you." He kissed her forehead, and opened the door for her towards the small library. This is the worst night for Hiro to get drunk.
Endimiyon turned to Benin. "Get these men out of here."
####
Endimiyon entered his room and closed the door behind him. Hiro lay sprawled on the bed with his back to the ceiling. The room smelled of rosy incense left behind by Carrie. Sounds of thunder and rain blasted through the slightly ajar window. Hiro's snoring matched the intensity of the storm. It felt as if mother nature and Hiro were having a contest of who could make the biggest ruckus.
Endimiyon filled himself a glass of wine from the many bottles on the bedside table to the right of the bed. Hiro's usual windswept brown hair was drenched in sweat, as well as his clothes: a bright blue tunic with white trousers. He smelled of overly-sweet wine and vomit, enough to cause anyone nausea. Gripped firmly in his right hand — the hand closest to Endimiyon — was a dagger. What is he doing with that? No wonder Carrie ran out of the house.
Endimiyon grabbed Hiro's right wrist and twisted. Hiro opened his right hand and the dagger fell out. Endimiyon pulled the dagger away. Hiro sat up, let out a painful breath and frantically looked about with blood-shot eyes. "Who the —"
"You look terrible."
Hiro blinked his unfocused eyes at Endimiyon. "I can't see shit. Everything is swimming about me."
"Well done. Mother is worried sick and you've got the whole house under alert."
Hiro wiped away the sweat from his forehead, his breathing becoming more frantic. "I didn't want her to come here."
"Alright, calm down. Mother is just worried about you. You must have drank more than usual."
Hiro closed his eyes; it seemed as if he would fall back to sleep. He then opened his eyes. "Benin," Hiro whispered.
"What about him?"
"Benin is loyal to mother. She must have made…" Hiro lost his train of thought for a moment as he swayed drunkenly. He was slurring his words like a toddler. "…must have made him promise to tell her if I was in trouble."
"You can't even speak right."
"That means the alcohol is doing its job. If you don't mind me, I'm going to — I'm going to do what? Hmm, interesting. What am I going to do?" Hiro dropped back to his bed and closed his eyes.
"Hey." Endimiyon slapped Hiro across his freckled cheek. For a moment Hiro was startled, but then he blinked at Endimiyon and smiled. "An elf," Hiro said giggling. "My brother is a fucking elf." Then he broke into a raucous laughter.
"Alright, that's enough." Endimiyon grabbed Hiro by his shoulders and hauled him up so that he sat. "You need water and food in your belly."
Tears formed in Hiro's eyes. He lunged to the side for a wine bottle but Endimiyon pulled him back. "She punched me Endimiyon. Why did she do that?" Hiro always became mercurial when doped up on alcohol.
Endimiyon sighed, patting Hiro's shoulder. "Anatha's a mystery to both of us," he said softly.
"Hang her," Hiro said. "I want her to regret breaking my heart."
Broke your ego more like it. "We'll talk about it. Let's first get you cleaned up and get you something to eat and drink. How about that?"
Hiro nodded slowly. "Okay."
####
Servants had to be called in to give Hiro a proper bath. After that ordeal Endimiyon led Hiro — his arms propped over his shoulders — down into the drawing room.
The lit fireplace provided warm light and a relaxing mood. Endimiyon loved the sounds of crackling wood: it reminded him of his hunting trips in Palancar Valley with Hiro. On the other hand, Endimiyon had always felt that those trips lacked the thrill he craved. Tonight was his opportunity of a lifetime: to finally break out of his lethargy and accomplish something that was both thrilling and meaningful.
Helena stood behind a small table at the centre of the room with food already prepared. She managed a smile for Hiro, but Endimiyon could sense she wanted to strangle something.
They sat down with their mother's stare hovering over them. Hiro stared at his food as if it was his enemy. Helena frowned, closing her eyes. "Eat your food damn it," she snapped, "or I'll shovel it down your throat."
Hiro straightened up as if from a coma, fumbling for the wooden spoon. With arms crossed their mother watched as Hiro ate the omelette, the fruit salad and finally drank the coffee. Endimiyon did likewise, but since the threat of a beating was more in Hiro's favour, he took his time with the food and coffee.
"Good boys." Helena picked up the two trays with the empty dishes and whistled a tune all the way to the kitchens. She wouldn't even let the servants help her out.
"She can be crazy sometimes," Hiro whispered as if she was still in his presence.
Endimiyon chuckled. "You remember that hunting trip?" Endimiyon gestured towards the glass cabinet between the two red sofas. Inside was a massive grizzly bear hide.
"Of course I do. You wouldn't let me sell the hide afterwards."
"How could I? It was the first bear I killed."
"Why not just display your half of the money, if you're so sentimental."
Endimiyon leaned forward. "My point is, that I couldn't have killed that bear without you."
"My traps did do half the work." Hiro said, cocking his eyebrow with a smile.
"Of course, so —"
"So, you should have let me sell the bear hide."
Endimiyon rolled his eyes. "Are we still arguing about this?"
"As long as that bear hide keeps reminding me of the money I could have made."
"It's worthless now. It doesn't matter. Answer me this: how were we able to accomplish that hunt?"
"By skewering the beast's heart with a spear."
"No, before that. Do you know how much trust goes within a hunting party for them to decide to hunt a grizzly bear? Even then, several come back bloodied and crippled. We didn't even go with a hunting party. What does that say about us?"
"That I am the greatest hunter in the world."
"Hardly. That we trust one another to the fullest. Apart from your broken arm we came away with a few bruises. It is our trust, more than anything, that got us to where we are."
Hiro's smile suggested that he had already forgotten about the date. This was the moment. Endimiyon reached into his pockets for the letter, and —
Just then, Benin burst into the drawing room — red-faced and sweating.
"What the hell are you up to?!" Hiro exclaimed to Benin.
"Lady Anatha is here."
"Shit," Endimiyon whispered under his breath. He withdrew his hand sadly from his pocket. How in the hell is this happening to me right now? The one person I needed Hiro to forget comes knocking at the fucking door.
Hiro dug his nails into the arms of his chair. His expression twisted into a mad rage, a rage that had the potential to send him tearing down the house. "That bitch is here?! After what she did, she has the balls to show her pretty face over here? Tell her to leave!"
Benin was balancing on the ball of his feet, chewing his lips. "Lady Anatha is adamant that it's not in your interest to have her leave."
"What does that mean?" Hiro said, frowning.
Endimiyon didn't know either, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tempt fate. "Let her in," Endimiyon said in a low voice. Anatha was a commander within the Carvahall forces, the same rank Hiro had. Endimiyon had delegated to her the command over the guards in the Lord's Castle. She had knowledge of all summons from the Lord's Castle, and that meant she knew about the summons tonight. However, it was impossible she knew the content of the discussion. Then what the hell does she know?
"Hey!" Hiro stood up and pushed Endimiyon's shoulders. "You're letting her into my house?"
"Our house," Endimiyon corrected. "That woman could send me to the gallows come morning."
Hiro frown changed into a confused frown. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Endimiyon sighed, producing the letter from his pocket. "It's concerning this. Look, I want you to forgive the bad blood that was spilled between the both of you."
"No fucking way! She punched me in the face."
"And you came away with your face intact. There's not even a mark on you."
"The embarrassment alone made it painful."
"What about this for pain? Your body hanging from a rope around your neck."
Hiro paused for a moment. "What the hell did you do?"
Benin cleared his throat, his eyes darting from Endimiyon to Hiro. "What should I do?"
"Let her in." Endimiyon said. Hiro slumped in his chair, defeated.
A few moments later, Lady Anatha strode effortlessly into the drawing room. She was draped in a deep red coat, which contrasted perfectly with the black scarf around her neck. Her clothes were slightly wet due to the rain. Despite the fact that Endimiyon's life was on the line, he imagined himself untying that scarf, then kissing Anatha's tender neck while his hand reached inside her red coat towards those full breasts. She smiled devilishly at Endimiyon, not the expression one gives to their superiors, but by gods above, he had already forgiven her. "General, I've been informed of your unexpected visit with Lord Roran," Anatha said, her voice as rich as honey. She let down her long brunette hair – also slightly wet – which added to her appeal.
Hiro merely ignored her, fidgeting with the table mat. One could feel Hiro wanting to say a million things to Anatha.
Endimiyon spoke to Anatha. "I'm flattered that you were concerned and walked all the way over here"—he gestured towards the windows—"under this weather."
"Well, let us be grateful for cloaks."
"A chat between a lord and his general shouldn't pose much concern."
"General, my concern is with the timing. Apart from an emergency, I cannot think of a reason why there would be a summons this late at night."
"Lord Roran, I presume, was restless. He wanted to review the city command with me."
"Review the city command with you," Anatha said, slowly. "So that is why you were summoned tonight?"
"Precisely."
"I seem to recall going over the city command with Lord Roran a few days ago."
"Are you accusing me of lying, commander?"
"No general. Lord Roran must have not liked my suggestions."
"Well," Endimiyon said, clicking his tongue, "we all have our bad days."
"May I see the review?"
"He didn't write it up. He was tired in the end."
A smile crept at the corner of her lips. "Then I assume you wrote it up general."
"I was tired too. I plan on writing it up tomorrow."
"I'm impressed general. When I review the city command, the details are so intricate that I have to keep several pages at hand just for notes. You have it all remembered without a single note."
Endimiyon laughed to ease the tension. Anatha chuckled, but her reaction was genuine. She was the one enjoying this and he wasn't. "Well, elves have very impressive memories. Anyway, you said it was not in my interest for me to have you leave. What was that all about?"
"I assure you it was not a threat. Field Marshal Jörmundur had asked me to give him weekly reports, and —"
"Weekly reports? How come I was not informed of this?"
"Commanders are asked to give reports whenever the Field Marshal requires it. It's not unusual general."
"Yes, but weekly reports? That sounds intrusive."
"As part of my report, I inform the Field Marshal about the movement of soldiers coming in and out of Carvahall. After your summons tonight, I thought Lord Roran might have ordered a change to the number of soldiers in Carvahall. If I don't report that then Field Marshal Jörmundur would be furious with all the military officers, including you."
Endimiyon crossed his arms. "And why did you suspect there would be a change to the number of soldiers?"
"It's no secret that Lord Roran has become unnerved by the inactivity of the rebels. He thinks that they might be planning something big."
Shit. If I take a hundred soldiers from the city garrison then Anatha would report it to Jörmundur. Jörmundur would immediately realise what I'm up to. I'll be on my way to the gallows before I even leave Palancar Valley. Silence gripped the room. Anatha looked at Endimiyon with a curious gaze. The plan was already falling apart. Now he needed Anatha to be complicit in his plans if he wanted to succeed.
Endimiyon sighed. "Take a seat commander. Let us restart this conversation with an honest approach."
Anatha nodded. "I would love that very much." Something told Endimiyon that she had already anticipated the outcome of this conversation. She sat on a chair cross-legged and shook the loose hair from her forehead.
"Alright," Hiro said. "What the fuck is going on? Why am I not getting my justice?"
"Anatha, you must apologise for what you did."
"That's it?!" Hiro smacked the table. "She assaulted a commander. That is grounds for severe punishment."
"I apologise," Anatha said, with clear mockery in her voice.
Hiro's face went red with anger, or was that embarrassment? Anatha had outsmarted Hiro — once again.
When Endimiyon had finished explaining the winding events of tonight — the summons, the siege at Teirm, Nasuada's orders, Roran's disregard of those orders and the secret letter — Hiro looked a lot paler than usual. Even Anatha looked tense, a betrayal to her cool-headed reputation, even in extreme circumstances. The only positive energy in the room was Endimiyon's enthusiasm to go ahead.
"What do you think?" Endimiyon said, looking at Hiro. "This is our opportunity to come out of the mire. To finally be renowned."
"This is treason," Anatha remarked, as if that wasn't the most obvious conclusion. She clearly regretted finding out the truth of tonight's summons.
"Remember I told you there shall come a day when you will completely lose your mind?" Hiro said.
Endimiyon crossed his arms, looked down and nodded. He knew what Hiro was going to say next. Today is that day.
"Today is that day."
"To tell you the truth," Endimiyon said. "I am tired of the monotonous hell that I am in. Drink and fuck, drink and fuck."
Hiro laughed out loud, the bastard he was. "Stabbing the Queen in the back is supposed to give you some sort of meaning?"
"It's my chance to be part of something greater."
Hiro scoffed. "The only something you will be part of is the neck that the noose fits around."
"What about you? Why the hell are you drunk most nights? Are you happy with how your life turned out? I remember when we fought against Veras at The Spine. You hardly drank in that whole week."
"It's different this time. We don't have the Queen's blessings."
"I will handle her. I just need you at my side."
"That letter hardly has a plan," Anatha said. "It allows us a hundred soldiers. What do we do with that? Where do we march them? The Queen has all the routes to Teirm patrolled."
"She has only those routes patrolled that run through the Empire," Endimiyon said, then paused. "We will march our army through the Spine."
Hiro gaped at Endimiyon with incredulity. He then buried his face in his hands. "My brother has completely lost it."
Anatha bit her lip, contemplating the proposal. "I'll be lying if I said it isn't bold. But, I guess it could work."
Hiro shot her a glare. "Our line of work doesn't operate on guesses."
Endimiyon smiled. "The Urgal civil war will allow us to slip our men through. The most intense fighting of late has been at the southern end of The Spine. We'll take a south-westerly approach close to the coast."
"It's a civil war," Hiro said. "The location of where the fighting is most intense changes rapidly. If the civil war sprawls to many locations, then —"
"We'll adapt to changing circumstances," Endimiyon said. "Look, I will be a fool if I didn't admit this is high risk. But it can be done. I just can't do it alone."
Hiro's expression softened. "Even if we do make it to Teirm, Veras is another beast altogether."
"That is what we do best," Endimiyon said, gesturing to the bear hide. "We hunt beasts."
"Okay," Anatha said, standing up. "Count me in general. Tonight will be a long night preparing the horses."
"That's it?" Endimiyon said. "I thought convincing you will be harder work."
Anatha smiled. "General, you two aren't the only ones who consider their lives monotonous." She smirked, gesturing towards Hiro. "I'll leave you to it."
When she left the room there was silence between Endimiyon and Hiro. It was best to give Hiro his space for his thoughts. Endimiyon had no doubt that his brother would come around. They both had dreamt about an adventure like this.
"What about mother?" Hiro said, in a low voice. "If we're caught it will destroy her life."
"Let them try come near us. It will be their biggest mistake." Endimiyon walked over to Hiro and touched him on his shoulder. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course I bloody do."
Endimiyon then embraced him in a tight hug. "Then there is nothing else to argue."
"I just wish that bitch Anatha didn't have to come."
